I have some knee high rubber boots, that are really starting to stink. I have done the same thing every year for the past 10 years, and this is the first year I have had this problem. I store them in a plastic tote in the bed of my truck when I am not wearing them. I am sure my feet must sweat in them, and I don't know how to solve this, other then not keep them in the tote. Any ideas??
Dump baking soda into them? I've done that with wet shoes before. Dump it in and let it set for a few days. Rubber boots maybe even pull the soles out and buy some new ones, fill with bleach water or maybe scent killer first.
I've had that problem. I use to come home with soaking wet socks every time I wore neoprene or rubber boots. My feet sweat really bad and the boots smell like a wet suite that's been in the lake for 3 days straight. I ended up buying a second stick of arm & hammer unscented deodorant just for my feet. I'd give that a try. Baking soda along with time outside will certainly help. As a prevented measure I would recommend you start stuffing them with newspaper after each use. This will suck the moisture right out of your boots which is what causes them to stink.
My feet usually sweat when I walk to and from my stand but my boots never smell bad. Maybe it's the socks I wear, I don't know.
My wife bought me one of those Peet boot dryers for Xmas and that thing works wonders. I had a pair of boots that wore out and would get moisture inside when crossing creeks, etc., and then start smelling moldy. I put them on this thing and it fixed the smell. I now use those boots for yard work, etc. but I use the dryer to keep my new hunting boots smelling great. I also will throw my tennis shoes and dress shoes on the dryer and it keeps those smelling great too due to its ability to remove moisture. I can put a fairly wet pair of boots on it at dinner time and they're dry for a morning hunt. Good luck.
If I read this right, those boots are 10 yrs old, maybe time for a new pair ?? As nice as the new neoprene boots are today, I won't use them for hunting. That neoprene is a huge scent sponge on the inside. I use rubber boots that have a removable liner so I can wash them and then rinse the inside of the boot out. I've been using the same pair for the last 5 seasons and it's great to watch deer cross your trail and not have a clue you were there.
Dead down wind makes a foot and boot powder, my boots were stinking as well put some of the powder in them, set them outside for a couple days and they no longer smelled bad.. I'm sure baking soda would serve the same purpose.
Honestly if not raining I used to NEVER put boots in an air locked space after hunting...let the wind from driving blow through those things. This year I've got one of the Scentmaster Boxes....and freaking love the thing for immediately upon getting home 100% drying my boots out and the awesome thing is with the carbon filters I don't notice any kind of smell when I open the box up for my next hunt. I would never say it eliminates all odor, but it does a great job compared to the tote concept for my boots of old (I still use totes for sure).
This will sound really odd. If its inside stink from your feet sweating, its bacteria growing and doing whatever it is bacteria does. If you have a big freezer, stick your boots in there for a few days. It will kill the bacteria. Then take them out and spring baking soda in them and you should be good to go. I had a pair of old sneakers that I used to mow grass in that wreaked. Someone told me to do this and I was astonished.
Use a boot dryer religiously. That is the only thing I know that actually works to prevent das stank boots.
Baking soda wash is definitely in order. Then as others have mentioned use a boot dryer to get them dried out after every hunt. Sprinkle in baking soda after they are dry in between hunts and dump out just before wearing again.
No, I am on my second pair. This pair is only on their 3rd year. Thanks for all the help everyone! Have some things to try now.