We’re used to spending a lot of money on shoes, so we naturally want them to last as long as possible. Fortunately, there are helpful hints for maintaining the appearance of all types of shoes.
Good shoes are a staple to any stylish wardrobe, and we have collected a bunch of tricks and tips that are sure to help maintain the look (and smells) of your favorite footwear.
Candle wax care
Want your fabric shoes to be waterproof? Take some wax or paraffin candle and rub it on the shoes – it will prevent any water from going through the fabric.
Enlarging shoes
Are those fancy shoes you just purchased too tight? Take a cup of water in a ziplock bag, place it in the shoe and put the shoes in the freezer – the water will turn into ice and push the sides of the shoe apart. Leave them there over night and they’ll be ready to wear in the morning.
Cleaning fabric shoes
If your shoes are lighter in color, you know how fast they can turn so gray and dirty that even a washing machine can’t help. Pick up an old toothbrush and a little bit of baking soda along with some hydrogen peroxide and water. Dip the brush into the mix and rub it on the shoe. This should take the dirt right off!
Cleaning sneakers
Gym shoes and sneakers not only have fabric on them, but they also have rubber parts. The best thing to clean rubber with, is well, rubber! Take a plain rubber eraser and clean off anything from the rubber parts of your shoe.
Renewing leather shoes
Leather shoes start looking old over time, especially when they get wet. To make them look better, you’ll need to collect some water and vinegar.
Mix the ingredients with equal parts. Spray the mixture on the shoe and gently rub it off with a shoe brush. Repeat if needed.
Keeping boots shapely in storage
Boot storage can be tricky, but you can easily make it through thanks to these simple tricks. If you have boots with soft legs, take a heavy magazine, fold it into a tube and place it in the boot. The magazine will make your boots stay standing upright so the part between the foot and leg won’t crinkle.
If you get your boots wet, don’t just toss them aside because they might lose their shape. Instead, take a couple of empty bottles and fit the boots on them to dry out.
Keeping shoes fresh
Gym shoes definitely don’t smell like a bouquet of roses. Eliminate the stinky problem by putting tea bags in them overnight and in between gym sessions.
Keeping leather shiny
To keep your leather shoes lookin shiny and new, simply use a banana peel! Rub the peel onto the leather and wipe the leftover banana residue with a soft paper napkin.
Getting rid of shoe scratches
Do your gorgeous party shoes have some black scratches on them from knocking into each other? There is a solution. You’ll need:
- Nail polish remover
- Q-tips
Wet the q-tips slightly with nail polish remover, then while pressing gently, remove black scratches from your favorite shoes.