The right shoe drying technique

Although it may not seem like it at first glance, at the first sign of moisture, the most important thing is to remove the inner liners from your shoes. Then you can start drying the outside of the shoes as well. Use a dry towel or rag to wipe the outside of the shoe and remove excess moisture.

If possible, place the boots in the sun, unlaced to ensure the best possible air circulation, stripped of all internal parts and wiped dry. Natural drying in the sun is the most acceptable method of drying for shoes. The sun not only draws out excess moisture naturally, but also disinfects and removes unpleasant odours.

How to dry shoes quickly in several ways

If you can't let your shoes dry naturally in the sun, you can use a hairdryer, a fan or put them in the dryer.

Point the hairdryer at the inside of the shoes. This will remove the moisture, but be careful to blow-dry the shoes at a safe temperature and from an optimal distance. Do not use too high temperatures as you could damage the materials the shoe is made of.

You can also tumble dry your shoes, but always make sure they are suitable for this. Leather shoes and shoes with gel soles definitely do not belong in the dryer. Put clean shoes in the dryer. Remove the laces and dry them on a low, maximum medium, temperature for 60 minutes. Do not dry the shoes alone, at least put a towel or a few towels in them

Prevent moisture from compromising your shoes

There are materials that can effectively absorb moisture if you put them inside your shoes. We can recommend paper.

You can also line your shoes with newspaper, paper or kitchen towels before you put them away in your wardrobe in the off-season. This will ensure that they are always dry and keep them in optimum condition. This is especially true for winter boots that you put away for most of the year.

Plain kitchen salt will also help to remove moisture from your boots, either as a precautionary measure or when you've stepped into a puddle or gotten wet.

Pack the salt in a cloth bag. If you want the absorption capacity to be even greater, use coarse salt. Also check it regularly and fill the bag with salt if necessary.

New shoe drying techniques and prevention

Infrared light removes moisture from the inside of the boots without the use of high temperatures, thus minimising the risk of damage to the material. It will also remove unpleasant odours. Ultrasound can be just as effective.

Although modern shoe drying techniques are fast, material-friendly and safe, they may not be entirely accessible to the average consumer. That's why it's also important to ensure that you don't have to dry the shoe at all. Make use of impregnating sprays that will create a protective film on the shoe. The impregnation will protect the shoe from rain, dirt and other external influences and also prolongs the life of the shoe.