Cleaning and disinfecting used shoes is not difficult
Shoes easily harbor bacteria and fungus, which can live for a while in the shoes under the right conditions. When you acquire used shoes, you may have paid much less (or even nothing) compared to buying a new pair, but you certainly don't want to get a surprise bonus with the shoes in the form of a fungal or bacterial infection. The longer the shoes have sat unworn, the less chance there is for infection; nevertheless, you should still clean the shoes, inside and out, to safeguard yourself from germs. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Remove the shoe's laces, if they have them. You can either wash these or replace them with new laces--if you wash them, just soak them in water and a little soap and then hang them to dry. If insoles are removable, remove these too so you can clean the shoes more thoroughly.
2. Take the shoes outdoors or work on them in a well-ventilated room. Use a shoe brush to brush off dirt from the soles and the exterior of the shoes.
3. Open the shoes up as much as you can and spray the interior with a household disinfectant spray that contains a fungicide. This will kill bacteria or fungi that may still be residing in the shoes from the previous owner. Make sure you wet all internal areas with the spray. Alternatively, according to MotherNature.com, you can spray the disinfectant on a cloth, saturating it, and then wipe this on the interior of the shoe--all that matters is that the product makes contact.
4. Apply shoe cleaner directly to the shoe's exterior. Rub it in with a damp sponge or cloth to remove ground-in soil from the shoe. Remember to use a leather-safe shoe cleaner if the shoes are leather. Most shoe cleaners indicate on the label which materials they are suitable for.
5. Wipe off cleaning residue with a dry cloth. Use a scuff mark polish on any scuffed areas and then buff again with a dry cloth.
6. Let the shoes air out and dry overnight before wearing. If the shoes have an odor that is there in the morning, spray them again with the disinfectant spray to make sure all odor-causing germs or fungus are killed. When that is dry, follow with a deodorizing spray or deodorizing insoles. You can also use a fungal foot powder in the shoes, although this shouldn't be necessary by the time you've finished cleaning them.
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