The rain won’t be letting up for a while. Hence, our jaunts and trips outside will still be limited. This brings my attention to my shoes.
They’re never going to be alone like this, sitting in your cabinets and on shelves. Don’t think you can completely forget about them. The weather and the lack of use may bring some damage. So I suggest checking on them for proper care.
One thing to consider getting for your shoe storage space is a bunch of silica gel packs. If you’ve kept the ones which came in the box of your brand new shoes, good on you! Silica gel packs absorb the moisture that is the No. 1 culprit in shoe damage.
Moisture brings mold and other bad stuff that could eat away at the quality of your footwear.
The second thing to check is its shape. Look for some acid-free tissues that you can stuff your shoes with. This gives further protection from moisture, and helps the shoes keep their shape. A quick Google search will lead you to supplies of acid-free tissues that you can get in bulk. The whole family could use it, I’m certain.
My third tip would be to eliminate the plastic. Wrapping your shoes in plastic wouldn’t be the best if your intention is to protect them from water. In fact, moisture damage will increase if you store them in something that’s not breathable. If you must store them in boxes, find the stackable ones that are made with slots in them for proper air circulation.
Proper cleaning
On to my fourth tip, and speaking of circulation, check the entire space where you keep your shoes. Weeks in quarantine may have given you time to declutter, but did you also do a proper cleaning? You may want to go back to basics in your wardrobe and clean out your shoe area for any dust, signs of mildew and bad odors. In fact, you could even take real time to find the best storage area for your shoes. It’s a way to assure yourself that days outside are coming, and you are ready for it.
For my fifth tip on shoe storage, don’t neglect to give all your shoes the proper TLC, one by one. Give the canvas sneakers the wash they need. Shine and add a shoe-caring formula to your leather soles. You can even try to break in the ones that have missed out on the parties, so they’re comfortable by the time you can use them.
If you’ve found in your cleaning mission that a few shoes have become victims of mold, there’s a homemade DIY solution.
You need to wipe away the spores with a soft brush. After, clean the moldy area with a soft detergent and let air dry. Once dry, pat with alcohol to disinfect. Finish off with your shoe conditioner.
