How To Dry Shoes Fastly – Tips & Tricks

by

Wearing wet shoes aren’t just tremendously uncomfortable but also cause blisters and bacterial or fungal infections. A wet environment is perfect for mold to grow.

Now you may start thinking about what’s the secret to drying wet sneakers, boots, or any closed footwear. Whether your shoes get wet during rain or for regular cleaning, it will take much time to become dry again without a dryer.

How To Dry Shoes Quickly

On the other hand, experts recommend avoiding machine dryers, as there is a risk of potentially shrinking and damaging the footwear. There are a few better and safer ways to dry wet sneakers or other closed shoes quickly.

In this guide, we’ll be discussing some of the tried and tested fastest ways to dry shoes. Hopefully, these secret tips and tricks will help you bid goodbye to the squishy blister-prone steps and nasty smelly shoes. So, let’s begin!

WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID THE DRYER?

You may be eager to know how to dry shoes after washing them without a dryer. Meanwhile, you’re confused about why you shouldn’t rely on the machine dryers despite being the fastest way of drying shoes.

The shoes get beat up roughly while tumbling around the dryer. Moreover, your shoes could lose the perfect fit. The excess heat not only shrinks your shoes but also damages the glue used for construction. As a result, the shoes get deformed or come apart quickly.

So, if you want to maintain the shape and fittings of your shoes as it is for years, you should strictly avoid dryers.

HOW DO DRY SHOES OVERNIGHT WITHOUT A DRYER?

If you want to completely dry them before you hit the trail or get on the treadmill the next day, follow these quickest ways to dry shoes without damaging them or altering their fit.

using newspaper

Using newspaper to dry wet shoes is one of the easiest methods, though it’s not the fastest one. You can use newspaper to dry out most types of shoes.

Newspaper is made from wood pulp and recycled materials, so it easily soaks up excess water from the shoes and is easy to maneuver into the shoes. Here is how to dry out shoes using newspaper -

  • If the shoes are covered with mud or dirt, gently scrub away debris using a dry brush and then wash them with a mild detergent solution in warm water.
  • Next, loosen the laces and remove the insole to air dry them separately.
  • Stuff balled-up newspaper into the toe portion of the shoe. Don’t forget to hide the areas with excessive ink, which could leave marks on your shoes while crumpling up the newspapers.
  • Then keep the shoes in a dry and well-ventilated place indoors, away from direct sunlight. Leave it as it is for overnight.

NOTE -

  • If your shoes are very wet, keep replacing the newspapers after a while for more absorption as needed.
  • You could wrap the outside of your shoes with something soft and absorbent to dry the outer areas quickly.
  • If you’re eager to know how long it takes for shoes to dry, then let me tell you that you have to wait about 12 hours, though it may take more or less time depending on the humid level of your home.
  • You can place the shoes near a fan or vent with warm air to speed up the drying process.

using Fan

fastest ways to dry shoes

Keeping shoes in front of the fan is a better option than the previous one to dry out soaking wet shoes quickly. Plus, you don’t have to be worried about getting ink marks on your shoes from the newspaper.

Here is how to dry sneakers or any closed footwear after washing them, as I mentioned in the previous method –

  • Put the wet shoes on a newspaper sheet or a towel to absorb excess water.
  • If you have a small table fan, keep it in front of the shoes and turn it on.
  • In case you have a long floor-standing fan, you’ll have to arrange a conventional clothes hanger. Hook the shoes on the hanger untying the lace.
  • Run the fan until the shoes are dry out. It could take a couple of hours.

NOTE -

  • Make sure you’ve opened up the shoes and placed them accordingly so that the flowing air reaches every wet place inside.

using Uncooked rice

Regardless of the evidence, several websites suggest putting any electronic device that has been submerged in liquid in a container of rice.

I don’t know whether this rice trick works for electronic devices or not. However, it sounds right, even if it is not, as the uncooked rice genuinely has water-absorbing power.

So, there is nothing wrong to apply the same hack to draw the excess water out of shoes. Check it how –

  • Take a storage box or empty cardboard box with a lid.
  • Fill the box with uncooked rice, keeping enough space for shoes.
  • Now, place the shoes on top of the rice and cover the container.
  • The rice will soak up the water within a few hours, though it depends on the moisture level around you and how wet your shoe is.

NOTE -

  • Rice not only dries out the shoes but also removes bad odor from the smelly wet shoes, as it prevents bacterial growth.

using Fridge

If you have canvas or cloth shoes, you can dry out the shoes using the fridge. You just need to keep the wet shoes in front of the fridge vent, located below the fridge door. After the fridge’s cooling cycle, the appliance’s vent releases hot and dry air, which will speed up the drying process.

