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Fight the funk: How to clean climbing shoes

Is no secret climber’s shoes stink. And sometimes they smell so bad it makes you sick. But did you know it is safe to clean your climbing shoes?

Staring with the fabric they’re made of, to how much your feet sweat, bad smells are inherent for various reasons. But I am here to tell you that you can fight the funk!

Read on to find out how you can have clean climbing shoes.

Three myths about climbing shoes

  1. If you wash your climbing shoes you are going to ruin them. As you will read in this article, there is more than one way to do it safely and get rid of this nasty smell of climbing shoes.
  2. It’s normal for your climbing shoes to stink. Yes and no. While is normal to sweat and for your shoes to catch bad smells it’s also on you to control this smell…just like we do with showering.
  3. You can’t wear socks with climbing shoes. As it turns out it is rather a personal preference than a rule and you can read about it here.

First, why do my climbing shoes smell bad?

Fight the funk: How to clean climbing shoes

In most cases, finding out what the underlying cause helps with fixing the problem. When it comes to climbing shoes things are simple.

That’s why I am going to reveal to you the main reasons why bouldering shoes catch bad smells:

Climbing shoes are very tight

Skin doesn’t technically breathe but it does absorb oxygen. Therefore tight shoes leave little room for ventilation and offer the perfect ground for bacteria growth.

For sizing tips on choosing your climbing shoes correctly, check out our article here: How to fit climbing shoes and how tight should they be?

Climbers don’t generally wear socks when climbing

Socks keep feet dry and absorb moisture. Less room for bacteria to grow, therefore less bad smell. However, while some quality socks will delay bad smells you’ll need a bit more for proper maintenance.

Sweaty feet combined with different types of fabric

Depending on the fabric they’re made of and how much your feet sweat, some climbing shoes smell more than others.

From my experience natural leather allows better ventilation than most synthetic fabrics out there. But leather or not, they will probably catch a bad smell rather sooner than later.

Here at Boulderflash, we offer a variety of climbing shoes for narrow or wide feet and Egyptian or Greek-shaped toes. Check them out and see what works best!

Dirty feet in climbing shoes

Wearing your climbing shoes when your feet are dirty is not a good idea. It is true walking barefoot after trying your boulder problem can feel very pleasant but try to clean your feet before climbing again with your shoes!

Dirt not only encourages bacteria growth hence bad smells but it can also degrade your shoe and the comfort sensation.

Reasons why you should clean your climbing shoes

Fight the funk: How to clean climbing shoes

Social interaction

It might sound superficial but no matter how much you like a person for who they are, strong smells can be really unpleasant.

Some shoes smell really, really bad, and sitting in the car of someone whose shoes stink can feel bothering at the least!

Health

It stops the toenail fungus from building up. Yeast, bacteria, and molds can cause nasty infections and you guessed it, the interior of your humid dirty shoes can be the perfect nest for them to grow!

Comfort and lifespan

Not keeping your shoes in a well-ventilated place after your feet have sweated in them will be rather humid and unpleasant the next time you wear them.

In the long term, dirty and humid shoes wear out faster than well-maintained ones.

How to fight the funk and delay cleaning your climbing shoes?

If you want to be consistent in having clean climbing shoes, you can do so without having to wash them every week! In fact, it is not even recommended as you might damage the fabrics! Here are our tips to fix smelly shoes:

After climbing hygiene maintenance

  • On rare occasions, my shoes had mud on them. However, quite often they do have chalk. Therefore what I do is occasionally clean them off from the exterior.
  • After every climbing session take your shoes out of your climbing bag and keep them in a well-ventilated place.
  • In between your climbing shoe sessions use climbing shoe scents or shoe bananas that absorb moisture and keep bad smells away. Here at Boulderflash, we have a number of shoe hygiene options to choose from!
  • This one is a bit of a luxury but it is possible: try not to take your climbing shoes on when your feet are sweaty and take a drying towel with you instead or simply wait for your feet to dry.

