Many of us have jobs that require us to be on our feet for an extended amount of time. We may end up having uncomfortable feet as a result and that may be true, even if we are only standing for part of the day. The issues associated with this problem include tired, painful feet and blisters but things are about to get much better for you.
Taking care of your feet is very important and there is nothing better that you can do for your feet then choosing the proper shoes. Of course, there are many other things you can do to care for your feet properly and we are providing you with 14 different shoe hacks that are quite ingenious. When you use them for yourself, you will find that your feet are quite comfortable.
When you buy new shoes, take a moment to go through this guide and to prepare them properly for use on your feet. These tips can also help to keep your shoes looking like new, even if you use them on an ongoing basis.
Keeping your shoes clean
1. Restoring whiteness – we are accustomed to using toothpaste on our teeth but it can also be used on your shoes. Put some toothpaste on an old toothbrush and work it into the rubber of your dirty shoes. The sides of the shoes can also be cleaned with toothpaste as well. If any gets on the fabric, wipe it off with a towel.
2. Treating leather – rubbing alcohol is an excellent way to treat leather, remove stains and keep your shoes in top shape. Most drugstores and even the supermarket have rubbing alcohol available.
Soak a Q-tip or cotton ball in rubbing alcohol and rub it on the stains. Allow it to stay on the shoes for 30 minutes and the stains should disappear.
3. Baking soda – if your sneakers tend to smell poorly, you can use baking soda to freshen them up. Simply grab a spoonful and leave it in your shoes overnight.
4. Removing stains and scratches – when stains or scratches are a problem with suede shoes, a nail file is the perfect solution. Use a soft cloth to rub the area and remove as much of the stain as possible. If you come up against a stubborn stain, some fine sandpaper or a nail file can be lightly used on the area.
5. Vinegar – odors can effectively be removed with vinegar because it is acidic. It neutralizes the odor when it comes in contact with it.
Soak your sneakers in a vinegar solution. 2 cups of vinegar in 2 gallons of water is the magic number. Dunk shoes and put something on them to keep them submerged for 30 minutes.
6. Patent shoes – patent leather shoes can be shined with petroleum jelly. Don’t worry about those commercial cleaners, either mineral oil or petroleum jelly on a clean cloth can be rubbed on scuff marks and they will disappear.
7. Suede – when you have stains on your suede shoes, you can rub them with cornmeal. It will soak up the grease and you can brush it off with a cloth.
Keeping your shoes comfortable
1. Stretching your shoes – you can stretch your shoes with a hair dryer to make them more comfortable. When the fabric is heated up with a hair dryer, they are easy to break in.
2. Loosen your shoes – you can use a freezer to loosen your shoes. Fill 2 Ziploc bags with water and seal it tightly. Put the baggies in your shoes and put them in the freezer overnight.
Water expands as it freezes and it will stretch the walls of your shoes. The bag should slip out of your shoes 20 minutes after removing them from the freezer.
3. Soles – if you have shoes with slippery soles, you can rub them with sandpaper to improve the grip.
4. Blisters – you can use gel deodorant in the parts of your shoes that cause blisters. The deodorant acts as a lubricant to keep the blisters from occurring.
5. Taping your toes – toes can get cramped inside of heels and it can irritate the nerve running through your toes. You can easily remedy this by taping your second and third toe together. Scotch tape or medical tape work well.
6. Waterproofing – canvas shoes can be waterproofed with beeswax and your feet will stay nice and dry. The surface of the shoes can be covered with beeswax and then use a hairdryer to heat them and work the beeswax into the shoes.
7. Soak your feet – when you suffer from foot or heel pain, or if you have blisters, it can be a difficult situation. When you have this problem, rub your feet with aloe vera gel and soak your feet in a nice, warm footbath.
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