How to get sand out of shoes? First, take out the insole of the shoe. Then, try to knock on the wall, shake properly or go for a machine or vacuum cleaning.
When you spend hours on a beach or sandy ground, sand is thrown into the air and some of this gets into the shoes. If you’re not cleaning the sticky or dry sands, they start to degrade the insole and upper materials in the long run.
In fact, sand reacts with debris and causes severe issues to toe joints. Hence, cleaning the sand properly is necessary to keep shoes & feet healthy.
Still confused about getting sand out of shoes? Go through our detailed guide to a quick method to remove every little grain!
How To Get Sand Out of Shoes
Before discussing any methods, prepare the shoes for removing the sand. Most sands are stuck underneath the shoe sole, which becomes difficult to remove even with an ideal cleaning. As a result, take out the sole of the shoes first to present the lodging of sands.
If you don’t remove the sole, the shoe may need to clean multiple times to clean correctly. Once you take out the sole, let’s have a look at some quick methods of removing sand.
Shake & Turn Upside Down
Though shaking is a traditional method of removing sand, it still works to get at least 80-90% of the sand out. If you’re running on a beach or sandy ground, shaking the shoe will definitely remove every little grain. In fact, shaking helps to centralize the sand, and flipping throws the sand out quickly.

According to Bustle, wet sand is a little sticky in nature and won’t come out even after minutes of shaking. Also, shaking the shoe inside the house spread the sand into the whole room. That’s why always remember to shake the shoe outside. Besides, we suggest to keep turning it upside down after shaking for a few seconds.
Knock Shoes On A Wall
Even if the sands are little wet, shaking won’t work effectively. It happens as the force of shaking can’t dislodge the sands. But, if you’re knocking the shoes on a wall, fence, or ground, the force can help to dislodge the sticky sand.

After knocking 3 to 4 times, flip the shoes a sake a little to throw out the sand. In fact, if you’re on a sandy ground or beach and don’t have any solid object to knock on, you can just knock the shoes with each other. Once you dislodge the sand, flip to remove them.
Go For A Quick Wash
Shaking & knocking may remove most sand, but you can’t clean all the mess. If you’re still feeling sand on your shoes, suggest going for a quick wash.
In short, cloth shoes or mesh uppers become extremely messy with sand which requires a machine wash. But, never try to wash leather shoes as the water may degrade the color of the shoes.
Try Vacuum Cleaning
Different types of shoes aren’t ideal for machine washing as the material starts to degrade in contact with water and cleaning solution. Especially if you’re using a leather shoe, Silvia suggests using a vacuum cleaning to suck the messy sand. So, you can use an Eureka vacuum cleaner to be done your job!

Now, as the vacuum pressure can such even the sticky sand, it is better to move the suction pipe into every corner of the shoes. Besides, use the mini nozzle for a better cleaning of sticky sands. In short, mini one can quickly move around compact spaces and remove every little grain.
Use Baby Powder Or Cornstarch
When dealing with highly sticky sands, lots of methods won’t work correctly. To get rid of sticky sand, use Jhonson’s baby powder or cornstarch. From the Wikihow, spray a small amount of powder inside the shoes first. Next, use a toothbrush to spread the powder into the damp areas.
Once you start the massage, the baby powder starts to dislodge the sand. Then, shake the shoes with little force to centralize the sand. Finally, flip the shoes to throw the sand out quickly.
FAQs
How Can I Get Sand Out Of Shoe Toes?
Use baby powder to dislodge the sand in your toes. Then, use any effective cleaning method to remove the sand quickly.
Can Sand Ruin Shoes?
Yes, if you don’t clean the sand for a long time, it can degrade the insole and upper materials. In fact, sand can cause severe issues to toe joints.
How To Remove Dry & Sticky Sand?
Using baby powder or cornstarch is an ideal way to dislodge the dry and sticky sands. But rub with a toothbrush to spread the powder properly into the dry or sticky areas to ensure quick cleaning.
Final Thoughts
To get sand out of shoes, remove the insole, knock on the wall, shake properly, and clean with machine or vacuum pressure. If you’re struggling with dry and sticky sand, we suggest applying baby powder to dislodge the sand and remove every little grain.
Dry sands can degrade the insole and upper materials long-term and cause severe issues to toe joints. So, pick any of these cleaning methods to throw the sand out quickly and enjoy a comfortable walk!