sock cleaning

[rickyt]

Hello all,

I have read suggestions to coat your feet in Vaseline or something like that in an effort to prevent blisters. My question isn't about the effectiveness of that as I have also read many differing opinions. My question is for those who do use the Vaseline method, how difficult is it to get your socks clean at the end of the day's walk? Bonus points if you can speak to getting the Vaseline out of Injini toe socks. Any tips or hints? Thanks in advance!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hello all,

I have read suggestions to coat your feet in Vaseline or something like that in an effort to prevent blisters. My question isn't about the effectiveness of that as I have also read many differing opinions. My question is for those who do use the Vaseline method, how difficult is it to get your socks clean at the end of the day's walk? Bonus points if you can speak to getting the Vaseline out of Injini toe socks. Any tips or hints? Thanks in advance!

Good question! I use nothing on my feet, so can not help with an answer, but I have wondered about that myself.

 

[K_Lynn]

I only used a bit around my toes so my socks weren't full of grease, but: turn your socks inside out, scrub with soap, rinse, hang dry. The thing I did find hard to clean from my socks was Compeed glue. Sure, great cover for blisters, but the edges roll up over the day and leave impossible to get off bits of glue stuck to my socks! Bah!

 

[Robo]

I use a lot of vaseline and then hikers wool.
Never had a problem cleaning socks.
I guess the vaseline just gets absorbed through the day.

 

[Anhalter]

Vaseline and other creams are less of a hustle to get out than dust/dirt. Once in a while, throw them in a proper machine instead of hand washing them, but my opionion is, that it is a bit more of an optical problem... so no biggie.

 

[henrythedog]

Hello all,

I have read suggestions to coat your feet in Vaseline or something like that in an effort to prevent blisters. My question isn't about the effectiveness of that as I have also read many differing opinions. My question is for those who do use the Vaseline method, how difficult is it to get your socks clean at the end of the day's walk? Bonus points if you can speak to getting the Vaseline out of Injini toe socks. Any tips or hints? Thanks in advance!

At the cost of a finger-full of Vaseline and a pair of those (excuse me not sitting on the fence) ridiculous socks you might conduct an experiment at home? Assuming no washing machine the only variables are heat, water, friction, time and soap or detergent.

I can’t see a light application of Vaseline causing a problem; whereas the thought of encasing each toe in tight-fitting cloth concerns me greatly.

 

[RJM]

I just wash them the best with soap and water. If I still have residual Vaseline on the inside of the sock I don't care. Also I wear thin synthetic running socks. Inexpensive and carry about 6-8 pairs. When a pair gets too greasy and stretched out I throw it away.
The Vaseline at the blister wannabe spots really does seem to help for me. Blisters have never really been an issue for me on multiple Caminos.

 

[auburnfive]

I have found a foot glide to be much more effective than Vaseline for blister prevention and no problem in washing with soap and water.
There is a product called “goo gone” which removed 2 year old compeed residue in seconds from my favourite Wright socks,

 

[Camino Chrissy]

There is a product called “goo gone” which removed 2 year old compeed residue in seconds from my favourite Wright socks,

"Goo Gone" is a great product and I have used it over the years to disolve gummy residue left from stickers; for removing paint spatters on woodwork, and more.

 

[Ex99125b]

"Goo Gone" is a great product and I have used it over the years to disolve gummy residue left from stickers; for removing paint spatters on woodwork, and more.

Spray on bug repellant (off, etc) is also an excellent adhesive remover.

 

[Camino33]

I always use Vaseline for my feet when I walk on the Camino. I generally where two pair of socks. The internal socks are lighter and the only ones that get in contact with Vaseline. When I was them, most of the Vaseline goes away...but in my experience a small layer remains, that is not a big problem given that I put the Vaseline also the next day.

 

[dougfitz]

The thing I did find hard to clean from my socks was Compeed glue. Sure, great cover for blisters, but the edges roll up over the day and leave impossible to get off bits of glue stuck to my socks! Bah!

At the risk of going badly off topic, there is a simple solution to this. Cover the Compeed with a piece of Fixomull or similar tape. It needs to be larger than the Compeed patch, and trimmed so the corners are rounded. This will stop the Compeed lifting and the glue getting into your sock.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

You don't really put enough on the cause of problem in the socks. Also your feet are going to absorb some of the Vaseline. We cut off a piece from a bar of Fels-Naptha when that's gone we just turned the bar soap.

 

[jayree]

At the risk of going badly off topic, there is a simple solution to this. Cover the Compeed with a piece of Fixomull or similar tape. It needs to be larger than the Compeed patch, and trimmed so the corners are rounded. This will stop the Compeed lifting and the glue getting into your sock.

I think "paper tape" is better and cheaper than Compeed, even after blisters develop.
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-n...aper-tape-can-help-prevent-foot-blisters.html
I agree that that an anti-chaffing product (so called "liquid powder") is easier on the socks than vaseline.
At any rate, clean socks are critical to minimizing foot problems.

 

[Mercutio]

You've touched on what I thought was a minor miracle: I used big glops of Vaseline on my toes at the start of each day and not a bit of it could be found at the end of each day. Where did it go? I saw no sign that it was absorbed into my socks, nor the inside of my boots. Did my feet absorb it? Seems unlikely. It's a miracle - it just did its job and disappeared.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

I think "paper tape" is better and cheaper than Compeed, even after blisters develop.
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-n...aper-tape-can-help-prevent-foot-blisters.html
I agree that that an anti-chaffing product (so called "liquid powder") is easier on the socks than vaseline.
At any rate, clean socks are critical to minimizing foot problems.

