How to Clean Second-Hand Shoes!

Cleaning used shoes or how to clean old shoes requires you to perform some simple activities like driving away the visible debris at first, then washing and cleaning the insoles properly. 

For some particular shoes, you have to wash the shoes thoroughly with your hands, while for others use a washing machine, which in fact makes the job easier and quicker for you.

Whether you want to sell an old pair of shoes or get them from someone else, you must clean the shoes properly to make them clean and disinfect. This wash helps you remove all the dirt and germs living in them and give them a new fresh look!

The task of cleaning old used shoes is a common matter in our day-to-day life. So, it must be a handy art to learn the best and most effective techniques of how to clean second-hand shoes.

How to Clean Second-Hand Shoes?

As a shoe lover, you must know the ins and outs of how to clean second-hand shoes. No matter what the goal is, a pair of old shoes has to be washed and cleaned perfectly to avoid a lot of unwanted consequences.

Necessity of Cleaning Used Shoes

After a long time of use, sweating mixing with dirt must produce a stubborn bad smell. You would never like to tolerate it yourself or let it reach someone’s room. Washing these old shoes can drive away this intolerable odor easily. Besides, they might carry fungus or bacteria, which would easily affect you when you wear them.

On the other hand, if you are selling them, you have to know how to clean shoes for resale. The shoes are carrying fungus or bacteria, which would easily be transferred to the new user. 

So, you must know how to disinfect shoes from fungus and other germs. No doubt, it is your responsibility to clean the shoes to keep yourself or the other person safe!

These things make it urgent to clean second-hand shoes to stay away from some critical issues.

Prepare the Shoes for Extensive Clean

As a used pair, the shoes must have dirt, germs, or spots in places. First of all, irrespective of shoe type, design, or materials, you must drive away the visible dirt and mud.

For this purpose, you can take a shoebrush, toothbrush, or soft cloth. Rub the brush or whatever you have over the debris gently time and again. This will loosen and ultimately drive away even the stubborn debris.

While cleaning leather or similar types of delicate shoes take time and run the brush softly to avoid any kind of damage to the footwear.  

Manage the Helping Agents and Prepare Them

To proceed with the activities, you need to have possession of some common but crucial items. These can make the task easy, quick, and most importantly successful.

• Warm water
• Container
• Detergent or baking soda
• Towel
• Odor neutralizer spray
• Hard bristled brush

Make a solution of the warm water and detergent mixing them in a container. Make sure that the washing powder has dissolved evenly. Now you can go on to the next step.

Separate and Clean the Insoles

As opined by Jennifer Okafor, the first step of cleaning any used shoes is to take out the insoles from the shoes with the view to cleaning them thoroughly. You can complete the job following the steps below.

• Soak the insoles in the water mixed with soap. Keep them there for at least 4 to 5 minutes to allow them to take in enough water.
• Now rub them with clean cold water and squeeze them smoothly to drive away the soap.
• As the soles are soft now, use a brush to bleach the spots on the soles. Don’t get irritated if some firm stains take time to get vanished.
• Make sure that you are operating the brush neither too gently to make it fruitless nor too hard to tear the soles.
• Choose a clean well-lighted place where the sun doesn’t heat directly. Let the soles be there until they get dry completely.

So, you must now be happy to get these easy-to-apply techniques to clean regular shoes without using any heavy tools or machine!

Clean Suede and Leather Shoes Delicately

Simpy Singh thinks that depending on the materials, you have to make a world of changes in the cleaning agents and techniques while cleaning used or old shoes. The needed equipment are-

• Both normal and hot water
• Detergent
• Container
• Ragged brush

Now follow the following simple, quick but effective steps to clean leather or suede shoes without causing any harm to them.

• This time also, you should make a balanced mixture of water and detergent.
• Then soak the shoes for a while to make them ready to run a ragged brush over them to clean the spots here and there.
• Now use some hot water to clean the shoes ensuring that no dirt is left there.
• But for a pair of suede shoes, you must replace the previous brush with a soft one so that it doesn’t harm any delicate parts of the footwear.

You must know that using toxic chemicals whimsically or scrubbing these types of shoes randomly can be damaging to them, as said by CleanEasyWay. So, while dealing with sophisticated leather or suede shoes, you must be careful and systematic.

