Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes

RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Mike D. (Guest Post) (06/01/2008) Just a note on the "cat pee" smell. If you notice the comments, they virtually all involve shoes using polyurethane in the midsoles. The 850 series of cross trainers from New Balance (853, 854 mostly), and their 587, 991, 992 and 1122 models. Also a problem with the Saucony Grid Stabils and Shadows, among other brands. The reason is this - most athletic footwear is made with EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) foam in their mid soles. Light and very cushioned, they can lack stability. Many athletic footwear makers will use polyurethane in the mid sole of models designed for increased stability. It works very well for the purpose it is intended, however the downfall is that if these shoes become repeatedly saturated with water, it will begin to affect the polyurethane, causing it to have what most people describe as a "cat pee" smell. Rarely will it be a problem for a runner out on a wet day, as the amount of water usually won't saturate the shoe. However those who wear them in very wet environments (not what they're intended for), wash them (never, ever machine wash a shoe, unless as a last resort), will often have a problem with smell. If your polyurethane mid sole shoe does happen to get soaked, your best bet is to remove the insole and let them air dry, to avoid having the water leech into the mid sole. BTW, Michael from Baltimore makes a great point about caring for you shoes. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By clayton (Guest Post) (05/13/2008) I had the same problem with the 587 and the 991's. I was upset since I have spent a small fortune on NB sneaks over the past 12 years. I wrote them an email explaining the problem. They sent me a via email a form for each pair of sneakers, I sent my sneakers back and got a new pair of 587's and since they no longer make the 991's I got a pair of 992's. Awesome customer service. I was just gonna throw in the towel. I decided to give it a shot and it paid off. I may end up with the cat piss smell again, but at least they recognized the problem and were willing to replace them. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By PAUL PROCH KNOXVILLE TN (Guest Post) (04/30/2008) Wow! I thought I was nuts but I am on my second pair of stinkers 854. Cat pee was the suspect but we don't have one. I am just now starting to smell the second pair and that is why I started this research. I am taking both pairs back. This is more chinese quality making it's way onto our bodies and into our noses! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post by mltoth2000 (1) | (04/02/2008) Contact My wife thought I was crazy. I do not have a cat but kept smelling one. People at my wifes job then kept saying something smells like cat pee. She then realized it was her when she smelled her shoes. I smell it in and all over my home. Both of us wear New Balance. Right now her pair of running shoes 816 New Balance smell so bad I leave them outside. I tried to wash them with soap and bleach in the washing machine. About a week later the odor returned. My pairs of shoes do not stink yet. If there is a way to fix the problem please let me know. Thank you. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post by jess_admin (600) | (03/27/2008) Profile | Blog! | Contact (submitted via email) All shoes I buy smell horrible when I take them off but my feet don't! What can I do? willem Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By melanie (Guest Post) (03/18/2008) I have the same problem with my New Balance 587 running shoes. The fit is perfect. I'm flat footed and could not jog/run/jump rope due to shin splints until I bought these. HOWEVER, the cat pee-like smell is horrible. I have tried everything. I can't keep them in the house unless I put them in a their own sealed container. I take them out to wear outside but can hardly tolerate it even then. I am so glad to have found this website before blaming some wayward cat and purchasing another pair of New Balance. I am going to contact the company, but judging from other people's experiences I suspect I will be looking for another brand. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Lisa (Guest Post) (02/26/2008) my husband emailed me this site because i just could not believe this is happening to others as well. he has worn new balance shoes ever since he heard they were good for hard to fit feet. the last pair of new balance shoes he had he figured must have gotten wet in rain or snow (since thats what seems to be happening here) and he also blamed it on his mom's cat because the smell is just like when a male cat sprays! so he washed them and let them air out a day or two and that only seemed to make the smell worse. so he ended up buying another pair of new balance shoes and left them by the bed the other day when all of a sudden i started smelling something terrible. i picked up his shoes and it was them again! so THATS when we finally put two and two together and found this site. its great to know at least that we arent nuts! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Not a NB lover anymore (Guest Post) (02/23/2008) Same problem with my husband's shoes. I'm so glad that I found this website, as we were really upset at the cat! LOL. I can smell these shoes from yards away and they get to have their home in the garage - but we are taking them back to the store today! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Kathy Button (Guest Post) (02/21/2008) Thank goodness...I have not lost my marbles. Anyway, after reading all of the previous posts concerning the cat urine odor, I sent New Balance the following e-mail. To New Balance shoes: First I want to say that I love New Balance sneakers as far as their fit. I wear women's size 8 EEEE SL-2, so it is very difficult to find comfortable shoes. I was ecstatic to find your site. HOWEVER... my first pair (853s) started smelling bad after stepping into lake water. I assumed this smell was due to the water, could not get rid of it, so designated them as swimming shoes. A few months ago, I bought a pair of 1122s. My boyfriend now gags every time I wear them, and I definitely get embarrassed in public. I tried washing them, powdering, febreeze, odor inserts, etc. The cat urine smell cannot be disguised. I just bought yet another pair (1123s), and I am actually afraid to wear them as they are to expensive to have that smell occur in them. My boyfriend and I actually argued over what was causing the odor. He thought it was a foot odor problem...which I have never had in my life. None of my other shoes or boots have any smelly foot odor. We have never had a cat, so that is not an excuse. You can actually track the shoes, or me wearing them, in the house by smell. That is ridiculous! So embarrassing! Anyway...I found the following website http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf823645.tip.html with many, many exact same complaints. What a relief to know that we are not losing our sanity. I immediately called my boyfriend and copied the pages of complaints just so I can tell him "I told you so!" There are other web sites out there also complaining about the cat urine odor in your shoes. I really think you should do something about this. A product recall may be expensive, but I believe that losing all of the customers who paid a good price for your shoes only to throw them out will be a bigger loss. I recommended these shoes to more than one person with hard-to-fit feet. Should I warn them not to buy your shoes after all? What can I do about the New Balance shoes that I presently have this problem with? Do you have any successful solutions to this problem? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Jeff (Guest Post) (01/30/2008) I have been using a pair of new balance 852 running shoes that I bought a number of months ago and have had a problem with cat urine odor getting stronger as time goes by. I asked about the strong "new" smell as soon as I bought them. I was assured that this would diminish as time went on. It hasn't. I have now noticed that the smell gets worse if the shoes got wet. They have a stronger odor in the back heal and I noticed that the plastic covering has come off. My shoe store in Huntsville assures me that my cat has urinated in them (although they offered to send back my shoes - NO OFFER TO REPLACE THEM THOUGH). After reading the above comments, apparently New Balance either has a problem that they are not admitting to and or asking the retailers to keep 'hush hush'. Looking for a consumer complaint website to warn others. Suggestions can be made to ytms (at) surenet.net Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Judy (Guest Post) (01/10/2008) When my podiatrist recommended New Balance 587s in Dec. 2005, I purchased a pair, loved them, but I was very distressed to find in April, 2005, that there was a disintegration problem on the OUTSIDE of both soles, near the groove where the heel and sole meet. The material had turned gray, was breaking up, and they had a peculiar odor (like cat urine) coming from that point of disintegration. The store where I had purchased them replaced them for me, but said if there was another problem I'd have to discuss it with the manufacturer. Within a month, while checking them closely, the same thing started again. When I called Customer Service they said to mail them in, they'd study the shoes, and might replace them. In the meantime, I had to purchase a different brand of shoe for a planned trip. New Balance replaced the shoes, but I sure would have appreciated hearing they recognized a problem and would work on it. My third pair did exactly the same thing. Recently, when purchasing a new pair of shoes, I again tried on a pair of New Balance, loved them, but can't take a chance that they've actually corrected the problem since as far as I know they've never taken responsibility for it to begin with. Don't try washing techniques - it's not the inside that smells so awful (my neighbor had her husband keep his shoes outdoors!), it's a breakdown of the actual material on the sole. You can see AND smell the disintegration that's taking place. I wound up buying the brand I substituted for New Balance. New Balance would do well to own up to a problem, so some former customers could possibly return. