How to wash bike shoes

doc1976

Hey,

Has anyone washed their bike shoes? Handwash or Machine Wash?

DOC

C3PO

Definately not machine wash!

rich.d.berry

Depends what they're made of, but I would never machine wash.

For leather, wipe with damp cloth with very little soap, the merest hint. Can use toothbrush for stitching and seams. Allow to dry away from radiators, stuff with newspaper if wet through. Floor of hot press works well for me. Treat with dubbin or other leather treatment when dry. Spray inside with antifungal/antibacterial shoe deodorant.

Some fabric shoes can be gently hand washed.

Conneff

A brush, warm water and elbow grease!:)

el Bastardo

I Just use a stiff brush and/or a damp cloth.

doc1976

Its really just to rid of the pong!! I've washed the insoles already.

at1withmyself

Always in the washing machine for me, low or no heat and hand wash cycle. Always come out fine, so far anyway!

07Lapierre

Bucket of soapy water, followed by a hose down with a hose. Then i wash my bike, overshoes and helmet with the same water.

killalanerr

but them inside a pair of socks and put them in the machine

Wishbone Ash

On a similar vein, has anyone ever tried machine washing their helmet? Mine has a bit of an odour but washing the insert isn't effective as it seems to be coming from the straps.

levitronix

I wash my northwave airlites in the washing machine no problems, havent washed my sidi's yet in the machine

C3PO

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

On a similar vein, has anyone ever tried machine washing their helmet? Mine has a bit of an odour but washing the insert isn't effective as it seems to be coming from the straps.

The straps are always the bits that smell worst! Hand wash in sink, rinse and then steep in Milton solution for a while! Kills the bacteria that causes the smell - works every time!

Wishbone Ash

RPL1 wrote: »

steep in Milton solution for a while

Thanks - steep the whole helmet or just the straps?

Hungrycol

Shoes, nail brush, soap and in the shower.
Helmet, soap and in the shower.
Seriously it's not rocket science!

Keep_Her_Lit

doc1976 wrote: »

Its really just to rid of the pong!! I've washed the insoles already.

Some shoe sprays are pretty good at dealing with that. I use Boots Super Deodorising Shoe Spray evey now and then to freshen up my shoes. If they're in a bad way, spray them every day for a week. If your feet are really manky (no offence intended; you know yourself, some people's can be), there are stronger treatments available. Take a look in one of the bigger Boots stores or a decent chemist.

As for drying on a radiator, I would agree that wet shoes shouldn't be placed directly on a hot rad. However, I find that if you have a rake of other gear on the rad, popping your shoes on top of that works fine and they dry more gradually.

Dubba

at1withmyself wrote: »

Always in the washing machine for me, low or no heat and hand wash cycle. Always come out fine, so far anyway!

Tried this tonight and worked a treat! But am I the only one to just realize that washing machines have a hand wash cycle?

doozerie

I have a pair of little used shoes that took it upon themselves to smell strongly of tomcat wee after a ride in the wet a few weeks back (no, it wasn't even pissing down at the time...). I really have no idea why, I'm blaming the council for washing the roads with urine. Anyway, something that has worked well to all but eliminate the stench was to put some cat litter (ironically) in a pair of old tights, or similar type of material, put one in each shoe, and leave them for a few days. It might well have worked a bit faster if I'd put the shoes into a box with a lid. The cat litter absorbed the smell very well. I tried baking soda initially but while it made a passable attempt it only lessened the smell, it didn't eliminate it.

The idea, and the tights, were courtesy of my wife. Wives are under-rated in cycling.