The Definitive Guide to Cleaning Vibram Five Fingers a.k.a. How to Get the Smell out of your Vibrams!
By Britt on May 20, 2010 | In guides | 62 comments »
Vibram Five Fingers can stink. Indeed, "VFF stank" — the "Vibram Five Fingers of Funk" — is such a pervasive problem that VFF fans so afflicted with smelly Vibram Five Fingers are often left wondering, "Are those strangers looking at me because I'm wearing five-toed shoes or because my five-toed shoes reek?"
The funkiness of Five Fingers (and how to eliminate it) was one of the first discussions on the Birthdayshoes.com forum back in June 2009, a thread that has since grown to thirteen pages of "solutions," soaks, pre-washes, and other inventive means of getting the odor out of everyone's favorite five-toed foot gloves.
In an effort to consolidate all the methodology under one roof, and with the understanding that these methods fall within the realm of self-experimentation, below you'll find a veritable compendium of information about how to clean your Vibram Five Fingers.
The [definitive guide] to cleaning Vibram Five Fingers is not simply about throwing VFFs in the washing machine. It's a smattering of cleaning solutions for those with enstenched odor in their beloved Vibram Five Fingers as tested by the fan community.Vibram Five Fingers are Machine Washable and Pre-treated to Fight Bacteria
Before jumping in, the definitive guide to cleaning Vibram Five Fingers wouldn't be complete without covering the basics:
- Vibram Five Fingers are treated with "Aegis," an "anti-microbial structure" that basically lances bacteria—like a sword—seriously! (How Aegis works video here). Though impaling little bacteria is a high-tech solution to keeping VFF sanitized, it seems the technology may wear out over time (Perhaps the bacteria dies but the odor remains! Who knows.).
- Every Vibram Five Fingers model (Classic, Sprint, KSO, Flow, Bikila) is machine-washable, including the kangaroo leather varieties (Trek, Moc, Performa, Performa Jane). Remember: it is explicitly not recommended that you put your Five Fingers in the dryer (let them air dry).
On the Origins of the infamous Vibram Five Fingers stink
Most folks wear their VFFs without any socks to preserve the barefoot feel and VFFs typically have permeable fabrics that allow things from the outside to get inside. As a result, after a few weeks of sweating and stomping through the mud, VFFs may acquire an odor that is tough to shake. Forum member, allawayr, gave a more scientific explanation of the process:
I think the problem is that a lot of gunk builds up inside the toe pockets. Even if you kill the bacteria (brevibacteria, propionibacteria), the sulfurous and odoriferous compounds they produce are still going to be there (methanethiol - think blue cheese - and propionic acid - think Swiss cheese). So, even if you kill the bacteria, you leave the smell.
Also, every time you put your foot into VFFs, you essentially re-inoculate your VFFs with these bacteria.
It's worth noting here that stinky feet are a by-product of wrapping your feet in dark, sometimes dank environments — footwear. Though there are other "critter risks" that result for being barefoot all the time, feet exposed to the air don't typically stay moist as they do in shoes — and Vibrams are, after all, still shoes.
Prevention is the Cure? Clean (or treated) Feet.
If you're putting balmy, sweat-soaked, or dirty feet into your Vibram Five Fingers, you could be setting yourself up for immediate failure (and an onset of VFF stink!). For this reason, many advocate the preventative measure of always starting out with freshly cleaned feet. As Derek / Zeitheld put it, "So maybe, the solution isn't washing our shoes, it's washing our feet."
Grunt - If I am going to put them on after a long day of wearing boots or normal shoes, I first swipe my feet with one of those pre-moistened antibacterial towelettes. I make sure to get in between the toes and around the nails and then let my feet dry for a couple of seconds. The process takes about a minute and seems to work well so far.
rutibegga - My favorite shoe/foot odor combat tool is tea tree oil. My partner has some WAY funky-smelling feet, so I purchased a bottle of the [tea tree oil] and had her wipe it on her feet before putting shoes on every day. No more funk.
Cleanthes - I've found something that seems to completely stop the smell in my VFFs: PediTech. This spray is supposed to kill the bacteria that cause smell, and it's really worked for me. You spray it on your feet, rather than in the shoes, and after an initial week of treating them every day, it only takes one spray a week to keep the effect. I've been using it for four days. It's getting hot here, and although my feet sweat, there's no smell at all now.
Though keeping your feet clean and bacteria-free in the first place should help stave off the onset of stink, for many it's still only a matter of time — and when that stink sets in ...
"Apply directly to your Vibram Five Fingers" — Treat and Defeat the VFF-stank!
Assuming your Vibram Five Fingers have gotten funky, it goes without saying that the first course of action is to simply wash your VFFs and if you know you have smell-prone feet, you might consider washing your Vibrams often.
