Smelly VFF? Efferdent?

I found the following recommendation on the Vibram FiveFinger FaceBook group a week or so ago:

Smelly FiveFingers? It happens to the best of us. The VFF Team recommends trying Efferdent tablets (made for dentureshttp://www.efferdent.com/). Take the Efferdent tablets, drop them in a bucket of water with your FiveFingers, and the stink usually bubbles away. Your friends will thank you.

I couldn't find specifics on FaceBook, but I'll do a little experimenting with my rank pairs of VFF. With some tablets now in hand, I will try the soak tonight. I'll let you know how it goes.

Update on Monday, March 8, 2010 at 9:33PM by Nathan Smith

If you want to clean your dentures, follow these instructions:

1. Drop one tablet into enough very warm water (not hot) to cover denture or appliance.
2. Place denture, bridge or orthodontic appliance into effervescing solution which will change from blue to clear.
3. After 15 minutes denture is clean and free of odor and plaque forming bacteria.
4. Remove and rinse denture thoroughly. It's fresh tasting and ready to use.

If you want to clean your VFF, follow this adaptation: 

1. Drop two tablets in enough very warm water (not hot) to cover favorite pair of smelly FiveFingers.
2. Place shoes into effervescing solution which will change from blue to a little less bluish.
3. After 15 minutes FiveFingers should be free of odor forming bacteria.
4. Remove and rinse FiveFingers thoroughly. They're fresh tasting and not quite ready to wear (I didn't test the fresh taste part, but if you are inclined, have at it).
5. Dry shoes and insert previously stinky feet. 

I felt the treatment worked well although it did not pass the "pregnant wife with super smell" test. My wife did agree that they smelled better, but she still pushed them away in revolt. Then again, when she i pregnant, she pushes me away in revolt until I have my second or third shower for the day. For kicks, I put my daughter's Sprints through the same battery, and her caked up footbed dirt easily scrubbed away with a toothbrush afterwards. She reported that her FiveFingers smelled great. After the rinse, I tossed the VFF into the washer on a spin cycle, and they were dry by morning.

Related Post: Getting Rid of the Smell

Comments

[sage]

I used Oxyclean on my Sprints last night... 2 scoops in a half-filled bucket, soaked a couple of hours and then washed in the machine. They are no longer offensive.

[Luke Wold]

Thanks! I soaked my in denture cleaner overnight because they were REALLY bad. They do smell better, but not good enough to bring inside. My smelly VFF live on the patio now :)

[Will]

My Vibrams smelled atrocious. I tried everything, including the Efferdent solutions. The best way to get them clean and to actually REMOVE the smell is to turn them inside out, actively scrub the footbed and dry them with a fan or something. They now have no odor. The Efferdent is great for not having a whole lot of time, but this works great. Hope this was helpful.

[Lisa]

There's a product out there marketed for divers: 'Sink the Stink'

Website is www.sinkthestink.com

It's designed to remove odor from neoprene wet suits, and works just as well on my KSOs.

[Allen]

Borax (20 Mule Team) has worked wonders for short term and long term - and it's cheap. Might have taken two washes initially, but stink is held at bay until next wash thereafter. 1/2 to 1 cup per wash. Can't guarantee pregnant wife test, but if it works, maybe just one shower and a borax bath for you.