Ensuring your favorite shoes stay clean is a basic requirement outlined by shoe companies. However, tossing them into the dryer and calling it a day is not a good idea. For one, it’s likely to damage the materials. If you leave canvas shoes, lightweight sneakers, or tennis shoes in the dryer, they might come out in mediocre condition. Leather and memory foam shoes, on the other hand, will likely end up ruined.
How to Protect Your Shoes from Damage
The process of hot drying can cause damage to the fibers of the material, leading to shrinkage of the shoes. Therefore, you might render them unwearable due to one oversight. In other words, even if you’ve heard of someone succeeding, you shouldn’t carelessly head in that direction. Instead, take some time to explore tips for this shortcut.
Check the Label
To protect your shoes from potential dryer damage, you can start by checking the relevant model numbers. Most shoe companies affix labels with a list of dos and don’ts on the shoes or box. Therefore, check these instructions to see if using a shoe dryer is safe. Also, consider contacting the official website.
Air Dry in the Sun
If you don’t find any information on the label or website, you should air dry your shoes in direct sunlight. Apart from being the most common, this method is effective for eliminating pathogens.
Shoe Dryer
For those who frequently need to clean shoes or run a shoe washing and drying business, purchasing a professional shoe dryer is essential. A shoe dryer can keep your shoes fresh and rejuvenate the shoe’s upper material.
Fan
When you need to dry shoes without damaging the fabric, drying them under a fan is also an option. However, remember that this route does require some extra time before you can wear your shoes again.
Blot Dry with Towels Inside
If the label allows you to dry shoes in the dryer, you can give it a try. However, we recommend placing towels inside the shoe cavities before putting the shoes in. This way, your shoes won’t shrink during this process.
Rice or Newspaper
Another quick drying method involves using rice or newspaper for immediate effect. Place washed shoes in a rice bowl or wrap them in newspaper. If you need to speed up the drying process further, you can also stuff some paper inside the shoes.
How to Remove Musty Odors
If you indeed want to remove musty odors from shoes without washing them, you can use simple home remedies. For this, pour a cup of baking soda into the shoes and let it sit overnight.
How to Deal with Foot Fungus Inside Shoes
You can eliminate foot fungus inside shoes using a solution or professional spray. Vinegar, baking soda, or apple cider vinegar are common methods to address this issue. However, if the situation doesn’t improve, you can purchase Lysol spray from Amazon and use it as directed.
How to Remove Mold from Shoes
You can remove mold from shoes without external help. First, you need to scrub them with a bristle brush. If your shoes are white, you can use a mixture of bleach and water. Then, gently remove surface mold using rubbing alcohol.
If you don’t have alcohol at home, you can also use vinegar and water for this purpose.
How to Clean Gasoline from Shoes
The first thing you can do is to put the shoes in a washing machine with plenty of detergent. If you still smell the pungent odor of gasoline, continue to apply a mixture of water, vinegar, and baking soda. Leave this solution overnight.
How to Remove Cat Urine Odor from Shoes
If you still smell cat urine after removing the shoes from the dryer, try home remedies. Mix equal parts baking soda and water, then apply the mixture to the shoes for a day. Note that you may need to repeat this process several times in a row.
Conclusion
In general, avoid putting shoes in the dryer as it can damage their quality and even cause them to shrink. However, if you need to wash and dry shoes immediately, check if the model is compatible with the dryer.