That said, if you find your Vibram Five Fingers becoming smelly almost immediately after a wash, that's a sign you need to up the ante on your cleaning protocol — you may need to take additional measures. To that end, VFF fans members use a bevy of sprays, powders, and soaks to kill the stink and keep the funky smells at bay:
Bango Skank - [spray] Kiwi Fresh Force. This stuff is pretty much the awesome. I use it everyday before I put them on and every night after I take them off. It's basically an upside down aerosol can that you insert into the shoe and press down on and it will spray excellence far into your VFF's nether reaches. They sell it at Target and Walgreens.
balsam0 - [spray] This is what I do. Wash once a week and if they smell bad enough Febreze them when not in use. I typically do this before I go to sleep at night. It isn't 100% effective but it seems to keep the smell to a minimum.
ElGiganteJake - [spray] ZorbX is awesome. I spray them down and let them air dry once a week. Greatest invention ever.
JerryD - [powder] I have been using regular corn starch baby powder in both pairs of my VFFs for the past week and I really like the difference it makes. The powder really helps to minimize the sweaty feeling in the toe area of the shoes and has also cut down on some of the funk.
koffeekev - [spray, powder] everyday I hose out the VFF's I am wearing and use a product called Green Works by Clorox. I have it diluted in a spray bottle so I just spray the insole and outer material and scrub everything with my fingers, rinse and hang them on the clothesline...then later...I've started to use a light coating of Gold Bond powder and it seems to be tackling the problem very well.
MikeSims - [soak] My favorite solution as of right now is SimpleGreen Pro3 with fungicide. I got it at Home Depot. It's heavy duty stuff so be sure to dilute per the directions. Shoes smell good, odor stays gone MUCH longer. I soak for only about an hour or so and then sun dry/air dry.
On the Efferdent Soak Solution
A specialized soak that has gotten some attention is Efferdent tablets — like those you'd use to clean your dentures! Apparently, the anti-bacterial effervescence of Efferdent tablets works wonders on Vibram Five Fingers!
InBetweenMyToes - [soak|Efferdent] Vibram recommended Efferdent tablets on their FaceBook page. Unfortunately, they didn't provide specific instructions, and from some of the comments left, there are differing results. I gave it a try Sunday night and detailed my experience here. Although it seemed to do the trick, I will likely [throw] in an extra tablet during my next soak.
xz123 - [soak|Efferdent] Soak them in vinegar for 15 minutes, rinse, soak them in water with several effervescent denture tablets for 15 minutes, rinse, wash them with normal washing stuff, rinse, stuff with paper, let them dry. It's still not perfect (a few days in warm weather sans socks and they get quite smelly again), but sufficient for now.
AlexMontilla - [soak|Efferdent] I can vouch for efferdent tablets! I follow the instructions, except I drop one tablet inside each shoe. After air drying in the sun, there is no more funk! I throw them in the wash whenever I wash my clothes, & use efferdent cleanings in between washes.
innocuous - [soak|Efferdent] Last night, I tried efferdent for the first time. I let them soak in warm water for 1 hour. Thereafter, I put them in the washer on spin for 5 mins to accelerate the drying. When I removed them from the washer, they smelled great. The best since my first week in them. I'm now a convert to efferdent.
Cleaning Methodology — Pre-Washing, Hand Washing
Some Funky Five Fingers wearers use combine pre-washes and soaks with machine- or hand-washing and rinsing:
Tina - [Pre-wash spray] I sprayed mine with Oxi Clean (with hydrogen peroxide), let them sit for about half an hour, then put them in the wash. The smell comes right out.
tfitz2001 - [Pre-wash soak] Half a cup of vinegar to the gallon of hot water is what I soak my KSOs in once per week. An hour in that and then a normal hand wash is all that they need to stay unfunky.
rva98014 - [Pre-wash soak] This weekend I tried using "Bac-Out" by Biokleen, a natural enzyme-based deodorizer. I soaked the KSOs in a small tray containing a mixture of water & Bac-Out for 30 minutes ... I don't recall the exact proportions but my guess would be about 70/30 water to Bac-Out. Then I rinsed them with fresh water and put them in front of a fan to air-dry. They ended up smelling much better.
dwd5150 - [Pre-wash soak, Post-wash Coffee Beans!]First I soak the footbeds with Amaze detergent booster/stain remover (I bought it at London Drugs) as per directions on the box. After that I wash them in the machine as per usual, and then hang outside on the line to dry. After they are dry, I fill up the footbeds with...wait for it...coffee beans! May sound crazy, but it works for me!
Zombee88 - [Pre-wash spray] I've been also trying to find a cure for stinky Vibrams, I own a pair of flows, and I use them 5 times a week, for the gym. At first the smell could easily go away with regular washing, but after a while, it got worse and worse, I did a little bit of scouting around online and I did find a product called NATURE'S MIRACLE. I wanted to first try this, before actually trying the Oxi Clean products. So I went out to PETCO, (but I believe any pet store will have them) and got it. Came back home and got the stinky flows onto the sink, Sprayed ... the inside, and also the outside material. I let them sit for 30 mins then threw them in the washer. Hung them outside to dry, and as of early this morning the smell is gone.
RichardLillard1 - [Pre-wash scrub] I think the best way I've found is with the homemade oxiclean. Because I am making it myself, on the spot, I can adjust the amount of each of the two components for whatever I need it for. In this case, I use a good amount of baking soda and just enough hydrogen peroxide to make a sort of wet sand-feeling paste. This is a great scrubbing agent and gets the dirt and grime out of the soles very easily. I typically scrub, then let them soak in the oxi-solution for a bit, then rinse with extremely hot water.