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Leo Smith (Guest Post) (12/11/2007) I concur with the Post By ccrunner (Guest Post) (09/04/2005) New Balance shoes develop a pungent aroma in the actual sole of the shoe. NOTHING removes that odour. Cleaning and washing just makes it worse. This seems to be something that happened in the last few years. I have been wearing New Balance since early 1980's and NEVER had this problem until the last couple of years, when my 999's finally wore out. I bought a new pair of 9xx's in September 2006. However, the smell started in the winter. I spent a couple of months cleaning and washing the shoes, trying to remove the smell. But the smell is in the actual sole. And nothing helped. The store replaced my pair purchased in May 2007, but in November the smell started again. My advice. Unless you plan on replacing your New Balance every 6mths, and always keep them dry, buy something else. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By (Guest Post) (11/28/2007) Thank you thank you. I am on my second pair of 1122s. I love the shoe but I have the cat pee smell. I also thought it was the cat. But it is only on the heel. I am calling new balance tomorrow. I bought them at a new balance outlet store. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Model 992 Odor in New Balance sneekers Post By J G (Guest Post) (09/06/2007) These are the second pair of new balance sneekers that I have owned that have a terrible odor. I have worn them for about a year, they are still like new. The rubber soles smell like cat urine. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Rob M (Guest Post) (08/02/2007) Odour in New Balance 1122. Well here's the feed back from New Balance. (see original post of 13Apr07). I explained the odour issue to New Balance. They told me to talk to the store I bought them from. I explained the issue to the store. Before I was done, the lady finished my story for me. They have had many, many returns of the same complaint. Seems the store, ( a very large retailer ) refuses to carry the 1122 and has told New Balance that they will not carry it until such time that the odour issue is fixed. To date is has not. The manager went on to have me seal the shoes in a plastic bag, box them and return them to the store. I live out of town so I had to send them in the mail. They promptly gave me a full credit, apologized for the inconvenience and have provided a new pair of shoes in a different brand. Completely satisfied and won't buy this model again. Don't even waste your time trying to get rid of the odour yourself, it's in the product they use in the manufacturing of the motion control heal support. If you don't believe me, just go to the back of the shoe, give that horseshoe shaped piece of plastic betweent the sole and the upper a good sniff. When you regain conciousness, get rid of the shoes. Report Spam or Abuse New Balance 1122s Post By Peggy (Guest Post) (07/31/2007) I am now on my third pair of 1122s. They were recommended to me by my podiatrist, as well. Same thing. After several months the OUTSIDE Rubber Heals started to smell EXACTLY LIKE CAT URINE. I have called New Balance each time, and each time I was directed to take them back to the store I purchased them from (Lucky Shoes). Today New Balance called the shoe store for me and asked if they would replace yet another pair due to "Product Control Issue". When I walked in, the lady behind the counter said "Oh, I remember you". Sure she does, my shoes smell like CAT PEE! Do you think New Balance told her that THAT was the "issue"? Nope, I was made to be embarrassed yet again, but I DID get another pair of new sneakers. When I asked New Balance "what happens when this replacement pair starts to stink" the lady there said "send them back and we will replace them again". LOL At this rate I will have new shoes for free for a very, very long time. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post by Autojohn (1) | (07/26/2007) Contact I too have experienced the beast within my New Balance shoes. Two years ago, on the advice of my podiatrist, I bought two pair of new New Balance shoes. I swap shoes every day to prevent fungus and oder. After about a year, both pairs developed an incredible cat urine stench. Washing, fabrize, soaking in that pet store enzyme pet stain remover, nothing worked. I put the shoes outside and bought another two pair. I like these shoes. Another year passes and the two new pair develop the same acrid stink. Hmm. This time I soak them in bleach for 24 hours. That seemed to stop the smell. Until they dried - shoes are now no longer black due to the bleach, and still stink. I found this web site and discovered I was not alone. A call to New Balance Customer Service and a reference to this web site elicited the news that "they USED to have an odar problem with a couple of models, but that it had been taken care of". But I was sent 3 shoe return forms. BTW. the shoes that sat outside on my porch roof for 1 year STILL stank. I recommend calling NB Customer Service and explaining the problem and referencing this web site. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By D. Morehead (Guest Post) (07/09/2007) I called a friend of mine and told him about the problem with my New Balance shoes. I told him they got wet and when they dried that stink like cat urine. He told me to tie the shoe laces together carefully. Then take a plastic garbage bag and insert them heal first. Take 3 rubber bands and secure the top very tight. Then....Take them to the trash can in the alley of our house and put them in with a forcefull downward stroke making sure that they crash forcefully in the bottom of the trash can. Then go to Academy and buy another pair. