ODOURLESS BOOTS AND TREKKING FRIENDS- A CHEAP DINGO TRICK
This post is about my use of a potent and cheap antifungal chemical. It makes, your boots, and friends boots odourless while we backpack and ski together.
Most bushwalkers and skiers would be familiar with the smell of much-used footwear, either their own or someone else’s!
“If you have not experienced or noticed this smell, there are a number of possible explanations as you may not have; a sense of smell, skied or walked enough, or have any friends that are good enough to tell you that your boots stink!”
Mothy The Elder
I was someone who used to get very smelly boots and used leather where possible instead of synthetics to reduce the problem, I feel free to tell this story now.
USE OF ANTIFUNGAL CHEMICALS FOR ODOURLESS BOOTS
My little Dingo trick came in handy during an extended skiing trip in Japan with a wonderful group of telemark skiing friends. As the trip proceeded, all boots (except mine that were specially treated with an antifungal agent) started to stink. Even mine may have had a small smell to a discerning non-skiers nose.
One particular friend whispered into my ear discreetly, “Tim, can you use some drops of your magical liquid in my roommate’s boots. I will get the whole group to line up all our boots in the corridor for treatment. That way no one will feel offended”. Two or three drops in each boot and all boots were odourless (to a full nose in boot sniff) within 60 seconds.
As a retired chemist, I am shocked at the speed with which this treatment eliminates nasty boot smells. I speculate that this rapid removal of the bad smell is mediated by the vapour from the chemical rapidly blocking the bacterial production of obnoxious headspace gasses from the bacteria that were living in the boots.
This exercise was repeated once more on a Shinkansen train. It was done before we flew home in order to protect fellow passengers from boot odours. The tiny bottle of anti-stink boot liquid has become a constant and valued companion on all extended adventure trips involving skiing, walking and boots. The process uses so little of the chemical that a tiny bottle that is acceptable for air travel will be more than enough for a big group on an extended trip.
The smallest ‘backpacking bottle’ (left) has enough magic anti-stink (quaternary ammonium compound) in it to treat 10 pairs of boots at least three or more times.
Before I go into the details of the use of the magic liquid I would point out that the active ingredient is a concentrated, serious, not easily degraded and powerful biocide. It should be used intelligently, sparingly, and carefully. Avoid skin contact with the concentrate and the diluted liquid.
The excess liquid should be disposed of in an environmentally sensitive way where it will not do harm to important living things such as your septic tank bacteria or communal sewage system (where most laundry chemicals end up), productive soil or watercourses. Dispersal on unproductive soil is one option. The last and best option is to disperse it on waste paper or sawdust then incinerate it when it is dry.
The magical liquid is a quaternary ammonium compound such as (Benzalkonium chloride). They are used as a disinfectant, surfactant and fabric softener and are active against bacteria, fungi, algae and viruses. It is domestically available as Canesten Hygiene Laundry Rinse (not to be confused with Canesten foot cream which has a totally different active ingredient but I still include this wonderful chemical in my collection of Dingo tricks (Adventurers antifungal cream).
An alternative cheaper bulk source of quaternary ammonium compound with the same concentration of the active ingredient is also available from Bunnings. This is for mould and algae removal, “You and your mates will have a lifetime supply that could kill 100,000 septic tank cultures if careless.”
ODOURLESS BOOTS
I use three drops of anti-stink liquid per boot and ensure that at least one drop falls in the area of the; toe, arch and the heal. Alternatively, a small spray bottle works even better.
[Add photo of little spray applicator bottle]
CONCLUSION
Benzalkonium chloride when used with the appropriate care can provide ultralight adventurers with a cheap and simple solution to multiple stinking problems by making your boots and your friends odourless. Out on the trail, all this can be done with just a few drops of this magical chemical, and no one will be offended, but please use it with care.
Tim