  • Remove the insole to dry it separately.
  • Untie the laces and fully open up the shoes before keeping them in front of the vent.
  • Leave it as it is for overnight.

NOTE -

  • The hot air may damage leather materials, so you should avoid this drying method for leather shoes.

using Dehumidifying Shoe Inserts

Dehumidifying shoe inserts are powerful desiccants and shoe deodorizers. All you need to do is put the shoe insert into the wet shoes and wait for a few hours. You will get fresh and great-smelling shoes after a few hours.

HOW LONG DOES SHOES TAKE TO DRY?

They will take at least:

  • 8 hours if you use newspapers
  • 2 hours if you use a fan
  • 2 hours if you use uncooked rice
  • Overnight; if you use a refrigerator
  • 20 minutes if you use clothes or shoe dryer

CAN YOU PUT SHOES IN THE DRYER?

If you’re in a hurry, you could dry out wet shoes in the dryer on low heat. Don’t forget to put the shoes in a mesh bag keeping the shoelaces tied up together.

HOW TO DRY SHOES IN THE DRYER

using A Shoe dryer 

The shoe dryer works by blowing warm air inside the shoes. The warm airflow dries out the shoes faster than other methods. They are easy to use and worth it if you regularly wear the shoes. Here’s how to use them:

  • Remove the insoles and shoelaces.
  • Place the shoes on the dryer, keeping them upside down.
  • Then power on the dryer and wait until the shoes get completely dried out.

NOTE -

  • Dryers also remove foul smells from your shoes and prevent mold and bacteria growth inside. Sometimes the shoe dryers remove excess moisture from the fabric, so the leather surface could get damaged over time. So avoid this method for leather boots.

using Washing Machine dryer

how to dry shoes quickly

The canvas, cotton, or polyester shoes could be washed and dried out using a washing machine dryer, but check the shoe’s care label before all. If the shoe allows machine wash and dry, go ahead with these steps –

  • First, gather the laces of both shoes and tie a knot to keep them tied together.
  • Next, hang the shoes in the machine, drape the laces over the door, and close the door.
  • This way the lace will be stuck in place as the knot will be outside of the dryer. So, the shoes will not fall into the dryer when you will turn on the machine.
  • However, a few updated dryer models have a drying rack. If so, place your wet shoes on the rack to dry them.
  • Now, turn the dryer to the ‘Air Dry’ setting. If your machine doesn’t have this setting option, set it to the lowest temperature to prevent the shrinking of the shoes.
  • Turn the machine on and wait for minutes. If the shoes aren't completely dry after 20 minutes, hang them on the door or keep them on the dryer rack again and dry them for another 5 minutes.

NOTE -

  • When you’re using any dryer, it's important to set your machine with little or no heat.
  • You should strictly avoid tossing loose shoes into your dryer; otherwise, repeated banging could damage the outside of the shoes.
  • You could wrap the shoes in a mesh laundry bag and put the bag into the dryer along with several towels to prevent them from banging against the machine.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Can You Dry Shoes in the Microwave or Oven?

Drying shoes in an oven or microwave is not a good idea, especially for athletic shoes. The heat will damage the adhesive or glue holding your shoes together.

2. How to dry suede shoes?

Suede shoes are the ones we never want to get wet. Unfortunately, if you have gotten them wet, no drying methods could get them looking like new. Using a blow drier is the only way that will help you dry out the wet suede shoes without further damaging them.


Check it how you can dry suede shoes -

  • Remove the shoelaces and inner sole, if possible.
  • Bend the tongue out of the way and place it on the shoe, keeping it fully wide open.
  • Keep the blow dryer on the lowest setting it has.
  • Keep it 15 inches away from the shoe to blow cold air.
  • It could take several hours to dry out the shoes, so keep checking the progress every hour.
  • Once the shoes are dried out, apply a suede shoes protection spray on the outside of the shoe to hydrate the leather material.
  • After that straighten out the hairs on the shoe using a suede shoe brush or any soft hand brush.

3. Can I blow dry my shoes?

Yes! You can dry out your shoes with a blow dryer but make sure you haven’t exposed your shoes to the heat of a blow dryer for more than a few minutes.

4. How to dry wet shoes without smelling them?

Using dehumidifying shoe inserts is the best way to dry out wet shoes without making them smell.

CONCLUSION

That’s all about drying wet sneakers, boots, or other closed shoes. Now the choice is yours. It would be best if you alternately dry out the shoes by following machine drying and air drying methods.

The natural air drying methods could take more time than the machine dryers but are safer enough for all types of shoes. If time is your concern, you regularly wear such closed footwear, I would suggest having two or more pairs and wearing them alternatively to enhance the longevity of the shoes and stop smelling them badly.

Leave a Comment

Related Posts