Shoe Storage – FootwearAcademy

The basic care of a shoe though quite simple can be quite daunting at first.

Today’s blog post offers you a checklist you can always remember to ensure your shoes last long and serve you long.

Air Dry Your Shoes, Always

You shoes need a sufficient amount of air to “breathe” properly, just as your skin would.

Depriving your shoes of air leads to molding. A gentle reminder, never store your shoes in plastic, it drains the air out of the shoes.

Overheating Kills!

In our previous posts, we had suggested using a hairdryer to stretch your shoes. To ensure the shoes maintain their desired shape, heating must be avoided.

Never expose your shoes to any direct source of head even to sun rays. Always dry your shoes in the shade or air dry as much as possible.

Dry Feet Please

Aside from the myriad of health issues that aria due to damp/moist feet, wearing your shoes with damp feet isn’t advisable.

Ensure to properly dry your feet before you wear your shoes. Wet shoes mild easily.

Remember to Wipe

As soon as mud or various types of liquids come in contact with your shoes (especially leather) endeavour to wipe them off almost immediately.

This prevents the shoe from getting stained.

Avoid the Washing Machine

The proper cleaning of shoes have to be done by hand. Even the gentlest of cycles can be very damaging to the shoes.

Do not be tempted to clean your sneakers or canvas or mesh shoes in the washing machine. The machine damages the glue that keeps them together and makes the sole look worn out.

Wear One Pair of Shoes Less Often

Constantly wearing a pair of shoes damages the structure irreversibly. No amount of cleaning can correct this level of damage. Try to rotate your shoe wardrobe more often to elongate the lifespan of your shoes.

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How to Store Shoes Long Term to Prevent Mold

To wear shoes is just one thing but maintaining and storing them is an art and it requires more than shoving all your shoes in a closet.

Proper shoe storage enables them to last longer, keeps them in a wearable state as well as prevents molds from growing on them. The indoor humidity or relative humidity should be 30% and 50% in the home. This threshold is suitable both for the occupants of the house and the shoes as humidity higher than this enable the growth of mold.

In this blog post, we have listed 8 ways to store shoes to prevent the growth of mold.

Using Silica Gel Packs

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To prevent the growth of mold, add a pack of silica gel to the shoe storage containers in order to remove dampness. Shoes that are light in weight and are made of fragile materials such as; espadrilles, summer shoes and cork soles tolerate molds very poorly. Hence, silica gel packs must always be in their storage containers.

Stuff shoes using acid-free tissues

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Acid free paper is an absorbent that protects the shoes from deterioration as well as maintain the shoes’ proper moisture level. Newspapers can also be used but they apply to short term storage. In the storage of boots long term, unbleached muslin fabric is recommended as it cleans residual moisture and protects the delicate sequins of the boots as well as the metal buckles from scratches.

Choose your Storage Unit with Care

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Opt for a high quality, moisture-resistant unit. This way, you are combating the moisture from developing in the first place. Storage containers are designed to handle different challenges. Buy the storage container that suits your need.

Avoid Wrapping shoes in Plastic

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Shoes need to breathe properly even while in storage. Wrapping leather and suede in plastic causes the shoes to be prone to mold attacks and the eventual discoloration of the shoes. Rather than wrapping in plastics, wrap the shoes in acid-free tissues.

Avoid Storing Shoes Wet

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Don’t put shoes in their shoe boxes or storage containers when damp. Wet shoes easily get moldy in storage; which gives the shoe a very bad smell. Place the shoes in a dry and ventilated area to let them dry out completely before you storage.

Maintain the Appropriate Temperature and Humidity

High humidity and low temperature support the growth of mold. In these conditions, the leather becomes brittle, the fabrics used in the production of the shoes weaken while the glues that holds the shoes loosen. In the same vein, the harsh treatment of shoes too causes instability to them.

Clean Shoes Properly before Storing them

Shoes stored with dirt, dust and other residues affect drastically the durability of the shoes, causing them to degrade, most especially suede and leather shoes. These also serve as a great base for the growth of molds. To avoid these problems, clean the suede and leather shoes by brushing them with a soft non-scratchy brush to remove the dirt and dust. Stains can be removed using a special or leather cleaner.

Use shoe tree for storing shoes short term

For the prevention of creases and folds and to keep shoes in a wearable state as well as prevent molds from forming on them. Other factors that promote the growth of molds are gravity, aridity and humidity as well as the age of the material.

We have new stock available. To order your pair of shoes, call or WhatsApp 08182336533. At TFA, we are changing Africa, one shoe at a time

Cheatsheet for Every Shoe Owner

How to Store Shoes Long Term to Prevent Mold