For Those Who Service Skates: Are Stinky Boots an Issue?

[tstop4me]

I'm spinning off the title question from an ongoing discussion of stinky boots:

Another way to deal with the odor issue is to treat the materials with antimicrobial compounds.  Topical sprays don't last long, but some materials have antimicrobial compounds embedded into the materials during the manufacture of the materials.

Jackson has this listing for my current pair of boots (https://jacksonultima.com/collections/boots/products/elite-5362):

"High performance microfiber lining with memory foam is moisture wicking and treated with anti-bacterial properties to keep feet warm and comfortable,providing initial try-on comfort."

No further details on their anti-bacterial treatment.

There are many variables at play, of course.  But I wore my previous pair of Jackson Elites (lined with memory foam and microfiber) for ~7 yrs without odor problems.  Of course, I could just be inured to my own stench.  But I've also repaired boots for four other skaters that I'm friends with (including an ice dancer who skated without socks for ~ 5 yrs in the same pair of boots).  They all wore Jacksons, and I didn't notice any odious stench from any of them.

These are small numbers, of course.  It'll be interesting to hear from the forum members who routinely service skates for a variety of customers.

So, for those of you who routinely service a variety of skates for a variety of customers, are stinky boots an issue?  If so, are certain brands and models of boots likely to stink more than others?  Any common factors, such as degree and type of padding and lining?  Male vs female skaters?  :-)  Have any been so bad that you had to call in a hazmat team?

[AlbaNY]

Following.

All I can add is that the rental skates didn’t smell at all.  We used Lysol type disinfectant spray on them that did little to nothing for my stinky pair. 
(Currently mine are so bad I smell them as I pass through the room they are stored in.  It’s so embarrassing!)

[Kaitsu]

So far, no pair of skates has smelled so bad that I couldn't handle them. Sure, it would be nicer if they didn't stink, but I can live with the smell for that short moment I do them. The smell is usually strongest if I get the skates right after use and they are still wet....surprise surprise. 

Smelly skates are a much bigger problem for those who wear them every day. I agree that the bad smell comes from bacterial growth and as stated in another thread, bacteria increases the risk of infection (torn blisters, cuts, abrasions, etc.)

At least here where I live, kids run around the ice rink in just socks. After that, the skates are put on and they sweat for an hour. You can be sure that the skates will start to smell bad pretty soon. No matter how much I try to instruct parents that children should always change clean socks before putting on skates, children do what they do. Children are children.

My wife always complains if I bring Edea skates inside the house. For some reason, Edea's skates smell bad even when the are new.

[Kaitsu]

I have tried Ozongenerator, freezing to -20C over night and different odors. None of them didn't remove the bad smell. It comes back when they have been in foot and you have sweated. What I have tested, regularly renewed Smellwell inserts has been so far the best solution to hide the smell. https://smellwell.com

[Nate]

At least here where I live, kids run around the ice rink in just socks. After that, the skates are put on and they sweat for an hour. You can be sure that the skates will start to smell bad pretty soon. No matter how much I try to instruct parents that children should always change clean socks before putting on skates, children do what they do. Children are children.

My wife always complains if I bring Edea skates inside the house. For some reason, Edea's skates smell bad even when the are new.

I've seen adults at [adult] skating competitions walking around the common areas with socks or skating tights, and in some cases even barefoot.

Agree about Edea.  For some reason, Edea Ice Flies are the worst of the worse when it comes to boot stink.  My God.  I can't...

I think part of the reason is the padding helps keep the internal temperature of the boot quite high, and I wonder how well the synthetic boot upper material exchanges heat with the rink.  It's sort of a price paid for comfort, and why they've had to design things like air channels into the boot (Risport has done the same).

My Jackson Elites weren't great, but they weren't as bad as Risport or Edea.  They also didn't have as much padding, though.  Mine were the older model.  Not sure how the new Supremes would hold up, but they felt like they were less padded than my Risports.

Jackson and SP-Teri have metal plates in the heel of the skate, so if you have Leather/Cork Soles this acts as a sort of heatsink in the boot.


For me, rotating boots is the best way to combat it, along with changing out insoles when they become worn or start to small too much.  If the boots sit dry for a while, the smell goes away for the most part.  However, as mentioned above... once you wear and sweat in them it quickly comes back.  There really is no sure fire way to get rid of it once it sets in.  Prevention seems to be the best way to go about it.

[supersharp]

I agree, Edea boots stink even when you are mounting the blades. It must be part of the materials they are made from.