And for a truly epic combination of pre-washing, soaking, and spraying, check Rex_Kwon_Do's strategy:
Other ways to clean your Vibram Five Fingers
If the above methods don't work for you, consider these one-off solutions:
rutibegga - When they get gunky inside, I just take them into the shower and wash them out with Dr. Bronner's (again, tea tree oil in the soap.)
iain - Wash mine weekly with Ecover hand wash, it does the job. I do take the time to give them a good scrub in the inside of the toes. But it takes ages for my KSOs to dry. Normally a day and a half which means I don't have VFFs to wear Sad I have had them dry in a very warm airing cupboard a few times and it still takes at least overnight.
Charles T - I've done 3 summers in KSO's and have only used Dr Bronner's Tea tree oil soap to soak and hand wash them like once per week with very, very minimal smell, unlike when I treated them with some odor eater spray crap that funked them up for a while and seemed to leave a coating on my foot until I could wash all of it out.
IRunTrails - I have a similar problem with the technical fabrics found in a lot of running clothes. I've been using Penguin Apparel Care's Sport Wash detergent. It's supposed to restore the wicking properties of the fabrics (don't know if it does or doesn't really) and it also gets rid of the funky odors. I just wash my VFFs with the rest of my running gear and that takes care of much, if not all of the smell. I let them air dry after a normal trip through the washer.
McLoki - Washed my kso's and classics today in Tide Totalcare. It cleaned fine, but no better than regular Tide in my opinion. It did do an EXCELLENT job on the smell though. Even if we choose to stop using it on our clothes, I will continue to get a small bottle of it just to clean my VFF's. Its just that good.
morgan_4875 - I wear mine in the shower when they get smelly or dirty. and now i have no more stink and they still look new. oh, and ive had em for over two yrs with excessive use.
Tools
What industrious cleaning guide would be complete without some application of cleaning tools? The most obvious tool for scrubbing your Vibram Five Fingers would be an old toothbrush (just make sure you don't get it confused with your new toothbrush!). That said, if you really need some scrubbing power, you might have to go electric:
Didn't Work! Smell-Removal Failures
Of course, not all cleaning methods seem to work — even some of the "tried and true" approaches mentioned above. Here are a few sad tales of Vibram Five Fingers funk removal failure:
RobbieD - I have just tried Mirazyme on my KSO's, Followed the instructions - NO Change - Still Smell Skanky!
desaulniers - Dr. Scholl's Odor Destroyers Foot & Sneaker Spray Powder is no match for spending a day running around and breaking a sweat in my VFFs.
MikeSims - I've done the diluted vinegar trick and it was a short term solution.
tfitz2001 - I did use bleach for a bit in the beginning. A capful per gallon. But I noticed that the fabric was getting stiffer, so I stopped soon after starting that regiment.
iamcam - I just embrace the funk!
kakez - Oh well. I [washed] my VFFs in the sink and well it didn't really work. I mean.. I just washed them in the sink for a second time the other day with a mixture of one wash with laundry detergent, one wash with dr. bronners peppermint, and another wash with laundry detergent.. Now they smell like feet and peppermint, and while the feet smell isn't quite as STANK as before, it's not an aroma I'm proud of, and actually makes me sometimes avoid wearing them because of it.
Hawkeye - I tried the efferedent denture tabs to clean my vffs and while the funk is gone and doesn't smell, it turned the rubber sole of my black classics kind of blueish-gray in places. It's not too noticeable, but it's definitely a mottled/splotchy ghosting. So maybe don't try efferedent with the listerine like I did. I only had it soaking for a couple of hours, which also might have been a factor. I'll probably still use it though. I did notice that the slimey gray stuff was still on/in the yellow footbed, but it didn't smell. I might follow up the efferedent with a quick scrub from a toothbrush to get the slime out.
innocuous - For the past few months, I've been soaking in vinegar for 30 mins, which did a good job, but left a vinegar smell, which I think actually masked the funk (as opposed to kill it).
So there you have it, a crowd-sourced rundown on how to get the stink out of a well worn pair of Vibram Five Fingers. No doubt there are other cleaning and odor-removal methods out there at large in the Vibram fan community, so if you have a particularly effective way to de-stink your VFFs that you'd be willing to share with the community, please share it below in the comments!
Many Thanks to the following forum members, in order of appearance (more or less):
JerryD, allawayr, ZeitHeld, Grunt, rutibegga, Zyzzyx, Cleanthes, Rex_Kwon_Do, koffeekev, MikeSims, Bango Skank, balsam0, ElGiganteJake, inbetweenmytoes, xz123, AlexMontilla, innocuous, Tina, tfitz2001, rva98014, dwd5150, Zombee88, RichardLillard1,jcarneytx, toastergirl, dardo, iain, Charles T, IRunTrails, McLoki, morgan_4785,ap19, RobbieD,desaulniers, iamcam, Hawkeye
About the Author — Hailing from College Station, Texas (Home to Texas A&M!), I grew up running cross country. Believe it or not, I gave Justin the name for this site back in early 2009 but I didn't jump on the toe shoes bandwagon until a year later.Britt has written 169 articles and 67 comments.
