How to quickly dry sneakers: 20 ways at home from different materials

You can extend the life of your sneakers with careful care. Proper washing of sneakers, and equally important competent drying, help preserve the appearance, shape, and color of sports shoes for as long as possible.

Is it possible to place wet sneakers on a radiator? How to dry leather shoes correctly? What to do if your white sneakers get wet?

The answers to these and many other questions will be useful for those who do not know how to quickly and correctly dry sneakers after washing.

If your shoes get wet

There are several recommendations that will help dry wet shoes.

Take off

You cannot wear wet sneakers for a long time, as this can cause your feet to get wet. Therefore, immediately after arriving home, you need to take off your wet shoes and put them in a warm room to dry.

Remove dirt

Often there are dirt particles left on the surface of the shoe that need to be wiped off immediately. To clean, you can use a regular lint brush. If there is too much dirt, wipe it with a cloth soaked in soapy liquid.

Remove insoles, laces, accessories

Before drying, shoes should be opened as much as possible so that they dry faster. Therefore, you need to immediately remove the insoles from it and remove the laces. Shoe fittings can be placed near radiators so that they dry faster.

Room with good ventilation

Many people recommend drying shoes in rooms that are equipped with a ventilation system. In such places there is good air circulation, which speeds up the drying process.

Do not dry near heat sources

Some people believe that fabric sneakers can be dried near heat sources, but this is far from true. Due to constant exposure to elevated temperatures, the surface of the shoe begins to deform. Therefore, sneakers should be kept away from heaters.

Dryers - blowers

Removing moisture from wet shoes using this device occurs through an air flow with a temperature of up to 60 degrees. This model is made of plastic.

Shoes are put on the protruding pipes and the dryer is turned on. They operate mainly from the mains, sometimes from a battery. Drying time is much shorter and does not exceed 3 hours.

Drying shoes made of different materials

After washing, shoes should be dried immediately. Before doing this, you need to familiarize yourself with the features of drying boots and sneakers made from various materials.

Rubber products

Most often, boots are made from rubber, which are worn in rainy weather. There are some features of drying such boots that you need to become familiar with.

Some models of rubber shoes are equipped with special insulated removable liners. They must be removed in advance and placed on the heating radiator. Boots cannot be dried near heat sources; they are dried in a room with a temperature of 20-25 degrees. To speed up the process, each boot is stuffed with newspapers, which perfectly absorb moisture.

Drying wet sneakers and sneakers

It is recommended to dry sports sneakers and sneakers in washing machines that have a special “drying” mode. This method can be used if:

the shoes are made of quality material;
The sole has a special gel filler.

It is contraindicated to dry cheap products in the washing machine, as this will quickly deteriorate them.

Shoes with leather soles

Many people call shoes with leather soles office shoes. They received this name due to the fact that they need to be worn only indoors. However, some people still wear them outside. If such shoes are caught in the rain, you must take them off immediately, as they begin to deform due to moisture.

During the drying process of such products, everything must be done to ensure that air flows to the sole. To do this, you can lay them on their side.

Suede boots

The most difficult thing to dry are boots made of suede material. They should not be located near heating pipes, as the high temperature may cause the suede to deteriorate. Experts recommend drying them at a temperature of 25-27 degrees.

What can't you do?

What do we immediately think about when we need to dry wet boots? About hot batteries! After all, this is how you can completely dry your shoes in a couple of hours. And this is a big mistake.

Remember: never put wet steam on the battery! This is how you will ruin it the fastest. There will be streaks on the shoes, and the soles may come off. High temperatures are harmful to any coating except rubber. If you haven't ruined a pair of boots this way yet, then you're just lucky.

Attention! The microwave and oven are also not the best places to dry wet boots.

If your shoes get wet, be prepared for the fact that it will take a long time to dry - the whole night, and sometimes even more.

It is very important to dry correctly. Warm air is one option, but there should be no direct contact with it.

Drying boots or shoes is necessary in a well-ventilated room, or better yet, on a balcony or street.

How to dry shoes from the inside at home

There are times when it is necessary to dry sneakers or boots, not only from the outside, but also from the inside. There are six effective drying methods, the features of which should be familiarized.

