How To Dry Shoes? No one can deny that wet shoes are painful. Think about how uncomfortable it is to walk around in soaking shoes… and every squishy step. It makes you cringe.
This can happen at the beach, in heavy rain, or from an unexpected puddle on the streets. While you cannot avoid soggy shoes all the time, you can rest assured knowing that you will know how to dry your shoes quicker without using excessive heat.
How To Dry Shoes?
1. Using cloths
These are the steps to dry your shoes with a cloth dryer overnight.
Use mild detergent to wash them.
Tie the laces.
Fill the dryer with dishrags or towels.
Pair the shoes together by putting them in. Set the soles against the dryer’s door.
Turn on the dryer. Place your shoes side-by-side, with the toes facing up. Place the soles of your shoes on the inside of the dryer.
The dryer door can be closed by looping the laces around its top. This is to prevent shoes from getting knocked about in the basin.
Set the dryer on a low or medium cycle for no more than one hour.
Pros
- Shoes made of synthetic materials, which are more likely to get crumpled up like leather, are well-suited for this.
Cons
- This is a tedious process as you have to dry the shoes thoroughly.
2. Using a fan
Before we talk about drying shoes overnight, it is important to verify the shoe’s construction. Gel-soled shoes and leather shoes work best.
Take off the dirt from the shoe.
Place your wet shoes near a table fan. The fan should be taller than the shoes and sturdy.
To catch any water that drops from the shoes, place a towel on top of the fan.
If they aren’t leather, remove the insoles. Next, dry them on a low setting for a few minutes. To dry them, you can place them on a radiator.
Take an old piece of wire and a cutter. Cut two lengths of six-inch wire.
Next, bend the wires into an “S” shape. Make sure that the hook at one end is smaller than the hook at the other.
To keep your shoes separate, attach the fan’s small ends to the fan. Keep them about 9 inches apart.
Next, loosen the laces and stretch your shoes to let the air out. Next, hang the shoes from the inside with the larger hook.
Make sure that the fan air gets to the shoes’ insides and the outside. Turn the fan on for about an hour.
Pros
- This is an easy and effective way to do it.
Cons
- It won’t work with shoes that are soft or which retain water for a long time.
Read more: How To Shine Shoes
3. Using paper
This hack uses newspapers to dry your shoes overnight. It has been around for a while, and it is a great way to make use of those papers you have lying around.
Wash your shoes.
To dry the insoles, remove them.
Take some newspapers and roll them up. Then, stuff them into your shoes.
Place your shoes indoors in a dry place.
If possible, place them near a fan or heater.
You can always replace the newspaper if it becomes mushy or wet too soon.
Wrap a few newspaper sheets around the outsides to dry them, then secure them with a rubber band.
Pros
- Newspapers are able to absorb moisture and odors well.
- This is the easiest to do because it only requires paper.
- Shoes will dry quicker if they are kept in the air.
- There are no risks of shrinking.
Cons
- Shoes with high water retention are not suitable for this.
- Some forms of paper referred to as ‘hard’ may not be as effective.
4. Using a shoe dryer
Shoe dryers provide quick solutions to the problem of drying shoes overnight. Here’s how it works:
Wash your shoes.
Please take out the insoles and dry them outside. You can also dry your clothes on low heat. Also, take the laces off.
Place the boots or shoes on the drying tubes. You should also make sure that the toe of your shoe is not higher than the heel to ensure it dries completely.
You shouldn’t wear shoes on drying tubes that aren’t equipped with anvils, as they help in the circulation of warm air.
You should ensure that 6 inches are between your footwear and the base.
Plug the dryer.
Do not place the shoe dryer in proximity to any secondary heat source.
Pros
- It is easy to use, as you only need to place your shoe on it to dry.
- Many shoe dryers include scents, deodorants, and other options to make sure your shoes smell great.
- It can be used to dry boots, shoes, gloves, waders, and other items.
- Shoes can be dried quickly
Cons
- To make it work, you need power.
Read also: How To Break In Shoes
5. Refrigerator
Another household appliance that can dry your shoes is the refrigerator. It would help if you dried your shoes in front of the vent, not on the inside. You will find most refrigerators below the door.
This appliance can blow out warm and dry air to dry your shoes after each cooling cycle. You can place your shoes behind the refrigerator, where an intake fan will allow you to keep them dry. The fan will pull moisture from your shoes.
Take off your shoes that are wet and take out the insoles, if any.
Place your shoes sideways with the vent facing the fridge. If you plan to place them in the back, turn the shoe opening towards the fan.
Allow them to dry overnight.
Pros
- This method can be used for shoes made of canvas or cloth materials, such as running shoes.
Cons
- The warm air can cause damage to leather shoes.
6. Rice
Rice is more than a staple food. It has many other practical uses. Rice can be used as a desiccant, and it can absorb a lot of moisture. Here’s how to dry your shoes overnight using them.
Rice sockies can be made by filling extra socks with rice and then tying them with hair elastics. Fill them only to the top, allowing the rice to flow inside.
Make sure to clean your shoes after removing any dirt or mud.
Take off the insoles, and place the rice socks inside the shoes.
You can leave your shoes alone for up to 2 hours if they aren’t soaked. The rice will then remove the moisture. For the rice to absorb moisture, you can leave the shoes overnight in the rice socks if they are fully wet.
Pros
- Rice is an excellent desiccant. Rice can also remove odors and prevent bacterial growth.
Cons
- Uncooked rice, while still, a seed will absorb more moisture. Your shoes won’t dry faster.
7. Clothes Dryer
Your clothes dryers are the fastest way to dry shoes. This method is not suitable for all shoes. It would help if you looked for an alternative method of drying shoes made from leather or gel-core inserts. You can use a drying rack to dry your shoes in your dryer, or you can do this hack.
If your shoes are dryer-safe, check the label. To prevent damage, if the label does not indicate, the shoes may not be dryer safe.
Most shoes have shoelaces. You can loosen them up to 6 inches. If you can reach 6 inches, you can take the laces out of the 2 top holes. To dry properly, make sure they are not tight around your tongue.
Use the laces to tie the shoes together.
Place the shoes on the inside of your dryer door by holding the laces.
Close the dryer door leaving the laces visible at the top.
To ensure that the shoes are not damaged, turn the dryer to low heat. If the shoes are still damp, run them through the full cycle.
Pros
- It dries faster than any other method.
Cons
- Some shoes cannot be dried in the dryer. Warm air can cause the leather to become damaged.
Each method has its pros and cons, but all of them answer the same question: How do you dry your shoes overnight? You have to ensure that your shoe is dry using the right process.
Caution!
It is easy to make errors that could lead to the destruction of your shoes. These are some tips to help you avoid them.
Avoid Direct Heat Sources
You shouldn’t heat your boots or shoes too much. Heaters, blow dryers, and heaters can melt the glue in your shoes, rendering them unusable.
People often ruin their shoes by leaving their shoes too close to a campfire.
Avoid Drying Dirty Footwear
Always clean your boots before drying them. This takes only a few minutes, but it is worth it.
Your footwear can be permanently stained by dirt and mud. If you have a boot dryer, dirt can cause damage.
Is it better to air-dry shoes?
If you can do an air-dry though, it’s better for the longevity and appearance of the running shoes. For help with washing your running shoes in the dryer, check out the wikiHow: How to Dry Shoes Quickly in Your Dryer.
Last Thoughts
Bshoe hopes that you found this article helpful. Please share this article with your friends if you found it useful. You can also leave questions in the comments section.