Fuzzy Feet
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
United States
September 13, 2016 2:26pm CST
I’ve had problems buying shoes until lately when I found a store that carries my size (5 wide). Their shoes have insoles that can be removed to accommodate my orthotics. So you can imagine how horrified I was when I noticed mildew growing along the edges between the shoes and the orthotics.
I did the obligatory Google search and found this is a common problem. I didn’t have this issue where I used to live, but I’m closer to the sea now, which means more humidity. I keep my shoes in my closet when they are not being worn, and there are no problems with mildew on anything else.
I followed the online instructions and removed the mildew outside (upwind) with a nylon brush while wearing gloves and a mask. Then I wiped the orthotics and the inside of the shoes with a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water. Once this was done, I left them in indirect sunshine for the day.
They’re fine now, but to keep this problem from coming back, I placed small dehumidifiers in my closet. I also ordered a large pack of tiny packets of dehumidifying silica which I’ll leave in my shoes when they are not being worn. I switch my shoes every day now too, leaving them with the orthotics taken out to air dry overnight. I put them away in the closet in the morning.
I also had a discussion with my orthotics tech. He said everything I am doing now is perfect, but there is another step I can take. Every so often, put my orthotics in a large Ziploc bag and leave them in the freezer overnight. He said this will kill anything in there and not cause any damage to my very expensive orthotics.
Did you know all this?
16 people like this
17 responses
@much2say (55498)
• Los Angeles, California
13 Sep 16
I don't wear orthodics, but of course with the many times I've worn my shoes, I am realizing I never really looked "in" my shoe . . . who knows what could be there - I really should look. Everyone's feet at least sweats in their shoes, right? The vinegar and water thing makes sense. Interesting about freezing the orthodics - I wonder what other things could be put in the freezer to kill germs (better than some antibacterial chemical!).
5 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
14 Sep 16
That's what I was thinking. Freezing is the way to go.
2 people like this
@much2say (55498)
• Los Angeles, California
14 Sep 16
@ElizabethWallace I wonder if they would feel great on the feet on those hot days as well (putting them in your shoes while they are still cold).
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Sep 16
@much2say I would be worried that the cold would create moisture, which is the enemy.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (471217)
• Switzerland
15 Sep 16
@ElizabethWallace I am lucky I also do not have smelly feet.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Sep 16
@LadyDuck Some people have unpleasant body odors in general. We're lucky not to be part of that group.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Sep 16
I know some people have smelly feet, but not even my socks smell bad. But the fuzz was worrisome.
2 people like this
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
14 Sep 16
I have never heard of this, or thought about it, but it does sound like something that will happen in a humid environment. It must have been a shock to find mold in your shoes. The silica should help. I just dust my shoes with powder but that's mainly to control perspiration.
3 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Sep 16
The bag is little bags came today. I quickly put them in all my shoes. So neat.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
14 Sep 16
Frost? What's that? Just kidding. It does get frosty in the mountains and rarely the valleys, but not coastal.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
14 Sep 16
@ElizabethWallace Har-de-har!
Don't mistake it for a different type of sole some Friday evening, lurking in your freezer! Would be definitely fishy
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Sep 16
@pgntwo Very cute. Had not thought of that pun.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
14 Sep 16
That makes very good sense. I had to send away for them. No one has them in stores. So bizarre.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
14 Sep 16
It's odd that I had the problem here. Our humidity is often in single digits in the daytime, more moisture at night.
@changjiangzhibin89 (16752)
• China
14 Sep 16
You show me the ropes on how to get rid of the mildew and store the shoes.Here we have a rainy season when shoes and clothes would go mouldy if they aren't dry as a bone.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
14 Sep 16
Anything that might have germs or bugs could be zipped and frozen. Easy.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
14 Sep 16
I am connecting with lots of educational organizations on Twitter. Lots of people are following me now, many find me without me finding them.
I have also found a publisher and someone in finance to write a preface (to add credibility). Cool stuff.
1 person likes this
@JamesHxstatic (29413)
• Eugene, Oregon
14 Sep 16
I did not know any of that really. It sounds as if you have the situation covered now.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
14 Sep 16
I do now, but it was scary when I saw "stuff" growing in my very expensive shoes.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
14 Sep 16
Wow, no I didn't @ElizabethWallace . I'm glad you were able to find some solutions to the problem. I've had a size 10 slender since I was 16 and it always ticked me off that the majority of women's shoes went up to a 9 (that had any kind of style to them).
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Sep 16
There used to be Wide Shoe stores in California, but they disappeared about twenty years ago. I went to them to find shoes. They were never stylish. One of the salesmen said to me once, "You know you can't have cute shoes." So depressing, but SAS shoes work for me and are stylish (but pricey, especially with the orthotics.)
@DeborahDiane (40288)
• Laguna Woods, California
15 Sep 16
Wow! I'm glad you caught it early. Sounds like you are doing everything right.
1 person likes this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
15 Sep 16
You never know when seemingly useless information comes in handy.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (139442)
• Roseburg, Oregon
15 Sep 16
I did not know any of that. I know I wear shoes out fast because of my dislocated hip.
@jillybean1222 (6407)
•
17 Sep 16
i had no idea! i use orthotics in my tennis shoes. i've never noticed any mildew. i'll have to keep a close eye when it is that humid time.