My approach shoes are ponging greatly, not of feet but of mildew.
How do I get rid of the pong? Can I hand wash my shoes in pure soap solution and if I do will I have to treat with a nikwax product afterwards?

I always wash the inside of my walking footwear with Nikwax Techwash. Add a solution leave overnight & prepare to be disgusted.

If the shoes have indeed got mildew it can be very difficult to remove. You can prevent this happening by stuffing you shoes / boots with newspaper after you worn them.

I don't know what sort of shoes you're using, but if they have breathable linings, then I assume the outer material is also breathable, in which case maybe it shouldn't be made waterproof afterwards.

I'm baffled by manufacturers who put breathable linings into footwear that needs to be waterproof on the outside. If they're waterproof, then where does the vapour from sweaty feet go? Well - it gets trapped between the breathable liner and the outer material, where presumably it can rot the material or stitching or whatever else is in there.

A lot of modern man-made materials don't need handling with kid gloves the way old quality leather did, nor do they always cost as much. So - maybe bung your footwear in the washing machine and dry them on top of a radiator if they'll stand that sort of treatment. Consult (or insult) the manufacturer if in doubt.

Most footware will shrink if put into the washing machine as EVA is used in the sole to provide cushioning. I've lost count the number of times I had shoes back that have gone bananna shaped :-(

Most footware has a DWR on the outside to allow the waterproof lining to perform properly. If the wears off the membrane / coating get swamped on the outside, cool and condensation form on the inside. In most cases the DWR id fairly light to allow the membrane to breath properly.

Andrew said,

"If the shoes have indeed got mildew it can be very difficult to remove. You can prevent this happening by stuffing you shoes / boots with newspaper after you worn them".

How does that work then? I usually undo the laces open them right out and remove the footbed and put them somewhere warm (not hot) and airy to dry them out. It's always worked before. I would have thought that stuffing them with newspaper would keep them damp and encourage mildew.

Thanks for your other suggestion. I'll try that I think.

Stuffing footwear with newspaper is one of the classic quick-fixes! When you've been walking all day in lashing rain, or maybe had to ford a river at the end of the day, then you need a newspaper. Crumple it and stuff it well into your footwear. You'll need at least one good broadsheet or one of the thicker tabloids to do a good job. The paper will suck all the excess water out of the deepest recesses of your footwear, so that when you pull it all out, you're actually throwing away most of the water. Next, a good airing, and you're ready for another day, hopefully of better weather.

And I thought everyone did this!

Or use a pair of Dryzone's...

[url]http://www.dryzoneusa.com/13201.html[/url]

Or use a pair of Dryzone's

http://www.dryzoneusa.com/13201.html

Yeehah, it works.....Thanks Gordy!

Paddy,
I used to do that with sodden boots before goretex became omnipresent but I haven't found the need to do it since I bought my first pair with a waterproof, breathable membrane (Hawkshead boots eons ago) since the insides of my boots have never been sodden since.
I think this came about because I wore my Teva approach shoes so much during warm weather but whereas I have noticed damp toes on warm days in other Goretex trainers It has never happened with my Tevas.
I thought I'd got away scot free until I started to detect that musty smell.