Using Machine for Cleaning Used Shoes

For cleaning some kind of shoes like sneakers, canvas, running shoes or the like, your labor is up to going to the washing machine!

No worries! It is easy to learn how to clean second-hand shoes in washing machine. In that case, you have to remove all the dirt before entering them into the machine. 

Besides, you must separate the shoelaces, too. After taking them out, never use a dryer to soak the little water. Instead, take time and dry them naturally.

As there is a possibility of creasing the shoes, you can place something e.g. a ball of paper inside the shoes.

Sanitize Any Shoes Before Trying With Them

GabrielleArruda advocates that sanitizing shoes offer you a number of alternatives for the query on how to clean second-hand shoes at home. For example, you can use common items like bleaching powder, apple cider, or popular agents such as alcohol, etc.

Sanitizing Shoes with Bleaching Powder

Bleaching powder is probably the best option for all white color shoes, especially the sneakers. But for other colors, you better try its alternatives. All that you need to do is follow the easiest instructions below.

• Make a mixture of normal water and the powder, ensuring that the ratio of the two is maintained properly.
• Take the solution in a spray bottle to make your latter operations easy and effective.
• Spray the solution all over the shoes, confirming that it is reaching all the holes and corners. You must ensure it because unseen bacteria, fungus, and other germs might be anywhere in the footwear.
• Before wearing them, allow the sprayed shoes to dry properly so your feet don’t come into contact with the chemical.

Majority shoe lovers prefer bleaching powder as it requires no additional labor or cost, and finishes the core task of making the shoes free of all germs in the quickest possible time!

Sanitizing Shoes with Apple Cider

As apple cider vinegar is a processed item, you need not bear the pain of doing any pre-operational activities. Simply take the can and finish it as simply and quickly as possible!

With vinegar, all that you need to do is spray it in and outside the footwear. This item itself will disinfect the shoes and make them ready to wear with no risk!

Don’t forget to dry the shoes well first and then try them to have a new experience!

Sanitizing Sophisticated Shoes with Alcohol

A pair of leather shoes shouldn’t be tried with vinegar or bleaching powder to disinfect them. The best, most secure, and most effective agent for making this material is alcohol.

You can do the task easily just by taking some amount of alcohol on a soft cloth. Then you have to rub it all over the shoes in a way that no part is left untouched. Let the chemical dry well and get the shoes completely ready to put on!

FAQs

How Often Should I Clean Second-Hand Shoes?

It actually depends solely on some issues like how frequently you wear them, how dirty they are, how old they are, where you normally wear them, etc.

More importantly, you must avoid over cleaning the shoes because in place of cleaning the shoes, it can damage them terribly!

How Can I Remove Odors From Second-Hand Shoes?

You would never want to leave this matter as it would spoil your day. To remove any kind of odors, you can simply wash them as you do regularly. If you smell something odd yet, put a tea bag inside the shoes for a while.

If it doesn’t work to your satisfaction, you can leave a bar of soap into each shoe and experience something magical the next morning!

Should I Use a Washing Machine to Clean Used Athletic Shoes?

Yes, you can. But this is not applicable for all kinds of sports shoes. You should first be sure that your shoes are machine washable or not. Generally speaking, hand wash is far better for athletic footwear as it saves them from further damage.

Should I Clean the Laces Separately?

Definitely! It’s better and safer, especially when you wash shoes in the washing machine, to separate the laces and wash them.

How Can I Prevent the Shoes from Getting Dirty Again Quickly?

Using a water repellent or similar type of spray can help you avoid getting shoes dirty frequently. You should also stay away from dirty or muddy roads and harsh weather in case you want to see your shoes look clean and new for a long time!

Final Thought

So, whether you plan to sell your old shoes or give them to someone, or you get the same type of used shoes from someone else, you must clean the shoes appropriately in both situations. How to clean second-hand shoes?

You have to follow some step-by-step instructions to finish the task successfully. 

First of all, remove the dirt or stains and then the unwanted odors from the shoes. Then get the perfect cleaning agents depending on the materials of the shoes. For all types of shoes or any kind of cleaning items, you must give the shoes enough to get dry after washing them.

Undoubtedly, you can wear old pair shoes for some more months or even years in case you take care of them properly and regularly.

What do you think of getting a used pair of shoes now?