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Tamara Harris (Guest Post) (04/28/2007) OMG I thought I was the only one with swamp foot! LOL! I was just looking online to see if I could actually submerge these 680's in the washing machine because they smelled really bad. I have washed my other shoes before but I have NEVER experienced the smell from my foot like this in any other shoe and I have sweaty feet. I washed the insoles with bleach to find that didn't work either. Thank God I'm not alone. I'm going to contact New Balance as well... It's worth a shot. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Rob M (Guest Post) (04/13/2007) I bought a pair of New Balance 1122's July 2006. The best pair of shoes I have ever owned for my feet as I am a pronator. They came very highly recommended. Now the smell, exactly the same as male cat urine...disgusting. The shoes now stay in the garage and will only be used for yard work. What a shame, what a waste. A little research revealed that New Balance have been looking into the matter. That complainant recommended that if anyone else experiences this issue, they should contact NB Customer Service from the company's website. I've sent email to them, now I'll see what happens. Report Spam or Abuse Odor in New Balance 587 Post By Gravaman (Guest Post) (03/13/2007) I believe the odor is by design. I have purchased 3 successive pairs of New Balance 587s. They are great shoes. But, after about 500 miles they start stinking on the outside of the heal. Happened three times. I am very suspicious that this odor is designed into the shoes to encourage new purchases. Either the stink is in the interior rubber or the rubber encourages a mold to grow. No other shoes that I have ever had did this. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post by jseaman15131 (1) | (03/10/2007) Contact Amazing! Just for laughs I wondered if I could find any info on the Internet about the horrific smell from my New Balance 587s. Bingo! Afeter the first pair developed this smell (cat urine) I blamed the cat and bought an identical pair. After 1 year...The exact same thing. Left shoe only, both times. NOTHING fixes this problem (except maybe fire.) Goodbye New Balance! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Catherine (Guest Post) (12/06/2006) I too have the same problem with my New Balance. I have been wearing New Balance for fifteen years or more and I have had many pairs of them. This is the first time they have had this horrible smell, which, when it first appeared made me think the same as another person just mentioned here, that my male cat had come in and peed on them. The smell is identical to that. I gather the problem occurs when they get wet, either from the weather or from sweat. I have tried all the usual methods of getting rid of the smell; washing, drying in the sun, new shoe liners, "Febreze", you name it, but it is impossible. When you wash them the water smells as bad as the shoes. New Balance were recommended to me years ago by a foot specialist as being the best shoes for anyone with foot problems, but until the company can fix this problem, which obviously has something to do with the composition of the shoe, I will not be buying any more. It's too bad, because I really believe they are the "best". You can smell the odor accross a room - that's how bad it is, and in a car with the heater on in the winter time - well - it doesn't bear mentioning. Mine are going in the garbage today - I will have to look for a different brand and try my luck with those. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance 1122's Post By N. (Guest Post) (09/29/2006) I made the mistake of buying a second pair of these after the first ones began smelling like urine. I thought my cats had 'peed' on them. It is disguisting, and I cannot wash the smell away. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Michael from Baltimore (Guest Post) (09/16/2006) This is not just a "New Balance" problem. For me they're the best tennis shoe around. I wouldn't bail on them just because "I" got them wet. I've seen the wet/stink issues with Nike and other good brands. Soak them using a combination of small amounts of Rubbing Alcohol, Lysol with Lemon, and a good amount of Baking Soda. Then DRY them COMPLETELY in the Sun for several days and don't wear for a week. Then before and after every wear, sprinkle insides with Baking Soda and take some old socks, fill with Cat Litter (the kind for mulitple cat households) and place those inside the shoes. Also, vary the shoes you wear and try not to wear the same pair all day every day. Wear good socks that absorb moisture. After sweating from sports, remove socks & shoes quickly, dry feet, change socks and change to alternate shoes. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Rhonda White (Guest Post) (09/09/2006) How do you get the odor out of NIKE tennis shoes after they have been wet? Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post By Kevin (Guest Post) (12/03/2005) I have the same problem with my new balance sneakers ... I have tried washing them and it only makes them worse !!! NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY NEW BALANCE SNEAKERS !!! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post by kidena (22) | (09/19/2005) Profile | Contact Hi Stacie, Have you tried going to a shoe store lately? Many of them offer these round 'thingies" that look like tennis balls & you place them in your sneakers when you are not wearing them. I do believe they guarantee that they work. Might cost you a few buckos might I'm sure it will be worth it. Good luck. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Odor in New Balance Suede Tennis Shoes Post by Madelynnsmama (154) | (09/07/2005) Profile | Contact Have you tried contacting New Balance? Perhaps they have a solution for you since it's just those shoes you're having problems with .. it could be something in the materials or chemicals that trap the smell ...I can't imagine why nothing you've tried wouldn't help .. my husband has the smelliest sweat and works in construction all day and I have never had problems getting smells out of his stuff. Sorry I couldn't be of more help! Good Luck! Rebekah Report Spam or Abuse Removing Odor from Shoes Post by ThriftyFun (3745) | (09/07/2005) Profile | Blog! | Contact I can NOT get the odor out of my son's New Balance suede tennis shoes. The bottom of the inside of the shoes have a flannel feeling fabric. I have: 1. Sprayed with Kiwi Fresh Force shoe freshener 2. Washed with baking soda, vinegar, detergent, spray and wash, etc. 3. Left outside for days to air out. Even the animals don't want to run off with them....lol None of his other shoes smell like this. He marched in these at band camp and I suppose he sweat excessively in them. The just have a really rank odor that resembles the odor that happened one time when the towel underneath the dog's water bowl didn't get replaced when I was flat on my back from an injury. The guys let it go and it got full of mold or mildew underneath. Ew...gross. Anyway, the towel washed fine. But I sure can't get these shoes to stop stinking. They sure are clean though!...LOL...Any suggestions? Thanks, Stacie Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By ccrunner (Guest Post) (09/04/2005) New Balance shoes get a "sour mop" smell after they get wet. With my shoes, this potent chemical smell occurs on the OUTSIDE of the shoes. The shoes fit great and provide good support, but I question the choice of materials when a running shoe stinks after getting wet. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By Anna from Maine (Guest Post) (09/04/2005) Take a couple of envelopes, put a tablespoonful of coffee grounds (right from the can) in each envelope and seal.Then place an envelope in each shoe and place shoes in a plastic bag & seal for a couple of days or longer if necessary. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By walker (Guest Post) (09/01/2005) stuff his shoes with wadded up newspaper. Stuff them well and then place in garbage bag and close overnight it should take out the smell. sometimes you have to repeat a few times; Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By Lynne Hacker (Guest Post) (08/31/2005) Try spraying rubbing alcohol in them Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By (Guest Post) (08/31/2005) You might try taking an old nylon stocking, fill with some kitty litter and put in shoes for a day. It soaks up the smell. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By ROSA (Guest Post) (08/30/2005) Use vanilla on cotton balls, in shoes, this will work !! Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By Tina (Guest Post) (08/30/2005) Place them in a large plastic bag and then in the Freezer for 24 hours. It will kill off the lovely little invisable critters that are the cause of this odor-:) Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By (Guest Post) (08/30/2005) I know you said you washed the shoes in vinegar, but that was not enough exposure. I've had more than one pair of shoes belonging to different family members have this problem thru the yrs. The only thing I've found to impact this earthy smell is to actually soak the shoes in vinegar for 24hrs. I just pour it into the shoes and let them sit. I've heard of some folks using alum - small amts of powdered alum sprinkled in the shoes - as well. Good luck!! bbb Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By Trix (Guest Post) (08/30/2005) We had the same problem with my son's shoes. We got rid of most of the odour by putting them in the dryer on high heat. The heat killed the bacteria and helped a lot with the smell. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By Sherri (Guest Post) (08/30/2005) You can place a "bounce" or any other dryer fabric sheet in them for a few days.....Hope it works.. Report Spam or Abuse RE: Removing Odor from Shoes Post By Margie Minard (Guest Post) (08/30/2005) I had the same problem with my penny loafers that I just slipped on without socks. PEEEYEWWW!! An Amish gentleman who owned a harness shop made leather insoles for me and glued them in, (said his wife did the same thing with her shoes) and I never had the problem again. I imagine a shoe repair shop could do the same thing, or if you live near any Amish at all, you can get it done while you wait. Report Spam or Abuse