A member asked:

If shoes get soaked from rain flooded streets from the hurricane or similar flooding, can you just air-dry shoes or do you have to spray disinfectant?

5 doctors weighed in across 2 answers

Dry the shoes .: If shoes are in very good condition then I would dry them well. Try to leave no moisture in shoes. If completely dry and you wear clean socks then I see no dander of deadly infections. Most bacteria likely to be found would be killed with prolonged heat above 180 degrees for 5-19 minutes. Puncture wounds thru wet or dirty sneekers may be risk for pseudamonas organisms.

Answered 8/28/2017

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Dr. Daniel Ziegler answered

Specializes in Emergency Medicine

Spray wont help!: Air drying in the sun would be ideal, air drying in general should be fine. Tennis shoes could be run thru a hot dryer if you have infectious concerns but they might shrink. Disinfectants are universally useless and for the most part fall into the snake oil category. While antifungal powder might help with mold, that type of mold is not infectious, it just smells musky.

Answered 8/28/2017

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