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62 comments
No mention of Stuffitts (http://stuffitts.com)? They have been great at keeping the odor of my KSOs under control. I used to have to wash them weekly in order for them to be wearable in public. I've been using Stuffitts for a couple of months now. While they don't smell of roses, they definitely don't have funk.Or, for the DIYers out there, make your own Stuffitts clones: get some aromatic cedar shavings (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001LQXEAA/ref=nosim/paleodan-20 or your local pet store). Stuff it into some thin socks or stockings. Bam! Instant Funk-B-Gone.
Thanks SO much for this list of solutions! I am going to add another one that has cured the problem for me.I cloth diaper my baby, and wash the diapers, and regular clothes, with a detergent called "Rockin Green". I simply do a soak in really hot water and 2-3 Tbs of detergent for 4 hrs. Then I throw them in the washing machine. My KSOs always come out smelling NEW.
An alternative is to change one's diet. I actually stopped eating animal products, started taking colder showers and washing my feet with organic soaps and my feet not only after a couple weeks stopped sweating even close to as much but they also stopped smelling. In fact, most of any body oder I had stopped. Just a note on that. A bit more extreme than using cleaners and such, but nonetheless effective. 
One thing i have found to be really effective that isn't mentioned above is drying the VFFs in direct sunlight. My feet are smelly at the best of times and combined with wearing them through an Australian summer last year, all my VFFs were developing a smell so bad i had to leave them outside when i took them off. Previously i had just been putting them in a washing machine at 40C with detergent weekly, but after a few months the smell would return hours after washing and drying them.
After it became obvious that other people were noticing the smell too, i looked on the forum here and started experimenting with pre-soaking in oxyclean or vinegar and scrubbing with a toothbrush. This improved things a bit, but the smell still returned after a couple of days wear. Then one week i noticed that one of my Sprints was stinking and the other was still fine. This seemed very strange and it took me a while to work out that one had been left to dry in shade and the other was left in direct sunlight. Over the next few weeks i experimented drying my Classics, Sprints and KSOs out on my balcony with one shoe in shade and one in direct sunlight. Sure enough the one dried in direct sunlight didn't smell nearly as bad as the one dried in shade.
My cleaning regime is as follows:
1. Wet the footbed and give it a light scrub with a toothbrush.
2. Machine wash at 40C with detergent.
3. Leave outside (or next to a window) with the footbed facing the sun until they dry.
With the above cleaning method, they still don't smell by the end of the week and by leaving them in direct sunlight when i'm not wearing them, it can be extended to 2 weeks between cleans.
Some caveats:
Obviously this is not useful for Flows or KSO Treks (as the uppers are impermeable to light), but it does seem to work fine for regular KSOs.
It also doesn't help if - like me - you live somewhere that clear skies aren't common for most of the year, though it does still seem to help a little even with high level cloud.
I'm not sure what the exposure to UV will do to the upper fabric over time, though i suppose it isn't any worse than wearing them outside in sunlight. It is also probably less damaging than repeated exposure to acid (vinegar) or peroxide (oxyclean) etc.
There seem to be a few products for sanitising shoes with UV lamps, which might be effective in lieu of sunshine.
Thanks for putting this post together, Britt! I recently slogged my way through that thread on fighting the stank, trying to pull from the flood the tips that would help me when the time comes. This was a nice piece of work distilling the key points into a much more structured package. Kudos.@Steven McG - that's interesting input on sunlight. Being in Florida, that could really simplify things for me!
I don't have a pair of FiveFingers just yet because I am waiting for the KSO Treks for women to be released. But, I have been following this website to help me when I do get my first pair.My question and comment regarding the "stink" in the shoes, why aren't people using the product that most SCUBA divers use to get the smell out of their wetsuits? Being a diver for many years, I would use Sink the Stink on my wetsuit and it works really well.
Once I get my first pair of FiveFingers I plan on trying this product because I don't want to have the same issues with smell that everyone else is having. (But, that might not be an option...lol)
Another quick question, if people don't have smelly feet, does the problem still exist?
To get rid of truly heinous odor, sprinkle baking soda all over the tops and interior of the vibrams (I've used this on KSOs and Classics). Then drop them in a small bucket and fill it to the top of the shoe with vinegar (NOT diluted) so that they are completely submerged. Soak at least 8 hours. Wash per usual instructions.I have particularly smelly feet and this method gives me at least 2-3 months of running in the Texas heat before I start to notice the odor again. No need to spend money on special cleaners or harsh chemicals, in my opinion.
I haven't waded through the 13 pages of suggestions, but some of them are really interesting and ingenious. Here's my two cents on the topic: I use Sport Wash. It is like WIN detergent. Both were designed specifically to clean and protect tech fabrics. I wash all of my running gear with Sport Wash right in the washing machine and everything always comes out smelling nice and clean, including my VFFs. You can get Sport Wash or WIN at most running stores or on Amazon.com. They are both about $9 for a bottle that does about 20 loads of running clothes. 
