[hikr]

I have some GoreTex hiking boots that are about a year old and a sweaty smell has built up in the gtx membrane. Do you have any recommended techniques to help minimize this odor? I was thinking about just spraying some ethanol in there by default. I've noticed that most shoe deodorizer imparts its own particular scent which often tends to simply create a new funky smell after 1-2 wearings.

[Randito]

One way to prevent it from building up is to apply anti-perspirant to your feet. Removing any insoles and treating the insoles and boot interior with fabreeze or other cleaner will cut the existing stench a bit.

[bk]

Good question. Had a similar problem with REI's North Face Flow Chute Winter Boots in Nov. 2011. But these were not Goretex. So maybe this was a different problem. Bought mine new. Sploshed into a creek on the first hike (got soaked inside) and they reeked that first night, trying to dry them out . . . and for the next couple of days until they were dry. They reeked up the whole apartment. And it was like this after every use. Scale of 1 to 10 (ten is bad), these had an acrid, chemical-like reek that was about a high 9, or a 10. Awful, and had to set them outside on the balcony after each use. A Google search showed one mention of someone having a similar problem with the Flow Chute boots. REI graciously took them back (after two months of a reeking apartment). Since then, my Asolo (TPS 520) boots hardly have an odor at all, no matter what they're put through. The Asolo odor, scale from 1 to 10, is about a 1 or a 2.

[Walkin' Fool]

I've only used them in rock shoes, not gore-tex anything, but mini Moso bamboo charcoal bags have worked wonders for getting the super-stink out of them and have zero odor of their own.

[DIYSteve]

Do a search re getting the stink out of ski boot liners. Some people have had success drying them out in the sun then sticking them in the freezer for a few days. Pull out the footbeds after each use, of course.

[boot up]

[Malachai Constant]

We found that the strong ultraviolet light at high altitudes could remove even the odor from hiking socks which had been used for many days in a couple hours. Works best at +10,000'.

[Adohrn]

If you had Bk's problem you would know it. Take off your foot wear and you can literally clear a room. Kind of an unholy acrid stench. I don't know it's real name , but we referred to it as the funk. A good way to get it is not to wear socks. A bit of a fad there in my youth that resulted in ruining a pair of tennis shoes. Tried wearing socks again, soaking in bleach solution, rubbing alachol, Sun not the above 10,000 ft variety, washing machine, and various over the counter like dr schoels Oder eater like products. So I know those don't work. It only cut down the smell for a short period of time. Like Bk I finally got rid of them, but mine went in the trash. Poor bastard that got Bk's at the Rei garage sale. It's a bacteria growing in the shoes padding (foam is bad) that's causing the problem. In my case a particularely foul smelling variety. You will need to kill it. How good question? If you succeed do post. After you kill it basic good hygiene and wearing clean socks should solve the rest. Realize that the bacteria colony can spread. Moving on to other shoes, carpet, bath matt, mattress ect... if the conditions are right. Left uncontrolled you could become a social pariah. I had a roommate in college that fit that bill. Took a couple showers a day, washed cloths regularely, and we still would not let him take his shoes off in the apartment. After awhile his whole room took on the funk.

[christensent]

My mountaineering boots were getting very bad. I put them in the bath tub and filled them with water completely to the top, and left them full. The water will very slowly leak out through the seams, and it will soak up all the smelliness and drain it out with the water. Go back a day later and they'll be empty but completely saturated with water, then use your preferred method for drying the boots from there. Smell was 100% gone, and it was not a temporary fix, good for many more uses. Now just soak them every 5 uses or so and no smell anymore. No soap or anything was added, just cold tap water.

[RumiDude]

I wash the foot beds with soap and white vinegar, rinse and air dry them. I also spray a vinegar solution back into the boots and just allow them to air dry. On occasion I have sprayed paper towels with the solution and put them up in my boot/shoes using newspaper to hold them against the lining. The stench comes from fungus and bacteria just like in your arm pits. The slightly acidic vinegar solution kills this and doesn't damage your shoes. Rumi <~~~~has sweaty feet

[DIYSteve]

Sounds like a good plan Rumi, but I'd add the freezer treatment to the end of your process. I'm surprised my reco re putting dry boots in the freezer did not get a +1. A couple days in the freezer works great for smelly ski boot liners.

[RumiDude]

[DIYSteve]

Agree re microbes contributing to smell. One reason vinegar works is because the awful smell often is ammonia from body sweat. Vinegar (acid) neutralizes ammonia (base).