I bought my son a pair of leather Jordon's at the Finish Line 2 months ago. They smell like cat urine and we have no cats! I have washed them, let them dry, and stuffed them with newspaper. I also bought a new shoe deodorizer and the shoes still smell like cat urine, to the point the shoes make my house smell like cat urine. What do you suggest for me to resolve this problem? Thank you.
By Rhonda M.
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You should have taken them back and maybe you still can if they have not been worn much. They were probably made in China and it is probably the glue they used. Don't buy shoes made in China. You don't know what they are made of.
The reason your shoes smell like cat urine is a common problem with shoe makers today. They use certain polyurethane soles that break down when they get wet and release ammonia.
The reason your shoes smell like cat urine is a common problem with shoe makers today. They use certain polyurethane soles that break down when they get wet and release ammonia.
I would go to a farm supply or hardware store to buy a product designed to eliminate urine smell. Then I would apply the product, and allow the shoes to dry outside in the sun, while I treated the inside of the house.
The smell is not due to the shoes being made in China, it's from teenage boy (can happen with girls, too) sweaty feet. Trust me, I have 17 year old twin boys. Their shoes smell like cat urine as well. Bleh! I don't notice the smell until they get wet...usually.
I'm going to try the baking soda method I've heard about and maybe the freezing method as well. Regardless, I'll let you know if I find anything that works. Good luck!
Nope. Its how the shoe is made..something is off. I have 3 men in my house. Never ever have I smelt something so bad as these nike cleats..they smell like cat pee. Nike said they never heard of this before dont be fooled its all over the internet.
All my boys cleats bought in the last few years smell this way. I had a pair of leather shoes in the 80s that smelled like them. At the time I was told it was the way the leather was treated in the third world country they were made in at the time.
Maybe we should box them up and send them back to Nike . Once a new pair gets wet the smell is there to stay and hes a Nike boy playing July through May.
My kiddo has some nike clears as well that smell just like cat pee . I wonder if Nike is having an issue with cats!
Do not know how leather is tanned in the 21st century around the world, but "back in the day" it was tanned with urine. The unfortunate poor people would sell their urine for this purpose.
Have the same problem with a pair of Nike shoes. Had the same problem with carpet cushion several years ago. Just visited shoe repair to see if the insoles could be replaced. He said no hope to get the smell out. Expensive Nike shoes just went in the garbage.
Contact the store and see what they suggest. Take the actual shoes and let them smell them. If they help you out, good. If they don't, you will at least know not to ever shop there again. I agree with Lilac that they should have been returned immediately before they were worn, if they smelled so awful.
If they did not smell before your son wore them, perhaps it is some odd chemical reaction between his perspiration and the shoe.
Bet they are made in China, if so, there isn't much hope for them.
amazon.com sells a product called Odorcide - this product is meant to eliminate tough, foul odors..not just cover them up. Good for urine, pet feces odors, mildew, smoking, smoke from fire damage, etc. It's highly recommended by hospitals and vets. It's concentrated, so you mix...not expensive either! It has a light, fresh scent.
I have the exact same problem with the Air Jordans that I bought my son. The shoes are about 3 months old and smell like cat pee! I'm washing them with baking soda and then putting baking soda in them for 24 hours.
it seems to be the sole of the shoes I to have some that have been wash several times and the washing doesn't do anything but make it worst, these are to expensive to be throwing away,, but I have found anything that works. cheaply made products.
Try stuffing a sock or knee high panty hoes with cat liter, tying off the top, and placing in the shoes when they are not being worn.
My son's Under Armor football cleats, Nike and Adidas basketball shoes smell like cat pee. From what I understand, it's not the inside of the shoe, or sweaty feet. It's the outside, the material and glue. My son has casual basketball and running shoes that he wears and they don't smell at all. I keep wondering if it's not the synthetic stuff they use to make the shoes lighter.
Same with my son's Nike Double Fusion. He was asked to leave his class in school today because the smell was so pungent.
My sons J's do the same thing. I've made him switch shoes until I can figure out what to do with the ammonia smell. I've washed them twice every weekend and sprayed different things in them. I don't know what else to do.
Kill the fungus in the shoe. After you wash and dry them, bag them up and leave them in the freezer overnight.
I understand hat the smell is not urine, but the glue once warm and moist that stinks like that. I think baking powder is your best bet, but not a guarantee.
try ODOBAN I use it all the time for everything!!! I once heard this woman talking about how awesome this stuff is she even said it got the skunk smell out of stuff (which thank goodness I haven't had to try...yet lol) so that's when I had to try it. And no joke ANYONE I've shown it to swears by it now also it is great!!! It has a eucalyptus scent and is disinfecting also. You can buy it i'm sure everywhere but at Wal-Mart for sure they have a spray bottle and a refill jug and it is NOT expensive at all. The spray bottle is less than $5. Just spray probably in your case til soaked then let it air dry and HOPEFULLY it works.
Wash them with vinager, it will neutralize the smell. We have to do this with my sons shoes when they get wet after a cross country meet.
I just googled "why do my shoes smell like cat urine?" And found an answer that was to do with something in the sole of the shoes, that when they get wet and start to break down, they smell like ammonia. The review I just read for this was on Amazon and was for New Balance shoes, but the shoes that my son have that smell horribly are Air Jordan's. His have smelled like that for months and I just thought at first it was his own sweaty feet, until a few days ago my Asics started getting a faint cat pee odor. So, it must just be when the soles of shoes are made with a certain type of sole. I was actually kind of surprised it came up so quickly on Google when I typed it in
The shoes are made with Teijin microfiber when wet they start to rot. Nike had a recall and Adidas is known for the smell
Ammonia smell [urine] in sweat is caused by protien breakdiwn from dehydration, OR extreme stress can release in sweat. There are several health reasons as well that can cause the urine smell besides the shoes.
It's because of the bacteria from the sweat. Especially if they're not changing their socks. Tried freezer trick. Didn't work. About to try baking soda. Hope this helps
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