How to Disinfect Shoes from the Thrift Store

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Shoes and clothes are things everyone buys, however in this case you should be careful about second-hand clothes and shoes. They are called second-hand because they are not new and have been worn by other people, you should know the clothes to buy from thrift stores and what not to buy.

How to Disinfect Shoes from the Thrift Store

If you buy used shoes, it would be okay if you know how to disinfect shoes that you get from the thrift store. It helps them feel fresh and comfortable when worn. It is important to know how to disinfect shoes because it is dangerous to wear something unsanitized, especially this time with the covid-19 pandemic.

When disinfecting shoes from the thrift store, you can use a shoe sanitizer spray. It helps get rid of all bacteria that can not be removed by only soap and water. The best spray used to remove bad smell and kill bacteria is a bleach spray.

The bleach should only be sprayed on the inside of the shoes because when sprayed outside, discoloration may occur. When shoes are disinfected, the bacteria and smell go away.

You can also clean shoes with alcohol since it one of the strongest cleaning solutions. Cleaning depends on the type of shoes you want to disinfect, you can either rub alcohol around the shoes or sip them in the solution. The shoes that you should dip in alcohol solution are those made of textile or cloth.

One of the last techniques to disinfect shoes is by using Clorox wipes or Lysol spray. You can wipe the inside of the shoes with Clorox wipes or spray with Lysol spray. These two are capable of killing germs as well as removing odors.

Is It Safe To Buy Shoes From Thrift Stores?

There are pros and cons of buying shoes from the thrift store, we are going to look at both of them so that you can make a decision of whether or not you will thrift your shoes and any other thing. Below are the pros and cons of thrift shopping.

Pros of Thrift Shopping

• It is actually the only place to get vintage clothes
• They are cheap
• You can find unique shoes that no one else has
• You can find any kind of stylish shoe at the thrift store

Cons of Thrift Shopping

• They don’t smell nice, because people don’t clean after wearing them
• There could be a lot of stains on shoes
• Because of the bad smell, people will tend to avoid buying the shoes
• Someone, you don’t know used to wear the shoes
• Some shoes could be broken and you might have to fix them

Buying shoes from thrift stores is not bad because you can sometimes find the best shoes, it is a disadvantage to those people who are sensitive and can’t wear what someone else has worn.

How to Clean Used Leather Sandals

Leather sandals should be cleaned with the right products, leather is very sensitive and can tear and wear out easily. These sandals are comfortable and stylish, apart from that, they are durable than other sandals.

The bad side about it is they tend to dirt and water stains easily, keep in mind that no matter how dirty leather shoes are, you can’t submerge them in water and you might be having trouble cleaning them. What you need to do is know what needs to be done and the kind of materials needed.

Remove dirt and other solids

Before applying any cleanser on your leather sandals, make sure you remove any kind of dirt and debris because if you don’t do so, you will make things much complicated.

The tools required are soft cloth, bristled brush, or unused toothbrush. Remember that leather can be scratched easily, so when cleaning, use less force, or else you might cause a permanent mark.

Wash sandals

Use a soft, damp cloth that has been applied with soap, then rib the dirty sandals and ensure that you don’t use too much force.

What Should You Not Buy At The Thrift Stores?

Most people buy things at thrift stores because they are unique and stylish. In fact, most celebrities prefer getting their items there. However, some things you get are not perfect because they have been worn and might have gotten damaged in the process.

You need to be keen when buying something at thrift store, or you will end up buying something that you might need to repair and that is adding you an extra cost.

However, there some things you can buy from the thrift stores and some that you can’t. You need to know them so as not to mess around in any case. Some of the things you should never buy from the thrift stores are as follows.

Helmets

Remember that a helmet is important, just like car seats and protective bikes. What you are yet to buy is used and you do not know its history, apart from that, you might get infections and lice from helmets, so it’s better to buy one that is brand new.

Underwear

No matter what happens, don’t buy underwear at a thrift store, you can buy something else but not this one. Not unless they have never be worn and still have tags, but never buy used pants from thrift stores.

Linens

Some other things you should not buy are towels, used sheets, blankets and other things that can lead to the risks of being infected with skin diseases, germs and bedbugs.

Yes, you can wash them in hot water and other strong detergents, but that might not work, in short, don’t buy sensitive clothing from thrift stores.

Shoes

A lot of people buy shoes from thrift stores without thinking about their health, keep in mind that you might get exposed to any fungus and skin problems that the previous owner had.

How Do You Disinfect Second-Hand Clothes?

