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Slipper Guide: How to Choose, Clean and Wear Slippers

May 15, 2024

Slipper Guide: How to Choose, Clean and Wear Slippers

In this guide:

There isn't a feeling more comfortable than sliding your tired toes into a pair of slippers after a long day. Everyone has a favourite pair of slippers - well-loved, dog-eared and perhaps a little overworked. Keeping your slippers clean can breathe new life into an old pair or help maintain a new one for longer.

Find out how to clean slippers and more in this comprehensive guide.

Washing your slippers

You may have found your perfect pair of slippers and decided they're the perfect match for you. But we rarely give the same thought to cleaning slippers as we do to our outdoor shoes. Just like your outdoor shoes, slippers may smell if they're not cared for correctly - so knowing how to clean your slippers is vital.

Here are our top tips for maintaining clean slippers.

  • Find out if they're machine washable. Check the label - if they are machine washable, toss them in on a low temperature and use a short, slow spin.
  • Hand wash your slippers. Using warm water with a mild detergent, give them a good rub and a short soak. Rinse thoroughly before gently pushing the excess water out of the slippers.
  • Don't wring them. Wringing may cause your slippers to lose their shape. Use a towel to soak up water when you've finished cleaning your slippers.
  • Protect suede slippers with stain resistant spray. - You should also be able to blot most stains with a dry towel and use a suede brush to keep them clean. You can treat sheepskin slippers in a similar manner, but it's best to avoid putting these two types in the washing machine.
  • Treat odours - Should your slippers smell, give them a quick wipe down with a baby wipe. Bicarbonate of Soda can also freshen up smelly slippers by acting like dry shampoo. Sprinkle it in the slippers, leave for a few hours, and then vacuum out with a nozzle attachment.

Why wear slippers?

At the end of a long day, it's important to treat your feet well and give them a rest from more formal shoes. Putting on a pair of slippers when you get home is a great way to keep your feet warm and free from pressure.

For many people, such as the elderly or people with diabetes, slippers are also beneficial in helping to maintain a good flow of blood to the feet. Slippers also help:

  • Keep your feet warm - helping to ward of potential illnesses as the body has to do less work to keep warm.
  • Protect your feet - slippers protect the soles of your feet from standing on anything dirty or sharp around the house, keeping your feet clean and protected.
  • Provide grip indoors - potentially preventing you from slipping over on wood, laminate and tiled surface floors.

The importance of fitting slippers correctly

To make sure your slippers are doing your feet some good, it's important to know how they should fit. Just because they're soft and informal doesn't mean they should be too big or too small. Ill-fitting slippers is often what makes some people wonder if slippers are safe, because they've heard too many horror stories of people falling over in loose fitting slippers on hardwood floors. Take as much care when purchasing slippers as you would with any other pair of shoes - check out our size guides for men, women and kids

Which slippers are the best

The answer to this all depends on what you're expecting your slippers to do for your feet.

  • Sheepskin slippers - if you're looking for warm, luxury slippers, these are the ones for you.
  • Bootie slippers - a cheaper alternative to sheepskin slippers that will still keep your feet warm and cosy.
  • Flip flop slippers - this particular style, along with slippers made of cotton or towelling, is great for letting your feet breathe and keeping them cool.
  • Specialist slippers - some manufacturers specialise in slippers with built-in arch support, for those of us with foot problems.
  • Flat slippers - these have closed in toes and heels for better support while also remaining comfortable.

When should I wear slippers?

Slippers are fast becoming one of the most versatile and on-trend forms of footwear. Slippers are moving from the indoors to the outdoors, as seen on many celebrities. You might find that some styles of more shoe-like slippers, such as moccasins, can be worn outside. However, they're still more popular as an indoor shoe.

Check out the shoezone blog for more style tips and footwear suggestions for every occasion.