Rainy days are perfect when you’re at home. You can stay in bed all day long, reading a good book while drinking hot coffee. But if you need to head out, rain can be an inconvenience with puddles and traffic jams on the road. Indeed, rain can ruin your day. But you know what else it can damage? Your shoes. No matter the style or brand, shoes don’t fare well in rainy weather. Their colors fade, and they smell bad when constantly damp. They may even cause athlete’s foot! So, if you want to protect your shoes (and your feet) during the rainy season, here are some tips you should know:

Dry it

If you ever end up wetting your shoes, it is super important for you to dry them well in order for them to last long. Avoid leaving them in a damp or cool place if they are wet. Dry them off thoroughly by hanging them in an airy spot to dry naturally or in your room under the fan. Drying them thoroughly from inside is important, if not the dampness might cause a lot of skin infections. In case of emergency, dry it with your hair dryer, but on low heat. Too much heat might crack your shoes, if they are leather based.

Cleaning it
Most important step of taking care of your footwear for them to last longer is cleaning. The mud might not just ruin the quality but also the texture of your footwear. The basic cleaning ingredients are baking powder solution, tooth paste or vinegar. In case of your regular shoes, opt for baking powder solution or toothpaste and scrub it with a tooth brush to make your shoes brand new. If you want to clean your leather shoes, opt for few drops of vinegar on the tooth brush. Wipe them off with clean water soaked cloth followed by a dry cloth.

Don’t ignore the insides
It is important to take care of the insides of your footwear, as much as you take care of the outer skin. The inner soles and walls are prone to decay, thus reducing your shoe’s life. To avoid decaying, you can sprinkle talcum powder on the inner sole from time to time, as powder absorbs all the moistness. Also keeping a few sheets of blotting paper or tissues may help in keeping the inner walls away from moisture bacteria causing fungal infections.

Smell-proof it
It’s extremely necessary to make sure that your shoes don’t stink due to the damp and humid weather. The easiest and effective way to smell-proof your shoes is by sprinkling some baking powder in them and dusting them off after a few hours. Baking powder is a natural deodorizer and helps you get rid of the unpleasant odor.

Shine and polish
It is necessary to retain the texture of your shoes, as you have invested so much in them. The mud and water usually ruins the natural texture of your footwear. It is a must to keep them nicely polished in order to keep the quality intact and protect them from moisture. Lotions and creams are available in almost every store that helps maintain the shine and condition of your shoes. If there’s a particular patch of your shoe that’s ruined, the other way to maintain the texture is by rubbing you nail filer or buffer over that patch.

Storing them
If you want your favorite pair of shoes to last for a long time, storing them in the right away is important. Packing them immediately or letting them lay around for a couple of days is a big NO! Leave your shoes under the fan for an hour or so after you have removed them, this lets the moisture in your shoes to dry off. It is even more important for sports or gym shoes, as the sweat and moisture if left, may ruin your shoes entirely. If the shoes have laces, it’s better to remove them and dry them separately before storing them. Pack them neatly in breathable cloth pouches, thin paper sheets or even shower caps.

(compiled from agencies)