Time to relish hot pakoras and chai while soaking in the rain. Ah! Monsoons are just around the corner. Whereas rains are fun to watch but it gets rough when your shoes get spoiled and you don’t know what to do?
Just like clothes, shoes also require regular maintenance to sustain them for a longer time. Maintaining shoes in the rainy season can be a task but with some expert tips and hacks, you can prevent stinky feet and water-borne infections.
From brushing to storing your shoes, every step is important to increase the durability of the shoes.

Brush them: Make a habit of brushing off the mud from the shoe as the dampness in the mud can further spoil it.

Cleaning your sneakers: With a joyous mood and cool breeze, rain comes with mud and dirty shoes. Hopping to streets with sneakers in rain is a ‘no’ as the white soles of the shoes get dirty and cleaning them can be a task. But with this easy trick, you can clean in just a few seconds. Just apply toothpaste on a toothbrush and start brushing the white sole of the shoe just like you would normally brush your teeth. Then the toothpaste with damp cloth or a tissue and you’ll be surprised to see how shiny they look.

Dry them: After removing the mud, make sure to dry them thoroughly before placing them in the shoe rack or cabinets. Leave your wet shoes under the airy place or fan to dry them naturally. Placing them near the air-conditioner should be avoided as it won’t dry them. Storing wet shoes can cause nasty smell and attract fungus infection. So, give your shoes some air to breathe back to life.

Stinky Shoes: It’s very common in monsoon to get stinky feet due to dampness which in turn makes your shoes smelly as well. To fix your smelly shoes, leave a tea bag inside them overnight. It absorbs the bad odor and also saves you from getting embarrassed because of your smelly feet.

Polish them: It’s always a good idea to invest in shoe wax. Polishing your leather shoes not only makes them shiny but also protects them from moisture.
Try to avoid wearing leather shoes in the monsoon as they require high maintenance and can easily get ruined. If you want to wear leather shoes, make sure to use a waterproof spray on it.

To maintain shoe shape: To maintain the crisp look of the formal shoes, use good quality shoe trees to retain the shape of shoes. Good quality shoe trees are made of cedar wood which helps to absorb moisture as well as control bad odor. You can even use newspapers in place of shoe trees. Paper is a good absorbent of moisture.

Use dehumidifiers: Using a dehumidifier can save your shoes as well as your money. A dehumidifier absorbs the moisture present in air and keeps the shoes dry and moisture-free. Keep in the shoe cabinet. Keeping shoes moisture-free will control the breeding of fungus and unpleasant smell.
If you don’t have a dehumidifier, keep your shoes in cloth bags before storing them in shoe boxes.

Scotchgard spray: Scotchgard sprays eliminates and protects the shoes from harshest conditions. Use clear sprays as they won’t change the breathability and color of the shoes.

DIY waterproof shoes: If you’re someone who loves to ace sneakers in monsoon as well but wet shoes leaves you cranky. Then, diying waterproof shoes can be your choice. Rubber beeswax or candle wax on the shoes and use a hairdryer to melt the wax into fabric and transform your shoes into waterproof shoes. Voila! Now you can conquer your city streets in your favorite shoes even in monsoon.

Store them carefully: Don’t keep your shoes laying on the floor for days. Storing them carefully will increase the durability and keeping them in a dry place is a must.