Shoes are made of different materials, such as leather or vegan leather, among others, which means that different types of materials require different cleaning and drying methods. Have you stepped in a puddle, been caught in a downpour that has soaked your shoes? Or have you simply cleaned them and need to know how to dry them properly? In any case, this article covers everything you need to know about this topic...
In our previous blog on how to clean white sneakers in this same series on how to maintain your sneakers, we learned how to clean them.... Now, pay attention because we will show you different ways to dry your sneakers properly, so that they look like the first day. But above all, to help you maintain the characteristics of your shoes, so that they last much longer. Like our personalized sneakers, so easy to clean and fully customizable
HOW TO DRY YOUR SHOES QUICKLY
If you're in a hurry and need to dry your shoes quickly, be extra careful not to damage them. Surely you'd rather wait than wreck your sneakers. With this in mind, the best way to dry your shoes quickly is as follows: wrap them with a towel and remove excess water, then do the same with newspaper, replacing it as often as necessary. You can also place them next to a fan or a rack with hot air to dry them faster.
HOW TO DRY SHOES OVERNIGHT
In addition to drying our shoes we must avoid fire hazards, so leaving your custom shoes unattended overnight near any heat source is out of place. The same applies during the day, so forget about drying your shoes next to a fireplace, campfire, heater, oven or similar. Not only can you ruin your slippers, but you can make a huge mess. Instead, you can leave your slippers in a well-ventilated place. Although, before letting them air dry, you should remove excess water by using newspapers, sheets of paper or even rice or any absorbent material for a few minutes. Then remove the insoles and laces and let them air dry overnight. It's that easy.
- Avoid direct sunlight: You can air dry your shoes in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight.
- Remove excess water: If your shoes are soaked, drying them with a towel will help remove the moisture.
- If the shoes are made of leather: Since it is a delicate material, use only newspaper.
- If it is a recurring problem: If you live in a rainy place or do anything that makes your shoes wet, consider buying a shoe dryer.
- Choose water-repellent materials: Waterproof or water-repellent materials are a good option to keep your shoes from getting soaked.
- Avoid bacteria: Keep your shoes in a well-ventilated area by applying shoe deodorant if necessary. Baking soda or a mixture of water and vinegar will help kill bacteria.
HOW TO TUMBLE DRY YOUR SHOES
If you are hesitating between air-drying or machine drying your shoes, we strongly advise you to discard the first option, as direct sunlight can damage the coloring. You can opt to machine dry your shoes, although reading the shoe labels before using this method is paramount, as heat (as well as sunlight) depending on the materials, can deteriorate the glues and shrink your shoes. However, if you follow our recommendations, you can safely dry your shoes in the dryer. Some modern dryers incorporate a drying rack (very convenient for canvas sneakers), check yours! If yours doesn't have one, all you have to do is: remove the laces and insoles (you can dry them separately), put them in a mesh bag and put them in the dryer at the lowest temperature, checking them every five minutes until they are dry. Note: If it's too late and you've already shrunk your sneakers, you should read our blog on how to stretch sneakers.
HOW TO DRY WET SHOES TO ELIMINATE BAD ODOR
Last but not least, a wet shoe is a recipe for bad odors. Also, what you probably didn't realize is that this unpleasant odor is caused by mold and mildew. To prevent this from happening, one ingredient you can't overlook so that your shoes, in addition to being comfortable, don't pick up odors are quality insoles, such as the anatomical and breathable dual-density insoles that our shoes come with. In addition, to combat odor and bacteria, if your shoes leak, before drying them you can soak them in a mixture of water and vinegar in equal parts. Then rinse them well, remove excess water with a towel regardless of the drying method you are going to use. Once dry try sprinkling a little baking soda inside to absorb moisture and odors and store them in a dry, well-ventilated place.
Contrary to what many people think, synthetic leather sneakers can catch odor equally, it all depends on our hygiene as well as the quality of the materials and the treatment and care given to our footwear. Take a look at our stunning sneakers made in Spain with top quality sustainable fabrics and materials.
At Bullfeet, all our vegan and sustainable footwear can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth. Some of our shoes have water-repellent materials, which help to keep them looking like new for a long time. In addition, we are a modern and sustainable Spanish shoe and handbag brand that really cares about the future of our planet. If you want to know more about us, like our values and create your own customized shoes from scratch from our 3D sneaker customizer, don't miss it!
To finish, at the beginning of this article we mentioned vegan leather, which by the way, do you know what it really is? If it sounds familiar, but you have some doubts, stay tuned to the blogposts What is vegan leather? in which we explain everything in detail.
