No matter which type of shoes you prefer to wear, there is a very simple way to clean them better so you can get the most out of your footwear.
We’ve compiled a list of 20 of the best shoe hacks that will make cleaning your shoes easier than ever before!
1. Add Grip
Sandpaper the soles of your shoes to give them more grip—don’t forget to sand the bottom lightly to remove any new shoe finish!
2. Prevent Blisters
Does it feel like a burden to know that all of the shoes you buy that look the best end up giving you the most blisters? With this hack, feel free to buy whichever shoes you want without worrying.
To prevent blisters on your shoes, rub gel-based deodorant on the insides to create a barrier and prevent dry friction, the #1 cause for shoe blisters.
3. Stretch Them Out
To avoid having to stretch out your shoes as a means of breaking them in, wear really thick socks, wear your shoes of choice, and blow dry them on high for a little over a minute. You should feel the shoes loosen up and become larger!
4. Remove Odor
Odor is one of the most stressful problems to happen with shoes. If not dealt with properly, it can truly ruin your experience and make your shoes feel quite nasty and smell nasty as well.
To remove odor from your shoes, put a little bit of baking soda and add a sliced lemon before leaving the shoe overnight, afterward shaking the lemon and the baking soda out of the shoe.
5. Fixing Suede Shoes
Clean dirt and salt off of your suede shoes by wiping them with a clean towel—just make sure the towel is soaked in warm water and vinegar!
6. Waterproof
You never know when rain will begin pouring down and potentially ruin your shoes, so be ready for anything to happen by rubbing beeswax or a candle on the bottom and edges of your shoes. Melt the wax afterward with a hair dryer to ensure there’s a waterproof barrier.
7. Fix Patent Leather
Shine your shoes by rubbing Vaseline on them and then wiping it off.
8. Fix Leather Scratches
Apply moisturizer to the leather areas and rub out the affected areas to remove scratches.
9. Freshen Shoes
Put two tea bags in your shoes every time you take them off and let the bags absorb the odors. Repeat until their scent is gone, after which you replace them.
10. Quiet Squeaking
Lightly dust baby powder on the inner sole of the shoe to prevent squeaking.
11. Clean White Shoes
Using a toothbrush, brush your shoes with toothpaste to remove dirt and scratches from the undesirable areas.
12. Prevent Feet From Slipping
Put hairspray on your feet and wear your shoes to prevent your foot from slipping!
13. Clean Fleece-Lined Shoes
Make sure to vacuum or clean any hair in your shoes before washing them, then scrub two or three drops of dish soap with warm water until it’s clean again.
14. Widen Tall Boots
Spray rubbing alcohol on your tall boots to widen their size.
15. Sneaker Repair
Iron a small patch of denim on the back of your tennis shoe to replace any holes it may have.
16. Add Balance
Tape your 3rd and 4th toes together before you wear heels to give yourself more balance.
17. Absorb Water
Put newspaper pieces in your shoes so they can absorb the moisture quickly and efficiently.
18. Absorb Sweat
Panty liners will help absorb sweat in your shoes easily!
19. Warm Your Shoes
Secure the inside of your shoes with wool fabrics to give yourself comfort and warm up your feet faster.
20. Get Creative!
Put together baking soda, vinegar, and water and apply this mixture with a toothbrush—now you can paint over them however you’d like!
Do you think you’ll try any of these awesome hacks? Show this article to your friends and family so they can take care of their footwear!