We wear shoes every day, so it would make sense that they are comfortable, clean and sturdy. These tips will help you keep your shoes clean and make them comfortable and last longer.
1) Apply some sandpaper
New shoes, in particular, might lack a bit in grip, but there’s a quick fix that’ll allow you to get better traction and should help ease the tripping. Apply some sandpaper to the soles, and your shoes will get a lot grippier.
2) Fix creases with a steam iron
Make no mistake about it – preventing shoe creases is a dozen times better than fixing them, but if you want to give your creased basketball shoes a newer look, this tip might come in handy. Grab a wet cloth and put it on top of the creases of your sneaker, and gently rub over it with a steam iron. It won’t eliminate them completely, but it’ll make a huge difference nonetheless.
3) Prevent blisters with deodorant
Deodorant can really do wonders, and they’re pretty great at preventing blisters after a long night on the dance floor. Simply get a bit of clear gel deodorant, and rub the inner heel of your shoes.
4) How to get rid of squealing shoes
Squeaky shoes that you can hear from miles away, it’s not exactly the best thing there is. Luckily, there’s an easy fix for noisy and squeaky shoes. Grab a bit of baby powder and put some underneath your inner shoe sole. It’ll allow for better cohesion between both parts of the shoe, and less squealing as a result.
5) Switch up your shoelace patterns
There are dozens of different ways to tie up your shoes, and you can find plenty of great shoelace patterns that’ll give your footwear a distinctive look. Tired of seeing criss-cross patterns all the time? Just swap it out for another style!
6) Easily widen your boot shafts
Boots that have a firm grip on your leg are never comfortable, so it may be worth taking some time to widen those boot shafts. All you need is a couple of newspapers. Simply stuff the shafts with the papers, and pull them out when you want to use your boots. Simple as that!
7) Heel caps are true lifesavers
For someone who loves their shoes, the thought alone of a heel breaking is absolutely terrifying. It’s worth investing in a couple of heel caps that will quickly allow you to fix shoes with broken heels.
8) Create your own inner soles
If you often feel discomfort when wearing shoes, it may be worth it to create your own inner soles. Some soles are just way too uncomfortable, and you can make your feet a lot happier by getting some thick and grippy fabric, and cutting it to the size of the shoe. Here are the full instructions.
9) Soften your flip-flop straps
Some flip-flops have a really uncomfortable toe strap and it can just plain hurt – especially if you’ve been wearing them for a while. The trick? Cover the hard straps in soft fabric, and your feet will definitely be thankful.
10) Widen shoe toes in the freezer
There’s a great method to loosen up the tip of your shoe, which is often the one spot where footwear is too tight. Grab an airtight bag filled with a little bit of water, and stick it in the toe area. Let your shoes rest in the freezer overnight. Because water expands when it becomes ice, the shoe toes will be a little bit wider than before.
11) Stinky shoes? Tea bags to the rescue!
Smelly shoes with a noticeable odor – nobody likes them. There’s a quick solution to eliminate nasty smells. Put unused tea bags in your shoes, as they’re absolutely great at absorbing unpleasant scents.
12) Cushion tight shoe straps with moleskin
Similar to the pain some flip-flop straps can cause, regular shoe straps can also be the cause of serious discomfort in some cases. A quick and easy fix is just a little bit of moleskin, you’ll be amazed how much difference it can make!
13) Have more control over your shoes with heel grips
If you’re planning a long night wearing heels, you can already imagine the pain and discomfort you’re going to feel at the end. Ease some of that pain and increase your movement by inserting a handy heel grip.
14) Give your heal linings a new life with patches
There’s no denying that shoes eventually wear out, and heel linings are often one of the things that are broken down first. If they need repair, simply patch some material over it and nobody will be able to spot the difference. Denim, for example, is an absolutely great choice!
15) Get arch support inserts
If you’re particularly dealing with pain around the arches of your feet, special arch supports inserts can help you relieve some of that body stress fin a matter of seconds.
16) An easy way to get rid of water stains
After being exposed to water, some leather shoes have the tendency to develop water stains. They’re a pain to remove, but a vinegar and toothbrush duo is all you need to keep these ugly stains away.