Paper for the night

A popular method that allows you to quickly dry everything inside is to use plain paper. The main advantage of this method is its versatility, since it is suitable for any shoe.

To dry, cut newspaper paper is placed inside. It needs to be changed every 30-40 minutes, as it absorbs water well. Drying continues until the fabric inside is completely dry.

Drying with rice

Shoes and boots are dried with rice grains, which are characterized by rapid absorption of moisture. The drying procedure is carried out in several stages:

Pouring rice cereal into the bottom of a cardboard box. The rice layer should be 7-8 millimeters.
Placement of shoes on the croup. It must be placed so that the sole is directed upward.
Replacement of rice. After 30-40 minutes, the rice grains must be replaced with new ones.

The duration of the procedure is 2-3 hours.

Silica gel

Another effective remedy that you can use is silica gel. These are small fabric bags with cotton inside.

The bags must be placed inside the shoes and left there for 1-2 hours. Then they are removed and checked whether the surface is dry or not. To speed up the drying process, the bags are heated in advance on a radiator or other heating devices.

Soda

Some people use table salt to dry their shoes, which can absorb all the moisture. To do this, it is poured into a fabric bag or a regular sock. It is then placed inside wet sneakers or boots. The soda must be replaced periodically so that the product dries faster.

Salt

Many people advise using hot salt, as it quickly absorbs moisture. Pre-heated salt is poured into a cloth bag and placed inside wet shoes or boots. After 15 minutes, the salt begins to cool and therefore it must be regularly replaced with new one.

Cat litter

The use of cat litter is considered a non-standard drying method. However, despite this, this is one of the effective ways to dry shoes. Boots, shoes or sneakers are filled with filler. It is removed only after 2-4 hours.

Rice

We are used to consuming rice in dishes, but it turns out that it perfectly removes excess moisture. You may have noticed this during cooking: the cereal absorbs all the water from the pan, swells, and becomes soft. Rice should be used in the same way as salt and soda. The cheapest one that you don’t mind throwing away will do. You will need a sock and a shoe box. Place rice in a sock or bag. Also pour the cereal into the box so that it covers the bottom. Place the rice bags inside the shoes and place them in the box with the soles facing up. Cover the top with a lid and leave it like this for 5-6 hours to dry completely. Repeat the procedure if necessary. Rice can be used an unlimited number of times.

Technical methods

To quickly dry shoes without a battery, you need to use technical drying methods.

Hairdryer

A simple technical way to dry many products is to use a hair dryer. This method is ideal if the sneakers are not very wet. It is recommended to set the hairdryer to a setting that blows out cold air. It is impossible to dry with a hot stream, so as not to cause deformation.

Vacuum cleaner

People who do not have a powerful hair dryer can use a regular vacuum cleaner instead. Only models with an operating mode in which air is blown out rather than sucked in are suitable for this. The duration of drying directly depends on the power of the vacuum cleaner and on the material from which the boots or sneakers are made. On average, they dry for about 25-35 minutes.

Fan

Before using this method, you will have to make small hooks yourself, with the help of which shoes will be hung in front of the fan. Most often, strong wire is used for this. Wet sneakers are hung at a distance of 20-40 centimeters from the fan. You should not place them too close, as this will cause them to dry slowly.

Electric dryers

There are three types of electric dryers that are suitable for drying shoes.

Liner dryers

A common type of dryer. It consists of two small plastic parts with heating components. They are placed in wet sneakers for several hours and turned off after drying.

Fan dryers

Fan dryers are rarely used due to their large size. Most often they are used for drying hats or gloves, but they are also suitable for drying shoes. These dryers have special ledges on which things are dried.

Ultraviolet

Ultraviolet models are considered the most expensive drying products. Their main advantage is that they not only dry things, but also prevent the development of fungus.

Warm floor

When drying shoes, you can use heated floors. To do this, it is left overnight on the floor, which should be heated to 25 degrees.

Dryers with germicidal ultraviolet lamps

This is an improved version of the previous two models. Such dryers not only remove moisture, but also get rid of bacteria, odors and fungal spores. Some models are equipped with scented plates; dried shoes will have a pleasant smell.

But when purchasing such a dryer, you must pay attention to the presence of a quality certificate and permission from the Ministry of Health.

