You’re out for a walk (or run) in the park when suddenly, the clouds grow dark, and it begins to rain. You were hoping to wear these shoes tomorrow! Wearing wet shoes leads to blisters, smelly odors, and not to mention, an uncomfortable day.
The best way to dry your shoes is to use a material that will absorb water, like newspaper or old clothes, or use a device that will extract moisture, such as Boot Bananas. Do not dry shoes in the clothes dryer as this may damage or shrink your shoes.
This article will discuss 6 different methods you can use to dry your shoes quickly. Remember, high heat will damage leather shoes. Always check manufacturer guidelines!
1: Dry Shoes With Newspaper
The newspaper method is one of the most well-known solutions to dry shoes quickly and safely. Newspaper can be reused to dry shoes fast!
Follow these steps:
- Use warm water and a mild detergent to gently scrub away any excess dirt
- Remove the insoles and dry these separately to ensure every part of your shoe is nice and dry before wearing them again
- Loosen up or remove laces and dry them separately
- Crumple up newspaper and push it deep into the toe of your shoe. Consider using pages of newspaper with less ink so that you don’t risk it running off onto the fabric
- Wrap your shoes in absorbent fabric, like a bath towel. It will also help if the towel is warm.
- Dry shoes overnight. Depending on the type of shoe, this may take more or less time.
- Bonus tip: Place your towel-wrapped, newspaper-stuffed shoes near a heating vent or space heater
Green tip: After newspaper has absorbed the moisture from your shoes, cut it up into thin strips and add it to your compost bin.
Read more composting tips by checking out these articles: “How Often Should You Turn Your Compost Pile?” and “Mulch Vs. Compost: Which Should You Use?“
2: Speed Up The Drying Process With a Fan
Let the natural power of wind wick away moisture from smelly, soggy shoes. Whether you have a box fan, window fan, or standing fan, these options will work just perfectly to dry out your damp footwear.
Follow these steps:
- Wash your shoes with warm water and soap
- Remove the insoles and loosen shoelaces
- Place a towel or sheet of newspaper underneath wet footwear to absorb excess moisture
- Using a pair of S hooks (or two pieces of wire bent into an “S” shape), loop one side of the hook through the tongue of the shoe. Hook the other end around the fan
- Leave the fan on medium or high speed for at least an hour or two.
3: Soak Up Moisture With Old Clothes
Repurposing products is an excellent way to reduce pollution in our environment. Instead of throwing them away, convert unwanted clothing into moisture-wicking rags that you can reuse many times over.
Fabrics like cotton, fleece, and flannel are absorbent in nature.
Follow these steps:
- Scrub away excess mud or dirt
- Remove insoles and loosen laces
- Cut up unwanted clothes to the desired size
- Scrunch up fabric & stuff it into the shoes
- Let the fabric absorb moisture for 1-2 hours. Replace rags once they become saturated. Depending on the moisture level, you may need to allow shoes to dry overnight
- Once they have finished the job, simply throw these rags into the dryer and save them to use for another time!
Learn more about the damaging impact textile waste has on our environment through this BBC article.
4: Utilize Your Heating System With TheEcoDryer
Shoe dryers get to the root of the problem! TheEcoDryer will dry wet shoes and winter gear without the use of electricity.
TheEcoDryer is a family-owned business and has partnered with Consumers Energy, an energy company that is shifting to renewable energy. Learn more about their Clean Energy Plan here. These two companies work together to promote eco-friendly product designs by hosting projects within their local community. Watch this video to hear their thoughts on building a brighter future.
Follow these steps:
- Place the TheEcoDryer over a floor radiator or baseboard heating vent. This product uses warm air from a heating source to dry out the moisture from your boots or wet clothing
- Allow shoes to dry for a few hours, depending on how wet they are
To learn more about TheEcoDryer and the company’s mission to develop eco-conscious solutions within their local community, check out their website or their store on Amazon.
5: Boot Bananas Make Your Shoe Fresh and Dry
Boot Bananas (Amazon link) keep your shoes smelling fresh and feeling dry, making them a great way to dry wet running shoes. This product is portable and does not require electricity or heat to function.
Place a pair in your wet running shoes after a workout at the gym or bring them on your ski trip to dry out ski boots after a day in the snow.
The deodorizer in Boot Bananas is composed of eco-conscious materials, such as bamboo charcoal, baking soda, zeolite, and essential oils. Zeolite is a volcanic mineral that easily absorbs moisture due to its unique composition. You can find a thorough description of the ingredients they use to build their products by visiting this page from their own website.
Follow these steps:
- Gently shake the pouch to distribute the silica beads evenly.
- Push the Boot Banana up to the toe of the shoe
- Leave them in your shoes or boots for 4 to 6 hours (or longer if needed)
- Boot Bananas have a lifespan of 6 to 12 months, although some customers have reported them lasting for two years if they care for them properly
Check out Boot Bananas’ website to learn more about their mission, product design, and care instructions to maintain exceptional performance.
To ship outside of the UK, purchase your Boot Bananas on Amazon. Their shop includes Boot Bananas and the Original Shoe Deodorizer, suitable for running shoes.
6: Check Out The KOODER Boot & Shoe Dryer
You can use this shoe dryer countless times without needing to replace it. KOODER (Amazon link) has received significant positive feedback for its product design and quality, and the KOODER Boot & Shoe Dryers are a reliable and hassle-free way to ensure you can walk out the door in dry footwear in the morning.
Follow these steps:
- Plug the shoe dryer into an outlet
- Remove the insoles and shoe laces if you wish to dry these separately
- Insert each Dryer into wet shoes
- Leave the Dryers to dry shoes overnight, so your shoes will be good as new by the morning!
Purchase your Boot or Shoe Dryers through KOODER’s store on Amazon
Conclusion
Depending on the material of your shoes and how quickly you need to wear them, consider using a combination of these drying methods listed above.
Products like TheEcoDryer and Boot Bananas serve multiple purposes. Both products are commonly used to dry out wet winter gear. These companies care about the quality of their products and the needs of our environment.
Megan is a sustainability writer based in Fiji, where she lives with her partner in the house they built themselves. In her free time, she free dives, spear fishes, and takes long walks on the dirt roads.
