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Anyone out there got any useful tips for making my Salomon winter boots smell a bit fresher. Wet and sweaty from a long day on the Carneddau a couple of weeks ago.

Looks like they have finally dried out – but still whiff like cat-pee (and it can't be the cat cos he's dead).

Any suggestions??

RaR wrote (see)

It is a bit of an 'old wive's tale', but baking powder/sodium bicarbonate actually works very well - as long as you can cope with the powder in the boots.

You take the powder out when you've finished, Richard!

Nick, remove the insoles and scrub them gently with a pan scrub and warm soapy water. Then rinse, squeeze by hand and leave to dry. Do the same with the laces.

Then get more warm soapy water (or try a solution of bicarb like Richard said) and swill it around inside the booties. Change the water and swill again. Stuff with paper and leave to dry. Repeat until the small of sheep goes.

p.s. hello stranger!

I can vouch for repeated dustings of baking powder. Give them a good clout to get rid of the worst of the stuff before you put them on.  What I haven't tried yet is putting cat litter in - I'm told it can work wonders - anyone else had a bash?  No matter how well I dry my fell shoes, these by this time of year they really ought to be stored outside - oh boy do they wiff. I have a feeling something fungal goes on with them so I wonder whether a couple of days in the freezer would do them any harm. I've yet to experiment with the cocktail of the three different techniques at once.

Have a look on some boot sites like Scarpa, Meindl, under care instructions. Depending if your boot has a membrane inner like Goretex, eVent depends on how you clean inside boot.

 IIRC, with non-lined boots you can use soap and water. If lined you have to use plain water or TechWash, HTMH.

Kamikaze Badger wrote (see)

... but still whiff like cat-pee (and it can't be the cat cos he's dead).

I suggest removing the dead cat from your boots, then give them a good airing.

Thanks for the good advice folks – will give it a try.

Hopefully we will be able to have a catch up in early June Jeannie if you and Bob are heading up to that beer festival weekend in the Lakes??

Paddy Dillon wrote (see)

Kamikaze Badger wrote (see)

... but still whiff like cat-pee (and it can't be the cat cos he's dead).

I suggest removing the dead cat from your boots, then give them a good airing.

my boots smell like a camel's armpit sometimes...now I know I have big feet, but I am sure there isnt a camel in there!

(baking soda is an old antistinkimucka which works. dunno about cat litter though - charcoal  can work too, just drop a lump into your boot and leave)

From Meindl leaflet: "clean inside of leather, un-lined boots with lukewarm water and a little soap. Use only lukewarm  water with lined boots. Never dry in the sun or near a heat source. Stuff with newspaper or use a shoetree to maintain shape".

 HTH. Husky

 Oh, remove dead cat or camel first !!!

I used to have stinky feet, they were rancid. I tried various high street foot remedies all to no avail. I now put some Sudocrem in between my toes a couple of times a month (and have done for a few years) and now the problem has gone.

I am not sure if it is the same bacteria causing your odour but it might be worth a try.