Of course, you need to disinfect second-hand clothes because they have been worn by someone else and you never know the kind of infection someone had. Do not buy second-hand clothes and put them on before disinfecting them.

Always wash and disinfect them before adding them to your closet, to disinfect, you need vinegar, baking soda, or natural minerals. This is how you should go about it.

Vinegar

After cleaning your clothes, ensure that when rinsing, add half a cup of vinegar and if you are using it instead of detergent, it still works well for a few clothes but for larger loads, use a cup of vinegar. Vinegar is meant to remove odors and freshen clothes. You need to use distilled white vinegar in this case.

Baking soda

It does a good job when it comes to removing odors and stains just ensure that you sprinkle some over the clothes and leave it there for a few hours before starting to clean. You can turn clothes inside out before sprinkling baking powder, this works magic on strong fabrics like polyester and cotton.

How to Disinfect Bottom Of Shoes

When walking around, you come in contact with bacteria and viruses, for instance, there is Covid 19 and everyone needs to be cautious. Before going back to the house, make sure you disinfect the bottom of your shoes.

Tools needed

• Water
• Disinfectant spray
• Soap
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Blow
• Soap
• Cloth

Steps to follow:

• Taking off your shoes outside of course
• Remove debris using soap, cloth and water
• Give it time to dry
• Once dry, spray the disinfectant at the shoe sole and wipe it out.
• You can use wipes and if both of them are not available, spray the bottom of the shoe with hydrogen peroxide
• Let it sit there for about five to ten minutes before wiping it
• Let the shoes dry
• Wash your hands

This is the only simple way of disinfecting the bottom of your shoe, something that most people do not remember. But now that you know, make it a routine because it is safe for your health.

How Do You Disinfect Vintage Shoes?

To disinfect and clean vintage shoes, you will need a soft cleaning cloth, vintage shoes, cleaner or shoe polish, tea tree oil and leather conditioner. Once you have all these things, you are good to go.

Steps

• Clean the outer side of the shoe as on other shoes
• Remove dust using a duster or a clean cloth
• Use a leather conditioner on your vintage shoes because leather will be too old than on recent shoes.
• The inside of the shoe should be cleaned with a mixture of tea oil and water ( 1:4).
• For tough stains, use tea tree oil on the sole to wipe it out
• Let the shoes dry out in the sun
• Tea tree oil helps disinfect and clean the shoe
• Store your clean shoes in a new shoebox
• Ensure that you store them in a dark place and condition them regularly.

Can You Put Shoes In The Washer?

Yes, you can put shoes in the washer bit be ready for the damage that is caused by the wash drum. If you want to put shoes in a washer, it would be safe if you put them in a wash bag fast to prevent them from coming in contact with the drum and you can as well use a pillowcase if you don’t have a wash bag.

The idea of putting shoes in a washer is not a good idea, but the current washers are much safer because they have more options that allow you to clean your shoes safely on a washing machine. If you have to wash them in a washer, you have to get the following things.

Items needed

• Towels
• Washing machine
• Pillowcase or wash bag
• Baking soda
• Liquid detergent
• Soft-bristled brush

Some of the things you need to know before putting your shoes in a washer are as follows; air dries your shoes, prepare them earlier, protect them and choose the right washing program. By doing so, your shoes will come out safe and clean.

Can You Dry Clean Shoes?

Yes, shoes can be dry cleaned, you can take them to your local dry cleaner for general upkeep or for deep cleaning. It saves time, but the price will also be high. Dry cleaning is the best option for shoes that can’t be cleaned at home with detergent and water.

You should know that not all dry cleaners are ready to work with shoes and you should inquire fast before taking them. If you find one that doesn’t deal with shoes, be sure that there is a specialist in their staff who works with your shoes.

Dry cleaning shoes is beneficial because it’s more convenient than washing by hand, it is also perfect for stain and odor removal and also less abrasive. Yes, you pay a good sum of money, but the services offered are excellent.

The best option of cleaning shoes and clothes is by dry cleaning them, it is simple and faster than other ways. However, there are some shoes you can’t dry clean and you need to know so that you don’t end up damaging your shoes.

With that said, you should be able to know a lot about second-hand clothes and thrift clothes. Try to know the clothes you can buy from thrift stores and those that you can’t if you have leather sandals know how to clean them, not forgetting to learn how to dry clean shoes and if it is safe to buy shoes from a thrift store.

The above things helps you a lot when it comes to cleaning and buying shoes because you will have an idea of what to do and what not to. Keep in mind that all second-hand clothes should be cleaned before they are worn and ensure that your shoes are clean all the time.