I've been lucky enough to be one of the folks not affected by the funk. But then, my daily use is split between two pairs of Treks (brn/blk) and I'm always wearing wool Injinji socks. (it stays cool in the office, and looks closer to 'normal' with socks) I'm certain a big part of my avoiding the funk is not wearing the same Vibrams everyday; sometimes two days in a row, maybe three. Also, the wool socks are a big part as well. Before I changed over to Vibrams I wore boots. Full leather boots with no mesh for breathing. Again, I always wore wool socks (Smartwool!), and no stink then either.
As it warms up though, I'm wearing my Classics and KSOs at home, without socks. Good chance I'll be revisiting this post.
I've been using a pair of classics to work in everyday for the past two years and a little of the other year and a half that I've had them. Oh and my job is landscaping! They get filthy by the end of the week. All I do is scrub the footbed with hot water and a dishwashing brush and in the toes with a toothbrush. Then just hang em on my fan to dry. I used to wash em in the washer but this way is quicker and way more effective! No Stank! 
I think iamcam had it right, "just embrace the funk!" LOL 
Well I saw a picture of Gold Bonds foot LOTION for feet treatment, however, Gold Bonds (or any foot powder for that matter) works wonders for ridding the stank and keeping them that way. My Classics were getting the funk bad since I wear them all day everyday with a wash once a week. But since using the foot powder (a light dusting on the soles and between the toes) the funk has vanished from my Classics. Now they have a neutral smell (think smell after new shoe smell disappeared, but no funk arrived), and it has stayed this way for the past month.Simply,
Misguided
This is a truly epic post. Thanks! 
It's important to dry them out quickly after you wash them or whenever they get wet.I use a fan or direct sun.
Tea Tree oil drops between the toes works well also.
I had a Mirazyme failure too. I think all the soak did was allow the bacteria to spread. And now the footbed seems to be slicker when wet and stickier to my foot than it was pre-Mirazyme. Not recommended. 
For smelly, cracked feet use Toejuice (toejuice.com). I know, it sounds weird but it works really well on cracked heels and also helps your feet stay, well, un-smelly. 
I use GoldBond, a little on the tops and bottoms of my feet and a squirt into my VFF, smell comes out instantly. I throw them in the wash every 2 weeks. Give it a shot, it def works for me! 
Very useful post - thank you!I have 2 pairs of KSOs, worn almost exclusively for regular life & fitnesss. I've never had smelly feet before, but after a couple months these things stink as bad as everybody has described.
I've been putting them in the sink to soak for an hour or so with some dishwashing soap (the wash dishes by hand kind) and then drying in front of a fan. They stay stink-free for a few wears or until my next run, then it's back in the sink!
Ha! I JUST posted a blog about my cleaning research and what has worked for me! I came over here to share it. :)Good luck, everyone!
http://lunasealife.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/the-vibram-stank-the-fivefinger-funk/
I keep a spray bottle filled with rubbing alcohol near the door and spray the shoes every now and then. No smell and I have worn them everyday since I bought them. 
The Penguin brand Sport Wash is the same product as the Atsko brand SportWash you can buy for less than 5 dollars at Wal-Mart. It works great for cleaning my Fivefingers and all my other technical and casual fabrics. Highly recommended. 
The real solution is to use WIN detergent. It is formulated to work on all these high tech fibers. NIKE recommends it, and so does Under Armor.
The other stuff doesn't work for me. WIN is the only thing that worked. They just mask odor. WIN actually takes it out. 
What is this obsession folks have with keeping their FF's fragrant? They're F'n shoes. Shoes stink, fancy-minimalist or not. 
While my black KSOs typically get a bad funk after a couple days, my KSO Treks hardly seem to pick up any smell. I barely need to wash them. 
I have been fascinated with getting the smell out of the shoes. I have been testing everything even remotely related to soaps and cleaning - my apartment looks like a lab...Have tried a lot of these techniques, but also have a few other tips.
Start caring and cleaning before the smell comes to new VFFs. Stay away from machine washing - use hands and your soap of choice.
This is a great post and very timely for me since I'm increasing my wear times with my VFF Classics and this will allow me to successfully slay the STANK! :pI'm going to tweet this, Justin.
I've tried a few different methods, and some do help, but to be honest- I've found that spraying them with AXE body spray before I put them on, and after I take them off not only makes them not smell bad, but makes them smell awesome. This doesn't kill bacteria, but a lot of times the bacteria is already dead, and that causes the smell (microscopic decay). Just try it- keep it cleaned like normal, but just add this zest of nice smell whenever. update from my last comment..We're another month into summer (110 today in Phoenix), and I've had to up the ante on my cleaning routine.
I've been doing a quick soak-wash with dish soap (as described above), then I soak them pretty good in a vinegar-water solution for about an hour before fan or sun drying.
Also, I now take them off in the garage before entering the house & spray them down heavily with fabreeze. (along with my feet!)
All this work buys me 2-4 wearings before they need another wash. Pretty high-maintenance shoes if you ask me; I wish there was a better solution, cuz the shoes themselves are the best...
