I got some neoprene boots that are almost new but they are very hard to dry out and stay forever damp causing them to stink.I put some neoprene shampoo on them and this helped some.Does anyone have any tips on how to dry out faster and keep smell down. Thanks,Ian Taggart
re: odor control
– Last Updated: Jan-26-08 6:44 PM EST –
Hi ..u may want to do a google search for neoprene shampoos that scuba divers use on their suits to control odor...as they have the same problem from diving in salt water, sweating inside their suits. as far as the neoprene not drying ..not sure what is up with that unless your using the boots everyday. u might want to purchase a boot dryer from Cabela's or bass pro, that'll dry out the boots overnite with soft heat. good luck
Try Sink The Stink
Available at most dive shops. Think NRS sells it also. If boots are really bad it may take 2 applications. I usually get 7 to 10 trips (more if I do not sweat a lot) before having to rewash. I also use one of those artificial chamois from the auto store to help dry out the inside of my boots.
When even you can’t drive your car because of the smell of the boots in the back you know it is time for the Sink The Stink.
Mark
Cheaper… better…
Use a few ounces of white vinegar in a gallon of water… or less vinegar/water… just enough to cover the boots…
Throw the booties in there for an hour…
The ph of the vinegar will kill any living organisms in the boot (which are what cause the smell).
It’s the same effect as the expensive shampoos…
To help dry them, pack them with
newspaper after cleaning and let sit awhile, then remove. It absorbs a lot of water.
use the fridge…
Put the open end of the shoes in front of where the exhaust air blows out at the bottom of the refrigerator…or set them in front of a fan to speed drying.
Rinse them in clean water as soon as
you take them off. Dry them throughly useing a boot
dryer. Wear socks.
mirazyme…
or sink the stink were the two most popular replies I got when I looked into this several years ago.
NRS has them both, here’s the mirazyme link:
http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=2287
I use sink the stink, but also dry them out by hanging the over my dehumidifier in the basement which probably works the best
neopren socks
– Last Updated: Jan-27-08 3:46 AM EST –
Wear neoprene socks inside your boots.
Keeps the boots clean and the socks are easy to wash/dry.
Stinky
thanks for the info-these are some great ideas.Ian Taggart
Forget the expensive products…
…they’re a complete waste of money. None of them work any better than vinegar or bleach solutions. As Sultan said, dry your boots THOROUGHLY between uses and wear socks in them. Even if you can’t dry them completely, wearing socks will dramatically reduce boot odor.
Hand towels inside boots
Once I get off the water and home, I dry out the insides of my boundary boots as best I can, and then loosely stuff a dry hand towel inside to absorb the remaining moisture. If the weather has been cold and the heat’s on in the house, I set the boots next to the heating ducts to dry.
It helps a little.
I have the NRS Attack shoe and they
regularly “attack” my nostrils if I
don’t clean them pronto after use.
(Socks, neo or otherwise don’t make
a dang difference, far as I can tell.)
I don’t bother with the expensive stuff,
either. Just a little white vinegar as
mentioned above, perhaps a dash of baking
soda to boot (no pun intended)
and mild detergent – All into the
washmachine or basin.
Hang’em up to dry over the shower curtain
rod. If I’m in a hurry, I’ll blast them
with a handheld hair dryer.
dry them out next time
you will never get the stink out if you allow them to stay damp after every use.
nose plugs
I noticed that my local paddling store sells nose plugs or clips that pinch your nose. The only purpose I could think of was to block out stinky paddling clothes smells.
Do you have a canister vacuum cleaner?
Old-fashioned canister vacuum cleaners, and many shop vacs let you attach the hose to the outlet. If you can use the vacuum cleaner to blow through the hose, it’s the fastest boot-drier you can get. Stick the hose way to the bottom of the boot and run the vacuum cleaner. The vac’s exhaust air is warm (but not hot enough to damage the boot), and the sheer volume of blowing air is enormous, so the boots dry super fast.
Vinegar and water works great…
Been there, done that…and soaking them in the vinegar/water mixture mentioned above worked like a charm. I did wash them very well afterwards so as not to smell like a pickle!
Freshwater rinse afta’ …
3 + times … invert to drain for a while … Not just invert , set them so the water drains ALL the way out which means setting them up with the foot @ 45 degrees or so and the cuff open still. Go back out in a half hour and flip them back over ( upright ) with same story … Put something under the heel so the the foot is about 45 degrees and make sure the cuff is not flopped over … now the air and moisture can work its way out … this works for everyday use even if not fully dry each use with ZERO odor problems (for me). A good cleaning method is to put the soap in before and WHILE you are wearing them … your foot is now the ‘agitatior’ for the day … repeat above rinse out. Laundry soaps o.k. + smell nice.
Hot Freshwater Rinse
– Last Updated: Jan-28-08 6:04 AM EST –
after every use. I just dump 'em in a huge bucket, along with my wetsuit, mitts and socks, filled with hotwater directly from the hot water heater in the basement (don't like bringing into the living spaces). After rinsing, putting 'em in a draining position is key. Any water left can stand for long time unless drained. You can make a PVC tube "dryer". Using straight pieces and a lot of elbows, you create upright pipes that you can stick into your the downturned shoes, gloves, socks, etc to ensure that water drains out and these have a faster time of drying out.
sing
Dedicated neo user. Neo is sexy too (when not stinky).
re: Stinky Neoprene Boots
I just used the vinegar method and it worked like magic. The boots smelled so bad I was ready to throw them into the garbage and buy new ones. But with a good cup or so of vinegar (probably too much) to a gallon or so of water, they smell like pickles. Which is better than the nasty substance they resembled this time yesterday.