January 07, 2022
Day in, day out we all wear shoes. They are an important part of our lives and many of us love our shoes. We want to wear them, show them off and enjoy them, but at times we all experience barriers to appreciating our footwear to its fullest.
Knowing a few tips and tricks about how to get the best from your shoes can make a real difference, and the best part is there are more budget shoe hacks available than you might expect so you don’t need to invest in miracle products for some little boosts to shoe comfort, cleaning, repairs and storage.
It’s important that our footwear is comfortable, but there can be many different barriers to finding and maintaining comfortable shoes. The good news is, with these simple budget ideas you can increase your comfort levels without decreasing your bank balance!
If your shoes are a little slippy due to smooth soles don’t worry! Grab some sandpaper from your DIY kit and give them a little rub. The abrasive surface will make your soles rougher, increasing the grip they provide when you walk. Problem solved!
The time you shop for shoes can have an impact on the fit you get. During the day your feet can actually swell up to half a size bigger! If you buy some shoes that were a little tight in the morning, you might find these quite uncomfortable later in the day. The best solution is to save your shoe shopping for the afternoon or even the evening if possible. This way you’re trying on when your feet are at their largest, making the fit as comfortable as possible. The best bit is this hack will cost you absolutely nothing!
If you suffer from blisters it’s because your shoes are causing friction and rubbing against your skin. Applying gel deodorant to the shoe or even on to your foot before placing it in your shoe can help reduce this friction. You’ll get less blisters and fresher smelling feet too!
If you have bought some shoes that seem a little tight, they might just need wearing in. Search your drawer for a pair of fluffy socks and put them on before slipping your feet in to the shoes. Blast with some heat and wear the shoes as they cool down. You’ll find this has helped them to expand, relieving the tightness and making them overall more comfortable.
The feeling of wet feet is something many of us find uncomfortable, but in the unpredictable British weather you never know when you might see some rain or accidentally step in a puddle on the ground. Waterproof canvas shoes with beeswax to make sure you don’t fall fowl to wet feet again and you’ll feel much happier.
When the winter is here you might opt for cosy, long boots instead of canvas shoes. Tucking our jeans in can help us feel even warmer, but if they bunch up inside the boot it can feel rather uncomfortable! Try using mitten clips to keep your jeans in place. They’ll keep your jeans where they should be and your boots will feel much snugger.
Finally, let’s talk about heels! As far as women’s shoes go, they’re often a favourite as they look great, but others dislike wearing heels as they’re just not as comfortable as flat shoes. Next time you pop some high heels on try taping your second and third toes together. This is said to help take the pressure off the ball of your foot, making heel wearing much more comfortable.
Tired and sore feet are inevitable at times, especially if you have spent a good part of the day on your feet. You might have a one-off hectic day or have a job or busy family life that requires plenty of standing time, and your feet are sure to feel the effects every now and then no matter how comfortable your shoes are. The good news is, there are some hacks for that too! The even better news is they’re budget hacks too!
If you have blisters on your feet, try bathing in tea. Black tea will work, and green tea is even better. The tea has anti-inflammatory properties that will soothe the blisters, making your feet feel better. If your muscles are tired too, roll your feet over a tennis ball for an instant massage!
Any shoe lover out there will want to keep their shoes looking great. Keeping footwear clean can be a challenge though, as spills, scratches and scrapes on footwear are inevitable. However, you have more tools at your disposal for shoe cleaning than you might think!
You can restore whiteness on trainers using toothpaste. Just get a small amount on a toothbrush and brush gently with water to get your trainers cleaned up. If you have any scratches that won’t come out, cover them with a dab of white nail varnish to give a clean look.
Suede boots and shoes are popular but they can easily mark with water or stain during every day wear. Try rubbing gently with a nail file. The abrasive surface will bring the stain out of the fibres of the suede. Another tip for suede – dust it with talcum powder. Leave for a few hours and then brush off, your suede shoes will look fresher and cleaner.
Patent shoes are very shiny and it’s good to keep them that way. Maintain a high shine for yourself with glass cleaner or petroleum jelly!
If your leather shoes are water stained, carefully use a toothbrush dipped in vinegar to rub stains away. After all this your shoes will be looking lovely and clean.
Sometimes it’s difficult to know how to store multiple pairs of shoes. Your wardrobe might be bursting and you wish you had a walk in shoe closet, ah, we’ve all got to have dreams right? 🙂
There are budget ways to create space for your shoes too, you just have to be creative. Your knee high boots might be getting crushed and creased, pop wine bottles inside to keep them upright and in shape. Save some space by bending hangers and hanging shoes away tidily. If you don’t have any hanging space, try re-purposing a big picture frame. It will make a great shoe tray that you can store underneath a cabinet or bed, sliding it out each time you need it. Tidy!
Last but not least, what about those smelly shoes? Your feet have many sweat glands and when they’re stuck inside shoes all day, sometimes odour is inevitable. Give your nose (and everyone else’s!) a treat by freshening them up. Once again you’ll find everything you need at home. Try dry tea bags, lemon peel or baking soda which all absorb odour. Give them time to work their magic and return to a fresher pair of shoes.
We’ve all got shoes we can’t bear to part with, but no pair of shoes will stay repair free forever. A few basic shoe repairs can be done at home so you won’t always need to pay to visit a cobbler.
If your trainer heels become worn, don’t throw them out. Repair the area with some sturdy cloth or denim to extend the life of your running shoes. If your leather shoes are scratched, try rubbing a dab of moisturiser in top repair the scratch.
Sometimes shoes are squeaky and the sound can drive you mad! Repair the squeak by sprinkling baby powder under the inner sole.
Shoe heels can easily scuff and scratch, which may leave you wondering whether to hang on to them. Before choosing to part with them, why not try a heel make over with glitter polish? Not only will your scuffs be covered, you might also fall in love with them a little bit more now they’re extra sparkly!
Check out the shoezone blog for more style tips and footwear suggestions for every occasion.