Having such a device in the house, the question of how to quickly dry sneakers will no longer be a problem. Even if you decide to wash them, you won’t have to wait long for them to dry.

If you do not have the opportunity to purchase a special drying product, you can always use “folk” methods.

Drying methods while hiking

People who regularly go hiking often face the need to dry their shoes.

Near the fire

The easiest way is to quickly dry your boots near a fire. To do this, perform the following sequence of actions:

Installation of support pegs. They are needed to accommodate wet shoes. The stakes should be installed at a distance of 50-60 centimeters from the fire.
Removing insulation and insoles.
Laying dry grass or newsprint inside the boots.
Hanging wet shoes on installed pegs.

Using warm coals

Another method you can use while camping is using warm fire coals. The coal removed from the fire is placed in a sock, after which it is placed in shoes. After 1-2 hours, the boots should be completely dry.

This method is risky, as the ember can burn your socks.

Using natural absorbents

Shoes that get wet during a hike can be dried using natural absorbents. To do this you need:

get the insoles;
put dried grass or oats inside;
After an hour, replace the filler with a new one.

Towel

You can take a microfiber or terry towel. You can also use napkins and rags made from this material. Microfiber or microfiber is known for its ability to instantly absorb water.

Place such a rag or towel in the wet boot. After a few minutes, take it out and put in a new one, and dry the wet one. Microfiber not only absorbs well, but also dries very quickly.

Advice! If you go camping, take these towels with you. They will come in handy in nature.

What not to do

Before you start drying your shoes, you need to decide what you can’t do. Experts do not recommend using batteries, gas stoves and other heating elements. Also, do not dry your shoes in the oven or microwave.

You can ruin your shoes using powerful heat fans. Therefore, you should not use large fan heaters. In addition, wet shoes should not be dried with hair dryers, which blow out too hot air. This can lead to deformation and damage to the material from which the sneakers or boots are made.

Silica gel

This sorbent, which has already been mentioned, is a dried gel. Looks like transparent or white balls. You might have noticed it in boxes with newly purchased shoes - it is silica gel that is in small paper bags. It can also be purchased in its pure form. It is inexpensive - less than 200 rubles for 1 kg. Small transparent granules absorb liquid as much as possible and neutralize odor. To dry your shoes, you need to place socks filled with silica gel inside them. One serving is enough to dry wet boots.

Advice! You may notice blue ones among the white and transparent granules. These are moisture indicators. When the silica gel gets wet, they will turn pink. This means your boots are dry.

Silica gel can be used several times, so don't rush to throw it away.

Answers on questions

There are several questions, the answers to which are of interest to many people who have not previously dried shoes. The most common questions include:

Is it possible to dry sneakers in a dryer? You can use a dryer to dry boots or sneakers only if they are made of durable and high-quality material. Cheap shoes should not be dried in dryers, as they will deteriorate.
How long does it take for wet sneakers to dry? The drying time depends on the drying method used and the material from which the sneakers are made. On average, drying lasts an hour or two.
Do I need to remove the insulation and insoles before drying? If footwear is equipped with insulation, it is removed and dried separately on a radiator.
How to dry membrane shoes? To dry wet membrane crosses, you can use a vacuum cleaner, a small fan or a hairdryer. Cat litter or newsprint can also help.
Can I use the oven? Some people believe that it is better to dry things in the oven, but this is not true. It is contraindicated to use the oven, as it will damage your shoes.

Specialized devices

There are many specialized devices designed to achieve this goal. These are devices that help dry shoes from the inside. They can be:

simple electric, powered from the network;
ultraviolet (which will additionally get rid of bacteria, fungus and unpleasant odors);
operating from a portable power source. In field conditions, it will be very convenient to operate such a battery-powered device.

There are also special mats on the market that allow you to dry several pairs of shoes at once.

For those who wash by hand

If you do not want to wash your sneakers in an automatic washing machine, you can remove dirt manually. When hand washing sports shoes, it is recommended to use a simple soap solution, washing powder and a soft-bristled brush.

It is recommended to place shoes in a basin of warm water with detergent and let them stand for no more than half an hour. Then the surface must be rubbed with a brush and rinsed thoroughly.

Important! Insoles and other removable items should be washed separately.