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.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! Just to answer a couple of questions;

• no front or back porch. Large hall with open stairs so the stench seeps into the entire house
• studs are mounded so can’t be removed

I’m going to try several of these suggestions and see how we get on. If I find a magic cure I shall report back for fellow sufferers!

Wrap them in a plastic bag and keep in a cupboard!!

I always assumed it was dog urine that I smelt. That the aroma compounds were left after the water evaporated and got concentrated with so many dogs peeing in that spot that when it is made damp again it sticks to shoes.

But maybe that is complete bollocks. I’d love to know.

Dog and cat wee smell very different. That's from bitter experience.

@Trewser

Righto. Thanks for the heads up. Well then I am all agog to find out why football boots stink of cat pee and how to get rid of this smell.

I presume its fermenting foot sweat mixed with damp fabrics. Trainers sometimes smell the same.

Wrap them in a plastic bag and keep in a cupboard!!

Probably the worst idea as they will never dry and will smell worse. I think its foot sweat and bacteria plus not drying quickly that makes them smell. Newspaper takes out some of the moisture from the inside.

Just be aware with bicarb that you need to remember to remove it before they put the shoes back on or they will have plumes of it flying round their feet!!

The plastic bag is to stop the smell permeating. The only soultion tonthe drying is to have two pairs and put the wet ones in the sun any chance you get

Dhs football boots live outside all year round.

Ugh I went sniffing round our utility room thinking a cat had got in and peed somewhere when my boys started bringing their boots in. I have a range so they dry quickly but still stink. I bought a deodorising spray but it only masks it slightly.

I’ve just found “Shoe dryers” on Amazon which get rave reviews. Sorry I can’t link 😗 but I’m thinking of getting some for DS’s stinky football boots. I’ve been blaming the cats for the smell!!

get ds to build a little shoe shelter for outside. like a rabbit hutch.
dc's sport involves unwashable headgear that lives in a box outside until it's dried. then gets stored in the wardrobe with a little cotton bag filled with cat litter & bio washing powder.

Yuk I feel your pain

I go for newspaper stuffed in and dry under the radiator or in airing cupboard. They dry quick then I bung in the porch

I have the added delight of goalie gloves which are absolutely fetid

Have this problem too...

We now keep them in outside storage box, stuffed with newspaper until they are next used it has hekped. I also filled them with distilled vinegar and bicarb soda and hoovered them out once they were dry, that got rid of the smell initially but it did come back. I think it's mildew, rather than sweaty feet that's out issue.

Cat litter worked in my son’s boots. He left a shin pad in the car once and it worked it’s way under one of the seats, my god the stench we couldn’t work out what it was.
I think you buy those anti smelling ball things in sport shops.

Nothing will work. Really. Dry them, bag them. They will never smell sweet again!

Apparently putting dry teabags in the football boots helps with the smell. Not sure about drying them though, sorry!