Little survey: trail shoes

Grass and puddles.

That, running through grass and puddles. I don't actually clean my shoes, they're only going to get dirty again.

I go into the River Test after the run, cleans my shoes and I get the benefits of an ice bath.

I only go up to my waist though, too cold otherwise.

I do that with the sea  ... is my backgarden ice bath!!

If they're really bad, they go in the washing machine on a gentle cycle, with no detergent.

If they are really bad, then I wash them in luke warm water and scrub with a scrubbing brush.  I take the insole out and scrub it, then put tap inside the shoe and turn the pressure up to flush out any rubbish that is in the material.  Dry gently in a warm room - perhaps with newspaper in them if I can be bothered to keep changing the newspaper or need to use them quickly.  Sorted.

I have put shoes in the washing machine, but don't advise it...  I've only done that when they are honking smelly!!

PSC wrote (see)

I have put shoes in the washing machine, but don't advise it...  I've only done that when they are honking smelly!!

If you've got stinky shoes - put them in the freezer for 48 hours -it takes out the smell

It depends how bad they are. Normally I'll just try and find a puddle / beck to stand in and rinse them off, but if they're caked or there's none of the above I'll rinse off the loose stuff, then leave them in a bucket of warm water and Stardrops for a while.

Then scrub them with a nailbrush, pack 'em with newspaper and leave them to dry. Gets rid of the stink and leaves them shiny like new.........apart from the holes and the knackered soles  

I've never cleaned them. They get muddy again too quickly.Occasionally I'll bang some dried stuff off the soles but that's it.

Kerry RW wrote (see)

 

Any cunning ye olde handed-down-through-generations-of-fell-runners tips?

If it's been a really wet race, where there's peat lining the inside of my Mud-Claws (to the point of almost 'staining' your feet!), I'll use the hosepipe, & a scrub with the Yard-brush, to wash the worst off.

Most of the time, unless they're absolutely sodden (as they were after the 'Auld Lang Syne') they'll be left dry out naturally - very rarely they'll be dried out on a radiator, if I need them for a race the following day

(which happened; 16th Feb = Ovenden Fell-Race, & 17th Feb = PECO-XC)

This is all good guys, thanks. keep em coming.

Emmy H wrote (see)

PSC wrote (see)

I have put shoes in the washing machine, but don't advise it...  I've only done that when they are honking smelly!!

If you've got stinky shoes - put them in the freezer for 48 hours -it takes out the smell

Put them in the freezer? really? anyone else do that?

I've not tried the freezer thing, but I have heard it before

oh, and forgot to mention:
prevention! i.e. wear debris gaiters, which keep the mud off your laces (worst bit to handle/clean) and also keep your socks clean

Kerry RW wrote (see)

This is all good guys, thanks. keep em coming.

Emmy H wrote (see)

PSC wrote (see)

I have put shoes in the washing machine, but don't advise it...  I've only done that when they are honking smelly!!

If you've got stinky shoes - put them in the freezer for 48 hours -it takes out the smell

Put them in the freezer? really? anyone else do that?

Yep. If they're really stinky. I did an adventure run and used my trail shoes and we ran through stagnant pools as well as other mud. I got home, let the mud try off so I could bang off as much as possible and then in a plastic bag and in a freezer.

It's all about killing off the bacteria in the shoe.

Think my hubby would kill me if he found them in the freezer!

I always blast the worst off with a fast running tap as think they will dry faster if 'clean' rather than soaked through with mud....  

I was washing my religioulsy with cold water (using a hand pumped water bottle thing from the garden) then the stitching came loose after about 12 weeks. Not sure if it was a factor but just in case the replacement pair stay muddy and are stuffed with newspaper if wet.

I rinse them in a stream or deep puddle.

BTW cold doesn't kill bacteria, just slows its growth so the smell doesn't develop.

Lou Diamonds wrote (see)

I rinse them in a stream or deep puddle.

BTW cold doesn't kill bacteria, just slows its growth so the smell doesn't develop.

Indeed, this is true. And I am guilty of washing in cold water only.

The way I get round this is to make sure I don't lick my trainers afterwards.

Ah yes...  not trainers, but related,....  one thing I learned this year (my first running competitive X-country since I was a lad)... is not to wear my expensive white double-skin running socks in cross-country races.  They NEVER come clean once they've been immersed in mud-soup!

THAT'S why they sell black running socks.  I'd thought it was just a fashion thing! 

thanks for this guys. some great answers in there. might even give the freezer thing a bash myself after some trail shoe testing this weekend

Run through a puddle. Once went running when we had flooding to clean my shoes. Worked, too.

If it's really bad, I'll stick 'em in a bucket of water for a bit, hang 'em on the line.

Stuck 'em in the washer once - they're Vivobarefoot, so there's no foamy nonsense to go bad. Still would only do this to get rid of bad smells - they came out a bit too clean.