More than anything else, our shoes experience some serious wear and tear through the day. Whether you lead an active lifestyle that involves a lot of walking or you’re a patron of the couch potato movement – your shoe rack most definitely includes a couple of pairs that have seen better days.
Instead of relegating them to the back of the rack, take them out one bright Sunday morning and we’ll teach you how to get them looking brand new. The best thing about a DIY hack is that you get to save money, you only use ingredients lying around the house AND the end result is absolutely worth it!
1. Lemon Juice and Baking Soda
This potent duo is great for cleaning stains from absolutely any surface. If your old canvas shoes have proven to be beyond the soap and water approach, this is a good hack to try. Mix enough lemon juice and baking soda to make a thick paste. Dip a toothbrush into the mix and scrub your shoe with it. Focus on the more heavily stained parts. Leave it on for 10 minutes, wipe with a wet cloth and leave out to dry. Step back and marvel at the clean spots staring back at you.
2. Hair Conditioner
Yup, conditioner not shampoo like you might have imagined. Conditioners are much milder than shampoos and have safe surfactants and silicones that stick on to dirt and remove them – without being too harsh on the material. Simply squirt some conditioner onto the shoe, scrub with a rough sponge and wipe off excess conditioner. You’ll be surprised to see the results!
3. White Vinegar
This one is for suede and leather shoes. Mix water and vinegar in equal parts. Dip a soft cloth or microfiber towel in the mixture and gently blot on the patches you want to clean. You can use it on the entire shoe as well. Suede and leather shoes tend to get “salt” patches on them; this mixture will take care of that.
4. Vaseline
This one is for all your formal shoes when they start looking cuffed and worn out around the edges. Take a bit of petroleum jelly and rub it into your shoe using a soft cloth (even an old t shirt is good). In less than 10 minutes, your leather shoe will look shiny, soft and spanking new!
Now that you know these tips and tricks, you can give your old shoes a facelift. While you’re at it, check out Paragon Footwear’s wide variety of durable and stylish shoes – they’ll last much longer without a DIY makeover.
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