17) DIY Waterproof Shoes
Did you know you can use something as simple as beeswax to make your shoes waterproof? It’s an instant method to make your kicks much more comfortable to use around water, and the beeswax won’t even leave stains or change the color of your shoes.
18) Buy shoes during evenings
Have you ever bought a pair of shoes, and realized that they were actually tighter than before? That’s simply because your feet have the tendency to swell throughout the day, especially when you’re sedentary for long periods. During evenings, you’re much more likely to get shoes that will be comfortable to wear at any time of the day.
19) Make new shoes comfortable by using a dryer
Getting new shoes is often double-sided. After all, you’re happy with your new footwear, but breaking in new shoes can’t exactly be described as fun. The best thing to do when starting to use new shoes is putting on thick socks and blowing any tight or uncomfortable spot dry. The heat will loosen up the material and will make your feet get used to their new surroundings much faster.
20) Use panty liners to absorb sweat
It may sound like a weird thought, but panty liners are great at absorbing sweat. Less sweat in your shoes equals less smelly odors, and it’ll naturally keep your shoes fresher longer. Simply put them in the soles, and you’re all done.
21) Make your heels shorter
High heels just aren’t for everyone, but the majority of shoes available have pretty significant heels. Getting your heels shortened is a great idea if you’re looking for shoes that are somewhat more subtle and more comfortable to wear. It’s also great for giving your old shoes a second life!
22) A great solution against chafing
Chafing feet in your running or sports shoes, it isn’t exactly the most pleasant feeling in the world. If you’re planning on using these type of shoes intensively, coat your heels with a layer of K-Y Jelly first to prevent chafing.
23) Fix scuffs with some vaseline
There are dozens of uses for vaseline or petroleum jelly, and restoring shoes is just one of them. Apply some petroleum jelly on a cotton swab, and rub gently until the scuff is gone. Works best on a patent leather shoe.
24) Keep your boots moisture-free
After a rainy day in your boots, the chances are rather high that there will be some moisture left. Grab a couple of old newspaper pages (or paper towels) to keep your boots nice and dry.
25) Add wool into your soles
This tip is particularly useful during the winter. If there’s one material type that you can associate with warmth and comfort, it’s wool. Just insert some wooly fabric whenever you might think your feet need some warming up.
26) Use sneaker protectors to prevent creases
Some sneakers look absolutely fabulous and are a pleasure to wear, but after a while of use, creases at the top are simply inevitable. Before you start wearing new shoes, consider getting sneaker protectors. After a while, you won’t even notice them anymore and they do a splendid job at keeping your sneakers crease-free. Works particularly well for Air Jordan Retro shoes.
27) Tape your toes when wearing heels
This may seem a bit odd and unnecessary, but there’s scientific reasoning behind it. Heels aren’t exactly comfortable by definition, and there’s a lot of strain placed on the nerve directly between your second and third toe. The best and easiest way to help relieve some of the tension, it to tape the toes together. Not too tight, otherwise you’ll cut off blood circulation.
28) Grab a pair of no-tie shoelaces
Tired of tripping over your laces or needing to redo them often? No-tie shoelaces, which have been hugely popular lately, are the perfect solutions. You can stretch them pretty far and just trim them afterward. No need to ever tie your shoelaces again.
29) Clean shoes with a magic eraser or toothpaste
The pristine condition of your brand-new shoes is something that doesn’t last very long, but you can keep your kicks looking new with magic erasers or simply by rubbing some white toothpaste all over it. They’ll do a great job of scrubbing off scuffs, and it’s cheap too!
30) Clean suede shoes with pieces of bread
Suede is a delicate material to handle, and cleaning with a regular cloth can sometimes make things even worse. Instead of cloth, just use some bread to get rid of stains.
31) Get a special blister-protective spray
If your feet are quite prone to blisters, you may want to consider purchasing a special type of feet spray that creates a protective barrier around your feet when dried. It works wonders to prevent blisters!
32) Give your old shoes a new look
We have plenty of accessories for ourselves, so why not let our shoes have the same? Grab a couple of blank shoe clips, attach them to your old shoes, and go creative with buttons, decorations, and patches to give your footwear a completely new and distinctive touch.
33) Use feet spray regularly
Sprays for your feet are seriously underrated. It’s not a bad idea to make a habit of spraying your feet before you go out, as they’ll help your feet feel refreshed, but will also give them a firmer grip to prevent slips.