One year we walked and we ran into a husband and wife from Newfoundland. I know on almost everywhere they could get a blister they use duct tape, stayed on in the showers. They each carry a small rule of tape. It seemed to work for them.

 

[trecile]

I think "paper tape" is better and cheaper than Compeed, even after blisters develop.

I like Omnifix and Hypafix tapes better than paper tape. They are thin and a bit stretchy to conform to your foot, and stay on better than paper tape. But they also come off easily at the end of the day without leaving a lot of sticky residue.

 

[DyanTX]

I tried all the different anti-friction preps during training and finally decided that Foot Glide worked best for me and didn't gum up the socks. Used it everyday before toe sock liners and CoolMax hiking socks. No blisters or hot spots. Still use it when doing long hikes.

 

[Leemac40]

I only used a bit around my toes so my socks weren't full of grease, but: turn your socks inside out, scrub with soap, rinse, hang dry. The thing I did find hard to clean from my socks was Compeed glue. Sure, great cover for blisters, but the edges roll up over the day and leave impossible to get off bits of glue stuck to my socks! Bah!

Agree 100% I use vaseline and have never had a bigproblem but the glue from competed is a challenge..... although we all clearly like a challeng here so bring it on!!!

 

[mattythedog]

You've touched on what I thought was a minor miracle: I used big glops of Vaseline on my toes at the start of each day and not a bit of it could be found at the end of each day. Where did it go? I saw no sign that it was absorbed into my socks, nor the inside of my boots. Did my feet absorb it? Seems unlikely. It's a miracle - it just did its job and disappeared.

Agreed. I used Vaseline between toes and smartwool socks on 8 Caminos. Never got blisters and never had greasy socks during had wash at the end of each day. Ran the laundry through machine only 3x in all those caminos, cause it happened to be more convenient—someone else did it for me!

 

[gailsweb]

I like Omnifix and Hypafix tapes better than paper tape. They are thin and a bit stretchy to conform to your foot, and stay on better than paper tape. But they also come off easily at the end of the day without leaving a lot of sticky residue.

I concur!

 

[cbacino]

Hello all,

I have read suggestions to coat your feet in Vaseline or something like that in an effort to prevent blisters. My question isn't about the effectiveness of that as I have also read many differing opinions. My question is for those who do use the Vaseline method, how difficult is it to get your socks clean at the end of the day's walk? Bonus points if you can speak to getting the Vaseline out of Injini toe socks. Any tips or hints? Thanks in advance!

Use lip gloss sparingly on your toes if you feel the need. No mess. I don’t use it with toe socks. The fabric reduces friction between toes.

 

[gml]

I wore a very thin synthetic liner sock under Smartwool hiking socks. Vaseline got on the liners , but never the wool socks, and it was pretty easy to wash the liners each evening. Hot water and soap took out most of the grease, and I didn't care about whatever residue was left. Never had a blister.

 

[Sam - AU]

Hello all,

I have read suggestions to coat your feet in Vaseline or something like that in an effort to prevent blisters. My question isn't about the effectiveness of that as I have also read many differing opinions. My question is for those who do use the Vaseline method, how difficult is it to get your socks clean at the end of the day's walk? Bonus points if you can speak to getting the Vaseline out of Injini toe socks. Any tips or hints? Thanks in advance!

I lathered in vaseline AND used injinji toe socks specifically on 3 caminos (with no blisters so why change what works for my feet) and I know exactly what you are talking about. I found they were fine with washing after each wear for the duration of 1 Camino with no problems, towards the end the Injinji fabric will have started ‘holding’ some of the vaseline as expected, after returning from my first I tried everything from soaking to washing a million times in hot water and every method on the internet. Short answer they are always going to be a little greasy and ‘feel’ like they don’t dry 100%. For my 2nd Camino I just bought new pairs, and for my 3rd I just accepted the greasiness of my existing pairs with no problems. I don’t particularly wear them back at home, but when I do I choose to let it be a positive reminder of all that time lovingly looking after my feet each morning, plus your toes don’t actually feel it.

 

[Kathy F.]

I use Injinji socks specifically because I don't want glops of vaseline on my feet. My feet tend to sweat too much. Injinji's keep the skin on my toes from rubbing and the socks (and boot insoles) help keep my feet dry.
I often use another pair of socks over the Injinji, maybe Smartwool, maybe a light sock liner, but it seems to work at keeping blister formation at a minimum (wet, wet weather unfortunately seems to always be a no-go). Since my boots are slightly bigger than my normal size, the extra layers are not a problem.
I hand wash my Injinjis, even today, because they wear quickly. Nevertheless, I use them instead of Vaseline.

 

[OxfordHiker]

Hello all,

I have read suggestions to coat your feet in Vaseline or something like that in an effort to prevent blisters. My question isn't about the effectiveness of that as I have also read many differing opinions. My question is for those who do use the Vaseline method, how difficult is it to get your socks clean at the end of the day's walk? Bonus points if you can speak to getting the Vaseline out of Injini toe socks. Any tips or hints? Thanks in advance!

I too have heard this, to be honest I think good fitting boots and good quality socks work. I never had a problem from SJPDP to Logrono in September that was with my Kirkland 70% Marino socks and Merell Moab boots.....just my thoughts