I have a little problem that I think will start becoming a biiiiig problem when the weather starts getting warmer:

Everything smells like feet (or at least, everything in the vicinity of my skates!): My skates, my gloves (regardless of how many times I wash them!), my skate bag, my wrist guard... you get the idea.

I'm getting to the end of my options-- I take my skates out of my bag to dry (as well as out of my car and into the office locker room after weekday morning freestyle), I have little cedar "shoe dogs" that I've tossed into my skate bag, I've tried fabric softener sheets (making my skates smell like lavendery feet)...

Last fall, I even had to take "evasive measures" and keep my skate bag out of my car as much as possible because my car was starting to reek

So, how does everyone else handle this? I didn't think that I was particularly odor-challenged before skating...

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Is the figure skating version of this: Skate as if you're doing an axel and not just learning how to hop?

Skate@Delaware has a good recipe for boot spray....

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Have you tried Stink-eez (thin, long, furry, animal-shaped things that you stick in your skates when you're not wearing them)? They come in various scents and deodorize the skates. I know Figure Skater's Resource and Rainbo Sports (sorry, don't have the links handy) sell them. I use them for my skates and they have done a good job. My previous skates had that feet smell...and the weird thing is, my shoes don't smell.

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Gold Moves, here I come!

Oh yes....I sure do! If you are really good, maybe the stinky feet fairy will send you some!!!

Ok send me a pm with your address...and if you prefer lavender or orange!!!

Short of that, here are some things to do after you get your spray:

1-Take the footbeds out of your skates, take them to the sink and in warm water and with nice shampoo, wash them and scrub with a soft scrub-brush; rinse well and squeegie to get all the water out; leave out overnight to dry

2-Empty your bag out....and spray with the foot spray.....wash everything that was in it that is washable (including soakers provided they don't have the odor-absorbing gel); leave bag open

3-Spray some of the foot spray onto a cloth and wipe the bottom part of the insides of your skates-it's probably a plastic or something. Open the tongue all the way and let those puppies BREATHE!!!!

4-Oh, while you are at it, wipe the outside (if they are smooth leather) with a baby wipe and put on some polish.....maybe some new laces if yours look ratty

5-Before you put the new footbeds in, spray them 1-2 times with the foot spray; insert beds and leave tongues open

Now, after each skating session, once you get home, open your bag, open your skates and spray 1-2 times into your skates...it also helps if your feet are CLEAN each time you skate (trust me, I've seen girls skate with very dirty feet then wonder why their skates stink!!)

I hope this works for you!!!!

ps-don't forget to pm me!!!!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

I copied Isk8NYC's trick - a sock with silica gel to absorb the moisture. Sock goes in the bag, and the bag is much less offensive now.

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--renatele

I've religiously been taking my skates out of the bag, pulling the tongue out as much as it goes without having to unlace any of the holes, and once a week or so airing out the footbeds as well. Worked ok for a while, but the skates started getting stinky recently.

Discovered the trick: I need to *really* pull the tongue out on my skates: which means unlacing at least 2-3 holes, and pulling out the tongue completely down to the toe.

When it's warmer, I'll probably put them in front of a fan as well.

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haha I think the easiest thing to do is get used to it

shows your such a hard core skater that everything smells like sweat! right? right?

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Wash your gloves, your bag and your wrist guards. 30 degrees (centigrade, so basically just 1 step up from cold) on wool and/or handwash programme (I generally use the wool programme because it allows for an additional soak of 90 minutes in cold, washingpowderfilled water. I turn on the options "NO centifuging, only pumping" and most certainly "no drying" and put the wrist guards in a pillowcase first. 40 degrees is generally okay too (your body can get as hot as 42 degrees anyway).
I wash sneakers, wrist guards, sporting shoes and bags this way. Also, I wash my leather clothing this way (though leather clothing subsequently requires a treatment with hand-cream while still wet and from the inside if you want it to stay as-new).

Uhm I used chlorhexidine on my skates once, but it didn't really help - it helped for like, a month, no more.

Just dry them.


I live in a student dorm and I keep my skates in my room of course (where else? although my roomies suggested I could use the beer storage room) and my entire room smells of skates...
I just burn lots of incense.

So if you are really hard-core...it will smell just like the hockey guys! Maybe THEY will complain about the smell!!!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

I sprinkle Gold Bond powder inside my boots when I take them out of my bag to dry. Cheap and seems to be working!

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Some used and dried tea bags are excellent odor absorbents.

Luna

I've improved my silica gel socks, Renatele, by adding activated charcoal from my brother's fishtank.
It was a new bag from the store - I boosted a handful with his permission. He thought I was nuts until I explained why I wanted the charcoal.

You can also use baking soda or unprinted newspaper to absorb moisture and/or smells.

I beat a nasty case of athlete's foot a few years ago - my skates were the carriers. After I had replaced all my shoes and sneakers, I finally figured out that the skates were reinfecting me every time I went to the rink. I never want that to happen to me (or my new skates), so I've become diligent about caring for both feet and footwear.

The sole of my skates is leather with foam on the bottom. I take the soles out periodically and wipe them down with a cloth DAMPENED (not wet) with a weak Ivory soap and water solution. Then I swipe them with a cloth sprayed with Lysol. Let them dry well, then put them back in the skates. I also wipe down the insides with the soap-and-water damp cloth.

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The thing I like the best is Boxes of baking soda with the side tear outs (meant to be used to deodorize the refrigerator). I leave them in the boots at all times I'm not and replace them monthly - simple and effective
Lyle