You might be taking care of your tootsies during the rain by maintaining your pedicure calendar and keeping your feet clean and dry. How about investing a bit of effort in maintaining your shoes that encase your feet? Here is your monsoon shoe care guide:
STORE RIGHT
Bring in the de humidifier in the room or preferably the shoe closet, or tuck in the silica gel packs in your shoe shelves to take care of the rising humidity during the rains. Never put away moist or wet footwear as this is a breeding ground for fungus. Store the shoes in separate linen bags, and ensure your shoe closet is aired weekly, and is always dry.
CLEAN UP
Caked mud on your soles? Wait till it is dry and brush off to clean. Ensure the underpart of your sneakers is bereft of clinging dirt, as this will lend an unpleasant
odour to the shoe closet as well. Avoid using water during the monsoon to clean
your shoes. Even a spot of water can ruin your shoes easily. You can crumple newspaper and push into your footwear to soak up any possible moisture. This also serves as a shape retainer.
TALCUM IN
Often our toes tend to sweat despite moisture wicking socks, or foot peds. This leaves traces of perspiration on the inside of the shoes. To combat the remnants, dry out the shoes thoroughly. You can leave shoes un-tasselled under the fan at full blast during the night, or put them for a quick spin in the dryer to make them bone dry before wearing. Sprinkle a spot of talcum powder on the insides to zap away the moisture completely.
SPOT IT
Prefer spot cleaning over zealously trying to clean the entire shoe. Make use of a toothbrush to work away the stuck dirt. Wipe with a dry cloth as soon as you pry off your footwear inside the house. Water resistant shoes work the best during the monsoon but may always not be feasible owing to your work requirements. But that doesn’t mean you can’t you a shoe stain remover, compliant with the material of your footwear, or even polish your shoes for that squeaky clean shine!
GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR
Cues to get your shoe care right!
Brush, dry, polish your shoes often
Invest in a shoe tree to retain shoe shape
Wax your footwear regularly to ensure water droplets slide off
Shilpi Madan for DH Wknd