Almost everywhere

[robestrong]

Since I've started using my 5 toe shoes I've gotten quite attached to them. The smell hasn't been noticeable so far, and they're quite comfortable, but at the same time let me feel what I'm walking on, and give me great flexibility and dexterity (I find myself using my feet more often).

I quite often wear them inside the house as slippers if you will, because I despise wearing socks. Jogging, biking, you name it. Whenever I go out I wear them, with friends, to get gas, just about everywhere. I also wear them to school. The only time I can't is at work, due to the dress code, but other than that I wear them everywhere.

[PatrickGSR94]

Have you tried just going barefoot?  I wear my VFF's if my feet are a bit tender from a previous BF run, but my feet feel nasty in them.  I much prefer the "free" feeling of just straight BF.

[robestrong]

I have done it whenever I can, but I'm pretty sure most places have a shoe wearing policy, plus during the winters here my feet would get numb very quickly.

[PatrickGSR94]

I have done it whenever I can, but I'm pretty sure most places have a shoe wearing policy, plus during the winters here my feet would get numb very quickly.

In nearly a year of barefooting, only 4 or 5 places have asked me to put shoes on.  I had the same concerns about winter, which is why I actually purchased my VFF's in October of last year (started barefooting May of last year), but then this winter turned out to be so mild I didn't really need to use them all that much.

[Hamnert]

I like to wear mine out wherever i go, but if i am sitting, I can smell the odor seeping out of them... I wish there was a cure for this.

[JustinB]

I like to wear mine out wherever i go, but if i am sitting, I can smell the odor seeping out of them... I wish there was a cure for this.

Spray them, wash them, and store them with deodorizers.

Whenever I take mine off they get sprayed with mcnett rank away and get stored with a deodorizing ball.  The most recently worn pair also gets silicon dessicant packets to help dry them out.  If they are one of my workout pairs as opposed to casual i spray with disinfectant and tinactin.

When I wash, I wet the sole, scrub with a brush to break up grime, wet with mcnett again, then wash in hot water, heavy dirt, with detergent and lestoil.  They come out good as new.

[kissel]

1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar soak for 4 hours, rinse, wash in machine w/ regular Tide, line dry.  Fresh as a daisy.

Been doing that for 2 years now.

[PB Junkie]

Since this has turned into a discussion about avoiding the funk, this is what I do:

When I take them off, I spray them with Lysol disinfectant spray and let them sit.

When they to need to be washed, I soak them in hot tap water with efferdent tablets (2 per shoe) for about an hour, then hit the footbed with an old toothbrush to get the grime off and then just throw them in the washer and let them air dry.

My bikilas will be the next pair for the washing described above. Not bad since I have about 100 miles on them.  I've noticed my KSO Treks are less likely to smell, but then again, I don't run in them but wear them to work.

[Stefanie]

Don't let them get -THAT- stinky in the first place!  All I have been doing is letting my VFFs/minimalist shoes air out for at least 24 hours in between wear.  Another reason to have multiple options for work and working out .  I can rotate between 2-3 shoes for both activities throughout the week and stave off any smell.

For work (I wear non-toe minimalist here, see signature.) I've also been putting baby powder in the shoes, swirling that around, and clapping the excess out because I have stopped wearing socks!

If I do need to clean them, a tab and a half of denture cleaner into EACH shoe (efferdent- they are pretty cheap!) and a good, long soak in the sink with some hot water does the trick wonderfully!  I'll scrub them if needed, but usually just ring them out and let them COMPLETELY air dry from there.  Usually takes about 48 hours to dry but its worth it.  I probably won't ever put my shoes in the washing machine again unless they get extra grimey and smelly.

A little upkeep goes a long way =)

[Mr. Leigh]

When I wash, I wet the sole, scrub with a brush to break up grime, wet with mcnett again, then wash in hot water, heavy dirt, with detergent and lestoil.  They come out good as new.

You wash your shoes in heavy dirt.  Seems counter productive to me.

[koffeekev]

When I wash, I wet the sole, scrub with a brush to break up grime, wet with mcnett again, then wash in hot water, heavy dirt, with detergent and lestoil.  They come out good as new.

You wash your shoes in heavy dirt.  Seems counter productive to me.

Mr Leigh. You and I seem to have the same sense of humor

[Mr. Leigh]

Mr Leigh. You and I seem to have the same sense of humor

Yeah, usually I let that sort of thing slide but occasionally I will get a dig in where I can.  I kind of thought JustinB might edit his post after that comment.  He is a good guy, have PM'd with him before.  Just thought I'd poke a little fun.  No harm in that once and a while.  I made a similar comment in the "What are you wearing thread", http://birthdayshoes.com/forum/talk-about-other-stuff-here/what-are-you-wearing-today/ but I think the humor was lost there.

[JustinB]

Ha, I read it, laughed and thought it was something I would say.  I didn't realize til just now that it was a dig on me.  Now my feelings are hurt... you sir... are a jerk face...

[Horse Rider]

Your humor is never lost on me Mr Leigh