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  Washington Kayak Club
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Sea Kayaking Discussion

Neoprene boot smell
Matt H.
10/29/2015 11:41 PM
Just started kayaking and am confronted with neoprene boot smell.

I see online people talk about scuba neoprene soaps that are expensive, and also mention of vinegar.   I so don't like dealing with vinegar.  Trying to also not have to keep an expensive cleaning product just for this.

One thing I do that works for my gloves for mountain unicycling is I get them wet beforehand (they are gonna get drenched with sweat anyway), and rinse some good smelling soap into them - stuff that is ok for hands and face because I end up wiping my face with my gloves when riding.  This works good for that.
 
Was thinking of putting something good smelling in the boots BEFORE kayaking.  I was trying putting some pine sol (love the smell) in the souls of them, and then filling them up with water and leaving them like that over night after use, and then maybe a tiny bit more before using them the next time.  Any of you have any problem with pine sol on neoprene?
Michael Germani
10/30/2015 7:48 AM
Someone will probably say how bad this is but I just throw them in my front loading washer every now and then ( a couple times a year), along with my spray deck and other things. Wash with cold water and the lowest spin dry. I add a small amount of regular liquid detergent. This works more than fine and I have seen any adverse affects in over three years of doing this.
I have a bad habit of leaving my gear in my box and by the time I remember it smells really bad! Then it's time for a wash.
marcus deren
10/30/2015 8:39 AM
I hang them upside down on a chair in my garage that has two posts that are high enough to clear the shoe.  They never smell bad and dry within a day.  I never thought of doing this to prevent smell, I did it so they would dry quick, but I never noticed any smell at all.  
 
david Habelwitz
10/30/2015 8:42 AM
Two things I do: The soles of my boots are soft enough that with a bit of effort I can turn them inside out to ensure they dry. (start by pushing the toe into the boot as far as possible and then flipping the ankle over it so it is inside out.) In the winter you can skip inverting them and just stand them up over a heater vent.

The second thing is to just spray them with Lysol. It works for the millions of bowling shoes rented. The idea is to kill the bacteria that cause the smell.
Robert Freelove
10/30/2015 8:46 AM
I use "BAC-OUT". Its made by "Biokleen. It contains live enzymes. I fill a large tub full of cold water and let the neoprene or dry suit soak for a while, and then rinse in cold water. I find it really does a great job. (See picture for product).

Usually I always rinse my gear in fresh water after a paddle, and hang to dry in front of a small fan. I think air circulation is the key, it drys the gear fast and prevents things from growing.
Matt H.
10/30/2015 11:03 AM
Awesome tips everybody - thanks!  :)
Bill Porter
10/30/2015 1:45 PM
Matt,

buy a couple boot dryers. I have "The MaxxDry SD Boot/Shoe Dryer" ... I paid
like $25 bucks, use them a ton, have had the same pair for years.

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2015 11:09 AM
To: weporter2@comcast.net
Subject: re: Neoprene boot smell >




Awesome tips everybody - thanks! :)


Geraldine Angell
10/30/2015 6:26 PM
I also use a boot dryer. Ibelieve the key is drying things as soon as possible. I also use the boot dryer to help dry the arm section of my full peice wet suit and use a fan to dry the rest of it from the inside put. 


Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Smartphone
marcus deren
11/1/2015 9:33 AM
You are wearing neoprene socks aren't you?  I assumed everyone does, but maybe not.  I just put my nose into my NRS boot, no smell.  Then I smelled my socks, and they do smell a bit, but I can soak those if I wish.  
 
From: WKCDiscussion@washingtonkayakclub.org
To: marcusderen@hotmail.com
Date: Fri, 30 Oct 2015 20:28:11 -0500
Subject: re: Neoprene boot smell <<$137028196618$>>

I also use a boot dryer. Ibelieve the key is drying things as soon as possible. I also use the boot dryer to help dry the arm section of my full peice wet suit and use a fan to dry the rest of it from the inside put. 


Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Smartphone
Attachment(s):
20151030_181732.jpg (2.7 MB)
Matt H.
11/1/2015 9:43 PM
I like the idea of socks for the boots but was not sure if they would crowd the foot area of my boat any more than my feet are already crowded.  I am already the type of person that has to have hardly any foot bracing in the toe of my play boat in order to just fit into it ok.  My feet get in there pretty tight.  I have very slender neoprene boots.  I could try some type of sock - just worried about any added thickness making my feet have problems.  My feet do go numb at times and I need to get out of the boat for a bit - usually towards the end of a session of an hour or 2 of pool practice.
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