Cleaning
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
Pour water on super glue bonds or wet one surface before applying glue to speed up drying.
Airborne moisture causes the glue to harden.
- The glue may turn white instead of clear.
- Excess glue mixed with water may drip and damage carpets or floors.
3 people, independently
Fill your shoes with crumpled newspaper while you sleep to draw out dampness and scent.
Newspaper soaks up moisture and smell; one person noted wet shoes were dry by morning after a flood.
- Some argue this traps moisture inside by blocking airflow.
- Others believe it only maintains existing smells rather than improving them.
11 people, independently
Place shoes in direct sunlight or near a sunny window for several hours to disinfect via UV rays.
UV light acts as a natural disinfectant, while bacteria and fungus prefer dark, moist environments.
- Sunlight may cause colors to fade.
3 people, independently
Use cedar shoe trees or stuff pantyhose with cedar chips into your shoes to deodorize and maintain shape.
Cedar wood is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-fungal, and helps lengthen the lifetime of shoes.
4 people, independently
4 more on this
Apply antiperspirant to your feet before putting on socks and shoes.
It keeps socks dry and reduces odor; a podiatrist recommended this approach.
4 people, independently
Choose wool socks over cotton for superior warmth, moisture management, and odor control.
Wool retains heat better than cotton, wicks sweat more, and possesses natural antimicrobial qualities that reduce foot odor.
3 people, independently
Repurpose old toothbrush heads for non-oral cleaning tasks such as gardening, nail brushing, silver polishing, grout cleaning, or cleaning metal things and shoes.
3 people, independently
Save complimentary toothbrushes from dental visits for guests who may have forgotten theirs.
3 people, independently