Stinky football boots

[footballmum]

DS15 plays football regularly and of course his boots stink to high heaven! He was just dumping them in the hall but the smell spread throughout the entire house. So I’ve been making him put them in a bag. Problem is, they’re not drying out so then when he comes to put them on again they’re wet. Does anyone have any genius ideas as to how we can dry them out (indoors) without stinking the whole house out.

Should add that obviously when the weather is good we put them outside but we have less opportunities to do that now.

DS's rugby boots are the same and I can't wash them as they have metal studs. Stuff them with newspaper to dry the inside quicker. I've tried shoe sprays and bicarb inside but then they get wet again and back to square one. Stick them outside when you can

Why can't he wash his boots after the games?

DS doesn’t want me to put paper inside as he says it’ll stretch them! I’m wondering whether a couple of those super absorbent cloths, sprayed liberally with Febreeze might work? They might pull out the worst of the moisture?

@00100001 unfortunately a lot of these boots can’t go through the washing machine as they have studs. Plus all the mud wrecks your washing machine. And hand washing doesn’t really remove the smell.

Do you have a cat? Try putting cat litter inside them? Should deodorise to some degree - it may help dry them out too?

Dd has three pairs. Solves the drying out problem.

Paper but not stuffed with it so no stretching. DS also has balls specifically for the purpose. I assume they must have bicarbonate or similar inside.

And when you buy a new pair,.also put a odor eater sole in.

@midcenturylegs we do! I’ll give that a try.

@Trewser it may come to that-but will I then have to deal with multiple pairs of stinky boots

Dds smell like cat piss. I lesve them in the shed!

Ooh @LoveGrowsWhere what are these balls? I’d already looked on Amazon but it was more for something to dry them with. Do they get rid of the smell?

Yes @Trewser DS’ are the same to the point where I’d taken the cat to the vets thinking he had a urine infection

I feel your pain.

Try putting salt in them - absorbs moisture that lets the bacteria grow. leave for 24 hours

Bicarb of soda - leave for 24 hours .

When damp put newspaper in them - change paper when it gets damp. DS did not change the paper so now we are back to square one with his stinky referee boots and will be trying all of the things I have typed here. AGAIN

Put them in a bag in the freezer for 24 hours - kills bacteria.

Put tumble drier sheets in them once dry.

These all work to some extent.

Ooh yes tumble dryer sheets help a bit

Can you not unscrew the studs and wash them? I don't mean every time they're muddy, I mean just once to get them less stinky

I should say I've never done that but just wondering if anyone has?

Definitely try bicarb in them.

Have you got a front or back porch they could be left in?

I never understood why wet football boots smell of cat spray. DSs lived in the garage. But now hes older and he spends £££s on leather boots himself they seem ok.

I have seen the balls near a till in sports shops, no idea what they were called though.

I have nothing useful to add but it seems crazy that there is still no fix for stinky shoes. C'mon science, sort it out!

I think these are the balls tho I didn't buy them. They do seem to help with smell. DS plays hockey so water-based pitches. When it's a long drive home & the smell is going to permeate even from the boot he sprays a bit of deodorant into them as soon as takes them off.
Sports-Deodouriser-Green/dp/B00IJ8O21S/ref=ascdfB00IJ8O21S/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=208032295378&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5346420089679461902&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006816&hvtargid=pla-426232544092&psc=1 balls

He also has very sweaty stinky shin pads. Bigger & more padding than football pads. They go in the shower with him every so often.

I replace dds shin pads every niw again because they are just disgusting