I've been running in Vibrams now for almost a year. Cleaning is as simple as just adding a 1/4 cup of baking soda to the washing machine along with your favorite detergent. Works every time! I just ran a half marathon and the footbeds were covered in funk. I put them through a cycle with the baking soda and they were like new again. 
I am working on a natural method to clean my Five Finger flows, which due to the neoprene really do smell regardless of washing them weekly in a washing machine...I am experimenting with baking soda, cider vinegar etc.
Will let you know how I get on!
-Darryl
I find that greenworks detergent kills the smell immediately. It's pretty much natural and mine have a wonderful fresh laundry scent to them afterward! During my week in between washings, the best combination was Goldbond foot powder (they have this menthol type that I use) and lysol spray with a stiff bristled tooth brush, though I'm looking for something stiffer to really be able to scrub them. 
PediTech ActiFresh spray, really works for me. I put it on my feet and my VFF's and I can sweat all day in them that the smell won't win over it.This product does what it says!
FEBREZE - pet odor eliminator works well.I apply a few squirts of FABREZE to each after I pull my Classics out of the washer and before they have dried. When dried the FABREZE brings them back to a "neutral/good" smell.
Occasionally, when the yellow footbed begins turning black with dirt, I will wet the whole shoe, apply a few drops of liquid detergent, smear that around the foot bed, and let that soak while the washer fills with water.
This "pre-soak" always seems to bring the footbed back to yellow and helps with odor too.
Just bought myself a pair of VFF KSO Trek. Love every minute of wearing it so far including a trip to the gym and 15 minutes on the treadmill. Now I am a bit concerned after reading all this talk about stinky feet and shoes. I hope it won't happen to me. I have never had problems with the stinky shoes department. I think the trick is not wearing the same pair of shoes more than once a day. Better yet, give every pair of shoes a couple of days to air dry before wearing them again. I may purchase another pair of VFF just so that I won't wear the same pair on consecutive days (I wonder if the Classic is as nice as the KSO Trek). Using a clean pair of socks every wear helps as well as not walking around in those socks before putting your shoes back on. Perhaps I should consider buying and wearing those Injinji finger-socks with my VFF to improve the chance of keeping them odor-free. However, in the case of VFF, it is probably much harder to keep the inside of the shoes clean. We'll see... 
I purchased my first of VFF's they are great size 47 brown kangaroo leather KSO TREK VFF's :) I have Ms and find walking bearfoot with my service dog to allow myself enough independence toO still get around !!! I am Very impressed with the FEEL !!! I purchased 8 pair's of injinji toe sox and that felps end odor problembs before they begin !!! My Service Dog Peaty (White Boxer) has Owned Vibram Shoes since 2009 he wears the RUFF WEAR shoe from RUFF wear @ pet joy.com they have yellow Vibram raised yellow on the sole and are TOP NOTCH...!! I hope him in his and me in mine will make for added ballance thru great VIBRAM Products !!! Thanks for making a great product the added feel in my toes and stimulation of cinsation in my feet without fear or injury Like when I actually used to try to walk barefoot and was un aware of why THANKS VIBRAM 
Try using Grapefruit Seed Extract diluted with a little water and use a toothbrush to scrub the inside (and outside) to rid your VFF's of funk. Grapefruit Seed Extract is an outstanding anti-microbial and the scrubbing gets the "dead stuff" out of your VFF's.I use NutriBiotic GSE, it's around $10 and lasts a long time. Also use it to rid (and prevent) sinus infections and other bacterial, viral and fungus infections. It's safe inside-out. Love this stuff.
I washed my kangaroo leather KSO Treks for the first time because they were starting to smell. First I sprayed them inside and out with “Spray-n-Wash”, then soaked them for a couple hours in hot water and Oxy-Clean laundry booster. When I pulled them out the water was brown as I expected but the leather was slimy. I rinsed them really well and ran them through the rinse cycle in the washer. Since they are leather I feel like I ruined them some how because they felt so slimy. Is that normal? 
When winter hiking/mountaineering, the number one cause of cold feet is wet feet. Usually they are wet from sweating since most people were waterproof footwear for these activities. Someone involved in cold weather research for the Army recommended a product that was just available (at the time, about 10 yrs ago) called Hand-Sense. It was developed to protect against mustard gas, but a nice side effect is the barrier was bi-directional and it prevents sweating as well. Might be worth a try. I have no affiliation with them, just wanted to pass along the info. 
I was not aware of this odor issue with Fivefingers until I bought a pair and started running with them. I am a fitness nut and work out all the time with TRX, Free form boards and Bosu. The funny thing is that I own a company that makes a deodorant spray for athletic Equipment. It is called Arxodos. Since Arxodos works so well on Hockey and Figure skates that smell bad I tried it on my Fivefingers. All you have to do is spray them on the inside and out after each run. No more smell or funky feet. My website is www.arxodos.com if you want to try it out. If you have any questions you can email me as well. s.schapow@arxodos.com. 
I've tried putting them in the top rack of the dishwasher. It kills the bacteria and gets rid of any smell. 
