Smelly (very) deck shoes

[waterboy]

After 3 weeks blissful cruising, mainly wearing my deck shoes but without socks, my deckies developed a lifeform of their own so have been banned from going down below. Now back home -sob sob, but I have an opportunity to do something about them . I have tried a search here on the subject but to no avail so perhaps the forum can help. Has anybody got any good ideas for restoring said deckies to their previous fragrant state?

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

the washing machine!

 

[Scarboroughsloop]

The freezer.......

 

[2ply]

This being the 'practical' boat owner section – I suggest you unpick all the stitching, use the old pieces of leather as templates to cut out replacements, then stitch yourself a brand new pair.

Alternatively, try sticking them in the washing machine on a cool wash with lots of biological soap powder.

 

[alistairedw]

Mine get chucked into the washing machine from time to time.

Seems to get rid of the stench and no problems with the leather.

Alternatively for an immediate fix I just chuck a few leaves of lemon balm inside them and this seems to mask the smell while you are wearing them.

 

[AIDY]

buy a new pair.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[tritonofnor]

Find your local Hawkshead shop. They sell a product called "Grandmas Remedy". Chuck a teaspoon full of the powder in each shoe, give em a shake, and leave overnight. Works for my walking boots and my deckies, and trust me, my feet ain't sweet! /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[simonfraser]

they smell 'cause of the bugs living in them, so wash them, a bit of bleach to kill the bugs of they still smell ?

 

[StephenW]

Read an article by a butler once in a "tips of the trade" piece that 10% cloudy ammonia solution works well

 

[TiggerToo]

We soak them in Napisan or Milton. Available at all supermarkets. Both kill most microbes. Then wash them in a washing machine.

 

[Allan]

I used to suffer the same thing, not just with deck shoes but with all of them! Now when they start to smell I drop them in a bucket of weak Dettol. For a while I used to put all socks in the same stuff, while they were waiting for the wash. I was told that the smell is the waste from bacteria which lives on the sweat.
Allan

PS If your nose runs and your feet smell, you may be upside down!

 

[Copious]

Bucket of boiling hot water......agitate.....leave for hour or so.....dry in sunshine.....return to your plates.

Copious

 

[jjj]

try boiling hot water it seems to reduce the pungent odor. JJJ

 

[Swagman]

Can second that a soak in a bucket of napisan works - as the others say, the smell is from bacteria and it kills them.

A heavy dose of the chlorine based powder one uses to clean ones water tanks works also.

I'm sure bleach kills em also - but possibly discolours the leather dye.
JOHN