You don’t always need to buy new gear to look good. Even if your gym shoes look like you’ve competed in the “Tough Mudder,” it doesn’t mean you have to throw them out. They just need a quick clean up to revive them! On average I tell clients to replace their shoes every 6 months. If they use them a lot for training (especially for running and cross training) then they may break down faster, possibly as fast as 4 months (if that’s the only pair they use). Personally, I use my shoes in the gym and outdoors. This means my shoes could go from looking brand new to dirty in an instant. I try to have “indoor” and “outdoor” shoes but this doesn’t always keep them looking clean. If you want your shoes to look good longer use these simple fitness tips to spring clean your gym shoes and save gobs of money.
Fitness Tips: I buy 3 – 4 pairs of shoes at one time and rotate them. I usually accomplish this by going to an outlet where I can find great shoes at a cheaper price. This way I have a variety of shoes to use for 8 – 12 months (possibly longer).
Odor – You only have so many options when your shoes have been subjected to odor. Here’s a crazy little trick that can be used on shoes, shirts, pants (especially wax pants), and many more items!
1.) ODOR and Bacteria – You know that time you went hiking, it started raining and your best “gym” shoes got wet!? Soon after they became your most expensive garbage because they had a smell that you just couldn’t get rid of! Well here’s the solution that will save you hundreds of dollars..
FREEZE THEM!
Put each shoe in a ziplock freezer bag. Make sure they are completely dry before doing this. Leave them in the freezer for a minimum of 24 hours before removing them. Give them time to thaw out and return to normal. The freezer actually works to eliminate odor and stop bacteria. In one day you could have revived your gym shoes in an instant.
2.) Replace the insoles to refresh and add support. Many people forget that you can actually remove the sweaty, old inserts. This should reduce the smell and give a more supportive shoe when replaced. If you are looking to increase the support of your broken down shoes, find insoles that not only deodorize but also have cushion. You can buy these at sporting good stores and shoe stores such as footlocker.
3.) Make Them Look Like New! Wash them! BE CAREFUL with this one. You must follow these fitness tips to make sure you don’t ruin your shoes. You’ll see in the images below that you can actually buy a mesh bag to put your shoes in to wash and dry. If you use the drying option, be careful that you don’t over heat them and cause the glue to melt. Personally, I would air dry them just to be safe.
* Remove the insoles, (which also provide arch support) before washing.
* Wash in the machine on cold – this will keep the shoe intact. Washing on hot or warm will harm the glue that holds the shoe together.
* If you think they are going to fall apart, use a scrub brush, rag, and a magic eraser instead. I do this also for quick clean ups.
Touch ups on White areas. Using the machine is great but it doesn’t get the dirt out of the rubber, especially the white accents on shoes. Here are my top 3 products you should keep on hand. They will cost you roughly 15 dollars but will allow you to keep your shoes looking great year round.
Shoe cleaner – I tend to pick the brands that have a scrub brush on the cap. Penguin is always a good brand but you can also buy other similar cleaners.
Spray the shoes – let the foam penetrate then use the cap to scrub away the dirt. I also use a wash cloth to wipe away access without having to get the shoe drenched in water.
To Brighten Whites – Grab your magic eraser. Get it wet and rub it along all the white or cream accents (made of rubber) on the shoe.
PROTECT – If you are going to go through the hassle of cleaning them all up then make sure you buy shoe protector spray! Spray them and allow them to dry completely before using again. This is my favorite brand.
With these fitness tips you can rehab any pair of shoes, not just your gym shoes. IF you know someone who would benefit from this article, then pass on the fitness love. We appreciate all of our readers love and support 🙂
Adria
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