34) Keep your balance on heels outdoors
Heels on the dancefloor or at a fancy event? No problem at all. But when you walk outside – with tons of small rocks, grass, and gravel, a heel suddenly doesn’t sound like a good idea anymore. Heel protectors help you spread your weight on less sturdy outdoor grounds.
35) Invest in shoe pegs
Your collection of shoes needs a place to shine, but what if you could make storing your shoes easier? This won’t work great with high heels, but for all other types of footwear, you can install shoe pegs and store your shoes efficiently, fast, and off the ground.
36) Add traction with a hot glue gun
Shoes don’t only have to look good, they have to provide you with enough comfort, grip, and traction as well. If your pair is lacking in that last department, you can try to use a hot glue gun and create your own grips. It may not be perfect, but it’s certainly better than nothing!
37) Get a little bit of extra stretch
Did you know that there are special devices that can give your shoes just that little bit of extra stretch? It doesn’t take long and you can get your footwear closer to the perfect size within mere minutes.
38) Easily repair a loose flip-flop
Flip-flops are fairly cheap, but you can’t exactly call them durable. One of the most frequent issues is a loose flip-flop strap which makes the whole thing just a pain to walk on. Instead of throwing a broken flip-flop in the trash, grab a bread tag or a flat washer for an easy and quick fix.
39) Fleece-lined slippers a pain to clean?
The soft fabric of fleece-lined slippers feels absolutely amazing to your feet, but they’re not exactly fun to wear when they’re all dirty. The solution is remarkably simple: just use a bit of dish soap, get rid of the stains and let it dry. As good as new!
40) Revitalize leather with a banana peel
Leather has the distinctive feature that it ages quite uniquely. Some people like this aged leather look and even purposely wear out their boots, but there are plenty of people who’d like to keep their leather footwear in pristine condition. If you’re one of those people, rub a banana peel over your leather footwear and you’ll instantly make them look like new.
41) Black tea helps with blisters
If it’s too late to make your shoes comfy and you’ve already found yourself with blisters, black tea can come to the rescue. Just soak your feet in warm black tea; it will soothe the pain and reduces chances of an infection.
42) Shine patent leather with glass cleaner
No need to buy special products or cleaners if you scuff up your patent leather shoes. Windex or any glass cleaner will do the trick. Just give it a spray, gently scrub, and the scuff should come off with ease.
43) Clean white sneakers with nail polish remover
Keep those white tennis shoes looking bright by giving them a quick wipe down with nail polish remover. It will instantly remove any stains and keep the rubber parts as white as the day you bought them.
44) Buff out stains on suede with a nail file
Earlier, we mentioned bread as a useful tool for cleaning up your suede shoes, but a nail file works even better when it comes to tough dirt stains. Use the side of the nail file that has finer abrasion and give your suede a quick buff.
45) Prevent tall boots from falling
Keep your knee-high or tall boots in their proper form with a little help from pool noodles. Cut the pool noodles into an appropriate length and stuff them inside your boots when you’re not wearing them. This will hold their shape and keep them from creasing.
46) Keep feet sweat-free with dry shampoo
If you like to wear flats without any socks, this little trick will be a godsend. Keep your feet sweat and moisture free by spraying a little bit of dry shampoo into your shoes before you put them on. It will help absorb any moisture inside.
47) Use a pencil eraser to remove scuffs
Scuffs on your tennis shoe’s rubber is super easy to remove with the eraser of a pencil. Simply use the eraser as you would to remove a pencil mark and the scuff is gone!
48) Make your own no-tie laces
If you don’t want to buy a pair of no-tie laces, you can make your own for a fraction of the cost. Just replace your old shoelaces with a piece of elastic cord that you can sew to the tongue. Head over to Make It Love It for the instructions.
49) DIY shoe deodorizing spray
Keep your shoes smelling fresh and also free of fungus and bacteria by making your own shoe deodorizing spray. All you need to do is mix equal parts rubbing alcohol and apple cider vinegar with a few drops of tea tree oil.
50) Lace your shoes for function and fit
Switching up the way you lace your shoes isn’t just a fashion statement–it can actually help people with certain shapes of feet or foot problems. Refer to the chart below to see which lacing pattern would be the best fit for you. Here are the tutorials.