I use a boot spray for stinky boots--I spray them and let it sit for a few minutes (otherwise the smell of the spray is too strong) and it helps. The boots worn by teenagers seem to stink more, I have assumed it is a hormonal thing. The worst are from skaters who have lockers at the rink, because some of them pack their skates into their bag, zip it shut, then put it in the locker, rinse and repeat. No airing out, ever. Terrible.

I pull my own insoles out and clean them every few months and my boots don't stink...but they are custom Harlick boots with leather lining. I have wondered about switching to clarino but I've seen how wet it is after skating and that seems unappealing.  The leather holds up well if you occasionally feed it. I use Hestra glove treatment, applying it every couple of months and gently warming the lining with a hair dryer to help it soak in. Not a heat gun, just a little gentle warming so it feeds the leather instead of my skating tights.

[Query]

I posted a reply to this thread:

https://skatingforums.com/index.php?topic=8791.new;topicseen#new

[AlbaNY]

Edeas often smell bad, but I never handled any skates for that were even half as bad as my own Harlicks.    At home in NY I have an ozone generator, but I never got around to using it for them as recommended by my skate tech.  I’d like to blame the previous owner, but I’m not sure it’s her fault or mine.

As bad as mine are I would do a sharpening without a problem if they were a customers pair. 

[Bill_S]

FWIW, Edea skates smell like old cigar smoke to me.

[tstop4me]

FWIW, Edea skates smell like old cigar smoke to me.

Emanating from Cuban heels, perhaps?

[Bill_S]

 

+ GOE

[supersharp]

Emanating from Cuban heels, perhaps?

Hahaha!  No doubt.

[AlbaNY]

Emanating from Cuban heels, perhaps?

 

[Leif]

There is an old trick for dealing with a smelly room interior and that is to place a bowl of vinegar inside for a day or few. I assume this works because vinegar fumes kill the bacteria that cause odours. Placing the boots in a cupboard with a bowl of vinegar might work. I place scented balls in my skates, after removing the insoles. The balls came from eBay.

[Query]

I wonder whether it would help to use a (bathroom) hot air hand drier after one skated to dry out the inside of the boots...

I also wonder if mine stink, but I don't know it. My sense of smell isn't all that strong.

[NiceIce]

Hi,

My partner uses drying inserts called "Stink-eez"  They do help for sure, but it's difficult if your feet sweat a lot and you wear synthetic boots as they are hard to keep dry inside.  Leather boots are better for that.  They do make boot dryers with two tubes and a fan that your put your boots on after wearing to dry them out.

But as a sharpener, I don't really care.  Hockey gear smells A LOT worse and sometimes the entire rink stinks for the first fifteen minutes or so if a game was on before!

Worse is some people have started spraying that Febreeze crap in their skates.  I think it smells awful.  It is actually a chemical that supposedly smells "neutral" but is so strong that it over-powers your sense of smell so you can't smell anything else.  Lovely.

Anyway, don't be embarrased about the smell.  It's not like some people's feet sweat more because they want them to.


M.

[AgnesNitt]

I use car dehumidifiers https://www.amazon.com/Dehumidifier-Condensation-Windscreens-Leakproof-Dashboard/dp/B01N5QFPUH/ref=sr_1_7_sspa?crid=39SWFVV9Z3YL6&keywords=dehumidifier%2Bsmall%2Bbags&qid=1707651967&sprefix=dehumidifier%2Bsmall%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-7-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1.
They're small and fit inside the boots and dry them out, thus keeping any sweaty smell from building up. With these little bags you don't have to worry about spraying the boots for a smell, the smell just never appears. All you have to do is pop the humidifiers in the microwave occasionally to dry them out.
I've used these for years.

[AlbaNY]

I use car dehumidifiers https://www.amazon.com/Dehumidifier-Condensation-Windscreens-Leakproof-Dashboard/dp/B01N5QFPUH/ref=sr_1_7_sspa?crid=39SWFVV9Z3YL6&keywords=dehumidifier%2Bsmall%2Bbags&qid=1707651967&sprefix=dehumidifier%2Bsmall%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-7-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&th=1.
They're small and fit inside the boots and dry them out, thus keeping any sweaty smell from building up. With these little bags you don't have to worry about spraying the boots for a smell, the smell just never appears. All you have to do is pop the humidifiers in the microwave occasionally to dry them out.

Good timing for this advice.  I’m going to try these in my new pair.  My current boots stink to high heaven no matter what I do to them.