How to clean my climbing shoes?

Ok, you’ve come to the point where your friends insist you should be doing something about the death smell that’s coming from your climbing bag or car.

Luckily, you’ve reached the right page because we’re here to tell you: Yes, your shoes don’t have to smell that bad and there are multiple ways to do it.

Water, vinegar, and baking soda

My favorite method is to stick to traditions that work. If it works for the fridge, why wouldn’t it work for your shoes as well? 😂 Take a basin, put some cold to warm water in it, and add vinegar (​​1/50 ratio) with bicarbonate (2, 3 spoons).

After your shoes have sunk for a while (at least 1 hour), take a brush and gently scrub the inside of the shoe, especially the toe area. Rinse thoroughly and leave to dry naturally in a well-ventilated place, away from direct sun rays.

The acidic nature of vinegar is very efficient for dissolving dirt and grease and is strong enough to kill bacteria, whereas baking soda is known for deodorising bad smells.

Vinegar is an acid, and baking soda is a base, therefore you’ll get a bubbly reaction and the two together are the most famous combo for cleaning!

Together it kills bacteria and neutralises smell, plus, because it’s all-natural, it doesn’t attack the fabric of your shoe!

The advantages of using this shoe cleaning method are not only its efficiency but also its environmentally friendly qualities! And no, your shoes are not going to smell like vinegar after.

A climber’s tip: if you want to speed up the drying process, you can simply use paper towels or a drying towel. Do not use any heat sources as it might interfere with glue, rubber, and the shape of the shoe.

The washing machine method

I call this the Lazy person method. Take your shoes, put them into a towel to counterbalance, and use any biodegradable soaps or mild laundry detergent.

Choose a cold water cycle, no spinning, Press Start!

A climber’s tip: My artist side thinks there are too many things that can go wrong when choosing this method such as the water temperature, deteriorated stitches, and spinning. In consequence, I would personally not use it. However, it should work if you are strict with following the steps.

The modern method

I bet few of you know about it therefore I present you the Shoe Chalk – the simple, fast, and eco-friendly method for keeping your shoes clean! You can buy their products here.

List of ingredients: Bicarbonate of Soda, Citric Acid, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Aloe Vera, and Clay Powder

Cleaning steps with Shoe Chalk:

  • Place one block in each shoe
  • Add some warm water
  • Let the shoe chalk work its magic
  • Use a brush for a deep clean
  • Rinse your climbing shoes
  • Naturally, dry your climbing shoes

Goodbye to smelly feet thanks to these hygiene products

We are all climbers at Boulderflash, therefore we care about feet. Here some amazing after climbing hygiene maintenance products I want to better describe to you since they are so awesome!

Boot Bananas Original

Fight the funk: How to clean climbing shoes

Boot Bananas You’ve probably heard about boot bananas or similar products. They absorb moisture, and bad odours and leave fruity fresh smelly footwear instead.

You simply put them in your climbing shoes after you’re done with your climbing session. Just remember to take them out before you go out climbing.

Also, check out the Eco Boot Banana – the home compostable shoe hygiene product that and fight the funk on the go! Wait, what?! Indeed.

Their activated coconut charcoal single ingredient makes this option super sustainable.

Both these products are to be replaced between 6 to 12 months, depending on use and care.

The best thing yet is their packaging is recyclable therefore you can take it back to a collection point for flexible plastic packaging and carrier bags.

Friendly Foot Shoe Spray

Fight the funk: How to clean climbing shoes 

Did you know your shoes can smell like flowers? This foot spray is designed with care to keep your climbing shoes clean and fresh-smelling.

Antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiseptic, and antiviral, this shoe hygiene product is made with natural ingredients and is safe for all skin types.

Did I say it smells like lavender and mint?!

How do you take care of your climbing shoes?

We want to know you care for your shoes! Do please share with us in the comments below if you have found any other method to keep your shoes clean.

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