sanitize used shoes?

[kimmarg]

How do you sanitize used shoes? While cleaning off dirt is nice, I'm mostly concerned with them not having mold/bacteria/fungus

[ZiziPB]

If they are sneakers, I would toss them into the washer.  Otherwise, maybe Lysol spray?

[GuitarStv]

I've done the following with OK results:
- Take out the insoles and throw them away.  Insoles are damned near impossible to properly clean because sweat and bacteria soak into the soft foam.  New ones can be had for pretty cheap.
- Use some soapy water to wash off the outside of the shoes
- Open the laces as wide as they'll easily go
- Take an old empty cleaning spray bottle and fill with rubbing alcohol
- Completely soak the inside of the shoes with rubbing alchohol
- Leave the shoes somewhere sunny/warm to dry for a couple days, replace the insoles once dry.

[soccerluvof4]

Just PLEASE keep in mined that if your going to use some ones used shoes and sanitize them look at the back heals of your shoes to see how they wear and the ones I am assuming you picked up. Everyone walks a little different and trust me you could have foot issues if your an in-stepper and the shoes are out-steppers. And that is speaking from personal experience!

[shelivesthedream]

Put them in the freezer for a week?

[GuitarStv]

Put them in the freezer for a week?

Somehow a popular myth about freezing jeans as a way to combat bacteria appeared years ago.  Freezing doesn't kill the vast majority of bacteria or fungus, all it does is preserve them for later.

[BigHaus89]

I've done the following with OK results:
- Take out the insoles and throw them away.  Insoles are damned near impossible to properly clean because sweat and bacteria soak into the soft foam.  New ones can be had for pretty cheap.
- Use some soapy water to wash off the outside of the shoes
- Open the laces as wide as they'll easily go
- Take an old empty cleaning spray bottle and fill with rubbing alcohol
- Completely soak the inside of the shoes with rubbing alchohol
- Leave the shoes somewhere sunny/warm to dry for a couple days, replace the insoles once dry.

This.

[shelivesthedream]

Put them in the freezer for a week?

Somehow a popular myth about freezing jeans as a way to combat bacteria appeared years ago.  Freezing doesn't kill the vast majority of bacteria or fungus, all it does is preserve them for later.

Good to know. I'd been thinking about how I freeze questionable second hand clothes to kill moth eggs, but of course now you point it out it's obvious all bacteria wouldn't work the same way.