Try this a natural way -->http://www.thefitnessexplorer.com/home/2010/9/15/how-to-clean-vibram-five-fingers.html
Hey everyone! I just wanted to share what I do with my KSO treks. I get a the canned air from amazon.com and once a week, after washing and drying (normal clothes detergent) I flip the canned air upside down and freeze inside and out...let it warn normally back up to room temp before putting on.
This freezes and kills all smell-producing bacteria. you have to be sure to get it good in the toes! I go through 6 cans of air (about 17 bucks) in 2-3 months.
I also wash my feet after each extended period of time.
it feels like the freezing every week might be a bit much ( they dont ever really smell anymore) but I would rather do a little too often then have the stink! (my girlfriend used to always complain)
I have only had my VFF's long enough for them to just start smelling and I am going to try a remedy that I discovered when I had a problem with my cats urinating on my dog's bed over and over even after I washed it. I mix hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and use it as a prewash treatment, letting it soak in the smelly area. Works so well that not even my cats could smell their scent anymore and they immediately left the bed alone. I've never had a problem with bleaching although some people ask me about that. I can't say how long its likely to last but I am sure it is worth a try.
This works flawlessly: Get a large jar or tupperware (head-sized or bigger) that closes securely. Fill it 1/3 up with the hottest water your tap can produce, and add 2 Tablespoons of Dial anti-bacterial liquid hand soap. Add Vibrams. Close lid, and shake the jar like a crazy person for one minute. Let soak for two minutes, shake, rest, and shake. Then, drain the water, add more hot water, and repeat until the water doesn't come out soapy anymore. Let dry. Enjoy!
ODORZOUT! ODORZOUT! ODORZOUT! I'm extremely allergic to tobboacco, all grasses, and any pet with hair. So, the smell of these things makes me as panicky as when a bee lands on your face. I'm allergic to them, too. I have been using Odorzout for years on any garment that smells, and it works. I buy clothes on ebay from smokers, and one soak eliminates the ashtray. Anyone who has tried to kill cigarette stink knows that is something huge. It works on my Komodos, too. It's something that will clear the smell even once it is already thriving. I buy it from amazon. Preventatively, I use medicated gold bond every time I put on my five fingers. No smell, no itch. No stink. And it is easy. Just because I'm paranoid, I wash mine in the sink more often than I do normal laundry. 
Foot odor for your shoes, starts mostly with the stank on your feet. I'm active duty military and what I do atleast once a week is put neosporin (that antifugus creme for cuts and scrapes) all over each foot and sleep with it on and I noticed with my boots and now my VFFs that the amount of time in which it takes before they truly need cleaning is about a month. May not work for you guys/gals whom already impregnated funk in your shoes but for new pairs I guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised. 
The simplest and BEST solution to combat & prevent smell in footwear (from a microbiologist's viewpoint).I've been reading a lot of 'solutions' on how to combat the smell from VFF. And quite frankly all of them are so complicated that it's ridiculous and entertaining to read.
So here's the TRUTH:
1. The smell is caused by microorganism that are present on our body. They like warm moist places and grow when there is a good environment and 'food.' Some bacteria may emit a foul odor, others may not.
2. The only way to prevent or combat the odor is to kill the bacteria causing the odor.
Solution:
1. Buy a spray bottle and 70% isopropyl alcohol (do not buy anything greater than or below 70% - those will not be effective in killing bacteria (it may seem like greater than 70% will work better, but trust me it doesn't. You need the 30% water in the solution to go into the cells of the microorganisms).
2. Put it in the spray bottle.
3. Every time you are done wearing your VFF, spray the inside with 70% isopropyl alcohol, including the toe pockets.
4. Allow to dry (it should dry relatively quickly about 30 mins unless you totally soak the thing).
5. That's it. No need to wash your VFF unless it is really soiled. I have yet to wash my VFF due to smell.
Explanation on how it works:
I work in the pharmaceutical industry and there are 2 basic items that is used to kill microorganisms: 10% acidified bleach, and 70% isopropyl alcohol. Bleach is toxic and can ruin shoes so use 70% IPA.
The action of 70% IPA is that it kills vegetative cells (but not spores). BUT who cares about spores. When spores are present they become vegetative cells when food is present and the environment is habitable (feet creating warmth & moisture). So when you are done wearing your VFF spray 70% IPA and you kill all vegetative cells.
EASY!
Now stop making potions and go for a scientifically backed solution.
Joe - "70% isopropyl alcohol"... so I should buy this right?http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/walgreens-isopropyl--alcohol-70-first-aid-antiseptic/ID=prod1544320-product
Just double checking, because i was specifically looking for it without the word "rubbing" in it.
After a few days my KSOs get a little funky. So, I do the same thing I do with my kitchen sponge after I do the dishes. 'Nuke' 'em. I wrap my KSOs in a hand towel and toss them in my microwave on high for 15 seconds. (No, it doesn't melt them.) Then I hand wash them with just water, or if they're really dirty, I put them in the washer. Once dry, no more smell. No trip to the store necessary... Unless you don't have a microwave. 
