How many times have you been caught up in the rain as you hurry to get home and later attempted to dry your slippers only to discover that they still damp the next day? This can be exasperating, especially if you were planning to wear unexpectedly damp shoes. Furthermore, damp slippers, or any other type of shoe for that matter, usually have a rancid smell when they get wet which may be hard to get rid of if they are not dried properly. So how do you go about drying your slippers without causing damage to them?
How to dry slippers? There are different techniques you can use to dry your slippers.
- Dry slippers using a fan
- Use your dryer
- Wrap your slippers in newspaper
- Take advantage of the sunshine
- Use a towel
- Put your slippers in rice
Use a floor fan or a sturdy table fan. If the slippers have insoles, don’t forget to take them off and dry separately out in the sun.
Dry your slippers with newspaper. If you have delicate slippers that you don’t want to damage as you dry them, using newspaper is one of the most efficient ways to do just that. However, this drying technique will take longer, so if you want to wear your slippers the next day, you may be better off using a faster drying technique, such as a dryer.
Whether it is okay to dry your slippers in the dryer will depend on the material. You will also want to check the slipper label or tag for confirmation. Additionally, instead of just throwing your slippers in the dryer, suspend them using shoelaces which you can leave hanging outside the door of the dryer. This way, when you close the door, they won’t tumble around. You will want to keep the dryer on low heat so that the material of the slipper is not ruined.
One of the most uncomfortable feelings is having to walk around in wet slippers all day. Drying slippers before using them is of utmost importance, but you have to use the appropriate techniques in order to avoid causing irreversible damage to them.
Mistakes to avoid when drying your slippers
When your slippers fall apart, you may blame it on its construction, when it might really be due to poor maintenance on your part. Here are a few mistakes you will want to avoid when drying your slippers.
- Avoid using heaters – Heaters are ideal for keeping you warm, but not so great for drying slippers. This is because a heater emits a lot of heat which may end up affecting the glue that holds the layers of the slipper outer sole together.
- Avoid using a hairdryer – Attempting to dry your slippers using a hairdryer is a waste of time as well as electricity. Besides, it is potentially dangerous. Leaving your slippers unattended with a hairdryer in them could be a fire hazard for your home. In addition to this, the direct heat could lead to the buildup of odor in your slippers.
- Avoid keeping them out in the cold – Keeping your slippers outside in an effort to dry them is not advisable. For one, they will most likely end up not drying which means that you will still have to deal with wet slippers. Additionally, the cold may end up causing the insole as well as the midsoles of your slippers to become stiff and consequently losing the cushioning abilities they are meant to have.
Preparing your slippers before drying them
Before you start drying your slippers, make sure that they are clean. If they are muddy, give them a wash to get rid of the dirt. Once they are clean, wipe them down gently using a soft cloth to get rid of excess water before proceeding to dry them.
Drying techniques you can use
Here is a list of techniques you can use to dry waterlogged or moistened slippers without causing damage to them.
1. Dry slippers using a fan
To dry your slippers using this technique, you will need either a floor fan or a stable table fan. You will also need to place an old towel under the fan. This is useful in absorbing the excess water from the slippers. If your slippers feature insoles, remove them and dry them separately in the sun.
In order to use a fan effectively, you will need to suspend your shoes in front of them. Take an old piece of wire and bend it into S-shaped hooks by hand or using a pair of pliers. Make sure that the hooks are strong enough to hold your slippers. Hang the hooks on the front part of the fan while it is off, ensuring that the hooks are not in contact with the fan blades. Put your slippers on the hooks so their insides face the fan. Turn the fan on high and let your slippers dry, checking on them every now and then.
2. Use your dryer
If you need your slippers to dry fast, consider using the dryer. However, the drying process of this machine typically involves a lot of tumbling around and heat which could end up irreversibly damaging your slippers. Therefore, instead of throwing them in the dryer, use shoelaces from your shoes to secure your slippers in the drier. Tie the slippers together using the laces to reduce the chance of them slipping, and then hang the slippers on the door of the dryer. Set the soles of your slippers against the dryer door, ensuring that the laces stay straight. Turn on the dryer on a low heat setting and let it run.
When using the dryer, there are some things you should take note of:
- There is the risk that your slippers may end up shrinking – Although the dryer will ensure that your slippers dry fast, try as much as possible not to use this technique too often.
- Avoid putting too many items in the dryer when using this technique – When using the dryer for this purpose, you don’t want to have too many things in the dryer since this will end up knocking your slippers around and potentially result in their damage.
- Risk of heat damage – Using this technique once or twice should be fine. However, frequent use could cause damage to the glue that holds the slipper together, and it might also end up losing its cushioning. Therefore, the dryer technique should only be used when it is absolutely necessary.
3. Wrap your slippers in newspaper
Newspaper is an effective way of drying your slippers, and you won’t have to worry about causing damage to them no matter how delicate they are. However, as you might expect, this technique will take more time to dry your slippers.
For this technique, start by taking out the insoles of your slippers and setting them aside to dry separately in front of a fan or in a sunny window.
Crumple several sheet of newspaper and stuff them into your slippers. Push in as many newspapers as you can until you can’t fit any more. The newspaper will dry the insides of the slippers by absorbing the moisture. Wrap the exterior of your slippers with more newspapers and then use rubber bands to hold them in place. As the newspaper absorbs moisture in the interior and exterior of your slippers, it will get wet. Therefore, after every few hours, check on your slippers and the newspaper, and if it is wet, replace it with new dry sheets. Continue doing this until the slippers are dry.
4. Take advantage of the sunshine
Another way you can dry your slippers is by placing them in the sunshine. This method is especially effective during the summer when the days are long and sunny. If the in soles of the slippers are removable, ensure that you take them out for the drying process to be more effective. Avoid placing your slippers under direct sunlight so as to prevent the material from fading or cracking over time.
5. Use a towel
If your slippers are not too drenched, you can use an old used towel to dry them. Start by taking the corners of the towel and tucking it inside your slippers. Wrap the other parts of the towel around the exterior of the slipper and then place it under a fan to speed up the process. After a few hours, you will have to take out the towel and swap it for a new and dry towel. Repeat this process until your slippers are dry.
6. Put your slippers in rice
To dry your slippers using this technique, you will need a plastic container that is big enough to hold your slippers and rice. Pour rice into the container up to the one-inch mark and then place your wet slippers on top of the rice and seal the container shut. Let it sit for a few hours and allow the rice to suck out the moisture.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to drying slippers, it is important to ensure that you dry the interior of the slipper before you try to dry the exterior. This is because the insole typically takes the longest to dry, and trying to dry them while they are within the slipper will only result in nasty foot conditions due to the moisture buildup.