Have you ever wondered if there was a way you could dry your footwear fast after you washed them? You are not alone. How to dry shoes fast- is a commonly asked question. For many, washing shoes is something that cannot be done regularly since it takes quite a long time for the shoes to dry. Even worse, stepping in the rain or into puddles with shoes is a nightmare.
Washing shoes regularly is not a problem. The real problem comes later on when it's time to dry the shoes. If you don't dry your shoes properly, they may end up crumpled and may also shrink in size. But did you know that there are some tricks that you can apply to dry your shoes quickly and properly without damaging them. Let's take a look at these quick methods for drying your shoes fast. You can pick any method that will suit you.
5 Best Ways to Dry Shoes Fast
Using a Fan
You can dry your shoes overnight using this method. However, you first have to ensure that your shoe is constructed. Leather shoes and shoes made with durable gel soles are the most suited with this method. Once you have washed your shoes, put them near your table fan. The fan that you are using should be sturdy. It should also be taller than your shoes.
As your shoes dry, the excess water will be dropping. You can catch this excess water by putting a towel in front of the fan. Ensure that you remove the insoles from your shoes. You can dry them separately by setting them on a radiator. Here is how you can go about drying your shoes using your air fan.
- Take an old wire hanger and cut two pieces, each about 6 inches long. Bend the wires to make an 'S' shape. Hook one end of the 'S' shaped wires onto the fan. Hook your shoes to the other end of the wire. Keep the wires apart so that the shoes are separated.
- To ensure that the inside of your shoes gets as much air as possible, loosen them up and stretch them.
This method of drying wet shoes quickly. It is also very easy to carry out. However, its main drawback is that it is not very effective with shoes that retain water for long. It does not work for soft shoes either.
Using Cloths
If you don't have an air fan, you can use cloths to dry your shoes quickly. This method is very suitable for shoes made of synthetic materials. However, you will have to wait for a few hours for your shoes to dry. Here is how you can go about it.
- Once you have washed your shoes, untie the laces.
- Put some rags or towels in your dryer.
- It's now time to dry shoes in dryer. Put your wet shoes inside the dryer and pair them beside each other. Ensure that the toes are facing up. You should also set the soles of the shoes against the inside of your dryer door.
- Proceed to shut the dryer door while looping the laces around the top of the door. Set the dryer to a medium cycle for one hour.
Using Newspaper
This method has been around for long. It is a very useful way of utilizing those piles of newspapers that are just lying around.
- Once you have washed your shoes, you should remove the insoles so that you can dry them separately.
- Ball the newspapers up and stuff them inside your shoes.
- Put your shoes indoors is a dry place.
- If you have a fan or a space heater in your house, putting your shoes close to them will speed up the drying process.
- After a few hours, when you notice that the newspaper is getting mushy, you can replace it.
- Wrap your shoes around a few sheets of newspapers and secure the newspapers using a rubber band. This will help to dry the outside of the shoes.
Using newspapers to dry shoes not only absorbs the moisture but also any odor from the shoes. Carrying it out is very easy since all you need are just newspapers. However, using newspapers is not suitable for shoes with high water retention.
Refrigerator
Did you know that you can also dry your shoes using your refrigerator? However, you don't need to put your shoes inside the refrigerator. You just need to put it in front of the vent. Most refrigerators have their vents below their doors. Warm and dry air is blown out of the vent during every cooling cycle. This air can dry your shoes fast.
- Remove the insoles from your wet shoes.
- Put your shoes in front of the vent. Ensure that the opening of the shoe is facing the vent.
- Leave your wet shoes to dry overnight.
Shoes made from cloth materials and canvas are more suitable for drying using this method. However, leather shoes should not be dried using this method. The warm air from the vent may damage the leather material.
Rice
Rice has a lot of applications besides being a staple food. Dry uncooked rice has great absorption power. Here is how you can use rice to dry your shoes quickly.
- Take some spare socks and fill them with dry uncooked rice to make rice sickies.
- Remove the insoles from your wet shoes and then put the rice sickies inside the shoes.
- Leave your shoes overnight so that the rice can absorb all the moisture.
Besides being a good desiccant, rice also removes odor to prevent the growth of bacteria in your shoes.
Final Thoughts
When drying your shoes, you should avoid drying them using a direct heat source. You may end up damaging your shoes. You should also avoid drying your shoes when they are dirty. You have to wash them first or else you will have permanent stains on your shoes. You can choose the best method that you know will work for you best. Feel free to share this article with your friends so that they can also know how to dry shoes fast.