This thread shows an excellent range of detergent- and anti-microbial answers. Detergent helps surround oily molecules so that they separate from one another and from the material they're stuck to. Anti-microbial solutions kill the bacteria that cause odor. While both methods, especially in combination, provide moderate success, there's one other option: live enzyme cleaners.These contain harmless cultures of non-odor-producing bacteria. Think of them as the yogurt of the cleaning world. They were originally created for institutions needing to clean human waste from carpet or upholstery, but are now available for consumers. They're far more effective than detergent-based cleaners--they don't merely soften the organic compounds so that they can be lifted away, they actually consume them. The bacteria's by-products are all much simpler hydrocarbons, and don't adhere--microrganism's waste is often far "cleaner" than ours (as wine, bread, and yogurt all demonstrate).
Ordinarily, the problem with footwear is that bacteria thrive in them. With live-enzyme cleaners, this becomes an asset. The odorless bacteria will continue occupy the territory that the odor-producing bacteria would like to move into. (Think of making your own yogurt or keeping sourdough starter.) They'll need periodic reinforcement, of course, but after a good overnight soak with a live enzyme cleaner in a warm place, it's usually enough to spray some inside on a regular basis.
If you've been using harsh cleaners on your VFFs, the residue will retard the new cultures for a little while, but only temporarily.
I use BioKleen Bac-Out, just because it's available anywhere, and is reasonably priced. If you know someone who works in a nursing home, you might buy a gallon jug of one of the super-concentrated industrial versions at a wholesale price (They'll be called "Live Micro," "Consume," or something similar). If you'd like to reduce the already minimal cost, cut the top off an empty milk-jug and keep it as a dedicated culture-soak (again, like sourdough starter). A few hours in the jug will both clean your VFFs and feed your microscopic pets. More useful than sea-monkeys. ;)
Leave'em in the freezer for a preliminary kill then put some baking powder inside
I just got my first pair of KSO's and I love them. After my workout today, I blowdried them at max level for about 5 minutes each -- after all, they do say that prevention is better than cure. I'm gonna try and make this a habit for the next couple of months and see if this prevents the infamous VFF stank! Thanks for this post though, bookmarking it in case all else fails!
Was having a bad time with the stink! They'd be so bad I'd be washing them after one or two times. Then I started washing at 60 degrees instead of 40 and I've have had no problems since, even after running a 10k and wearing them all day. 
TEA TREE OIL!!! A few drops rubbed on your feet in the morning and your funky aroma will be gone forever. I own 4 pairs of various Fives and no longer have funk. I have been wearing Vibes since BEFORE they were known (we're talking like, mid 2008 or something). Tea Tree Oil all the way. No need to super-wash your Vibes every day. Wash them maybe MAYBE once a week in the shower. Tip: Buy at least 2 pairs so you can rotate. Buy 4 pairs and you can be lazy like me.
I washed my five fingers with tide and the smell was gone. I poured it all orver the outside, on the inside and let it sot for 5 mins before washiong it with a few other small things. Not only was the smell gone, they now smell wonderful. 
Hello.... I found a fairly simple and easy way of ridding my Vibram Komodosport shoes of their awful smell. What I did was prepare a mug of green tea (four bags) and brewed them in boiling water. I let this green tea sit until it reaches room temperature. Then I pour the tea mixture into a small container big enough to put my pair of vibrams in. I add enough water to the container and the green tea such that the liquid will submerge and cover my shoes by at least one inch height. Then comes the somewhat crazy and yet functional part. I add 1.5 tablespoons of melafix, a fish medicine used for repairing fins (you can buy this at petsmart or at petco. I let the shoes soak for about 24 hours and then move them outside to dry in direct sunlight. Sure.... the shoes might smell like green tea... but the smell is completely gone! Let me know if this helps 
I used some Hartz brand (because I had it on hand) pet odor remover spray. I sprayed into my son's VFF that he has worn almost everyday since he got them in March (imagine the stench!), took an old toothbrush to the foot bed and toe areas for good measure, let them sit for a bit and then rinsed in a bucket of water before washing in the washing machine. I washed that pair and another newer pair of his brothers, not worn near as much. When I checked them after they were completely dry I was able to actually put my nose in the shoe and not smell one whiff of odor! His brothers shoes, while only a couple of months old still had a noticeable smell. The rest of the families barefoot shoes will be getting similar treatment. 
Tomatoes! Treat the funk as you would a skunk spray ... soak Vibrams in tomato juice! It's all natural, non-toxic, cheap and easy. Works like a charm! 
Another trick that works, is using the crystal rock deodorant that comes in the spray bottle and spritzing your feet and letting it dry a minute before putting on your shoes. Inhibits growth of bacteria 
I just discovered this site what may unfortunately be too late. Crazy me decided that febreeze would cover the funk up in between washing. Sadly, the febreeze was absorbed into the material and did not wash out! I will be trying to salvage my shoes with some of the methods listed here, but I am not very optimistic at this point. I leave this comment as a word of warning to anyone interested that febreeze is not the answer to the funk problem 
I recently bought VFFs in November. Does taking a shower while wearing the shoes really work efficiently? 
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