How to get rid of the smell from indoor climbing shoes?

How to get rid of the smell from indoor climbing shoes?

• When I go climbing indoors I typically wear my climbing shoes without socks because this gives me slightly better control over my feet while climbing which I particularly need in overhangs. The problem is that my feet get sweaty and after climbing, the shoes don't smell good. I want to know the best way to clean the inside of my shoes such that the smell disappears. I have tried soaking them in water which helped a bit, but not enough. I am afraid to try soap or other cleaners because it might destroy the fabric or the glue of my shoes. Can anybody give me some advice how to clean my climbing shoes?

• Answer:

  Try dusting the inside of the shoes (or outsides of your feet) with chalk (or talcum powder) before using them to soak up some of the sweat, which can then we wiped out with a slightly damp cloth. There are various commercial products you can get to soak up shoe smell while shoes are being stored (not climbing shoe specific). These are usually in the form of an inner sole with some kind of absorbent material inside. You could probably achieve a similar result using bi-carb soda. Try putting a few tablespoons full inside a small cotton bag and insert into the show while not in use. The bag should let air in (so the bi-carb can soak up the smell) while stopping the bi-carb from getting into your shoe.