Make Your Shoes Last Years Longer (For Free)
Plenty of shoes don't just wear out. They get worn down early by wet days, heat and a few bad habits. Here's how to fix that with what you already own.
- Rotate between pairs so each one dries out fully between wears.
- Air-dry wet shoes stuffed with newspaper, away from radiators and dryers.
- Wipe off mud and road salt the same day.
- Loosen laces to take shoes off, and use a shoehorn to put them on.
- Replace worn laces and insoles, and get resoling or heel repair before damage spreads.
Think about the last pair of shoes you threw out. Odds are the uppers were mostly fine. Maybe the heel was worn down on one side, the back was crushed from being stepped into, or the leather cracked after one too many soggy commutes. Those are fixable problems, and most of them are preventable for free.
Here are the free habits that keep shoes going, plus an optional upgrade box with care tools. You can start tonight with some newspaper and a damp rag.
Why making shoes last is worth the effort
Good shoes aren't cheap, and a pair that fits well can be hard to replace. Every extra season is money you don't spend, and a broken-in pair is more comfortable than a new one anyway.
The green side is simple. Shoes are a mix of rubber, foam, leather, fabric and glue that's hard to separate and recycle, so keeping a pair in use longer is the easiest way to keep it out of the landfill. For a gut check on your gear, see our guide to how long everyday things should last.
The free way, step by step
Step 1: Rotate your pairs
Feet sweat, and shoes soak it up. When you wear the same pair every day, the lining, insole and leather never fully dry out between wears. Damp materials break down faster, stretch out of shape and start to smell.
If you own two pairs you wear for the same purpose, alternate them so each gets a full day to dry. Most people already have a second pair in the closet that could share the load.
Tip: Store resting shoes somewhere with air moving, not buried in a pile by the door or sealed in a plastic bin. Airflow does the drying.
Step 2: Dry wet shoes the slow way
When a pair gets soaked:
- Pull out the insoles if they're removable and loosen or remove the laces.
- Stuff the shoes loosely with crumpled newspaper or paper towels. The paper wicks moisture from the inside and helps the shoe hold its shape.
- Swap in fresh paper once the first batch is damp.
- Let them dry at room temperature with good airflow, for as long as it takes. Thick leather boots can take a while.
Keep wet shoes away from direct heat. Radiators, space heaters, heat vents and clothes dryers can crack leather and warp or weaken the glue that holds many shoes together. In a hurry? A fan blowing room-temperature air speeds things up safely.
Step 3: Clean off dirt and salt the same day
Grit works into seams and scuffs the finish every time the shoe flexes. Winter road salt dries out leather and leaves white lines that can turn into cracks. When you get home, knock off loose dirt and wipe the shoes with a damp cloth. For salt lines on leather, many people use a cloth dampened with water and a little white vinegar, then wipe again with plain water. Test it on a hidden spot first.
Step 4: Clean by material
- Smooth leather: wipe with a damp cloth and a drop of mild soap, then wipe clean. Condition it now and then to keep it supple.
- Suede and nubuck: keep them dry and brush gently in one direction. A pencil eraser lifts small scuffs. Let mud dry before brushing it off.
- Canvas and knit sneakers: brush off dirt, then scrub with a soft brush and a little dish soap in water. Check the maker's care instructions before putting any shoe in a washing machine.
- Rubber and synthetic boots: rinse off mud and wipe dry. Easy.
An old toothbrush is the best free shoe-cleaning tool there is, perfect for seams and tread.
Step 5: Put them on and take them off gently
The heel counter is the stiff cup around the back of your heel that holds your foot in place. It's the first thing to break down when you step on the back of a shoe or kick it off with the other foot. Loosen the laces before taking shoes off and before putting them on, and use a shoehorn. No shoehorn? A large spoon works surprisingly well. It's a few seconds a day, and it keeps the back of the shoe from folding into a slipper.
Step 6: Replace the small parts
Some shoes get retired for problems that cost very little to fix. Frayed laces take a minute to swap, and flattened or smelly insoles can often be replaced while the rest of the shoe stays in service.
Step 7: See a cobbler before it's too late
A cobbler can replace worn heels, resole shoes, restitch seams, stretch shoes that pinch and fix broken boot zippers. The key is going early. A heel worn down a little is a quick fix; a heel worn through to the shoe's structure is a much bigger job, if it can be done at all.
Not all shoes can be resoled. Many sneakers have soles cemented (glued) to the upper, and many of those can't be resoled. Welted leather shoes and boots, where the sole is stitched on, usually can be, which is a big reason well-made leather footwear can last so long. Not sure which you have? Ask a cobbler before any work starts, and use our guide to negotiating a repair if the quote surprises you.
Mistakes that wear shoes out early
- Ignoring the heel. Uneven heel wear spreads to the rest of the sole. Fix it early.
- Storing shoes jammed in a pile. Crushed toes and bent heels are hard to reverse. Line them up instead.
For kids' shoes: Kids usually outgrow shoes before they wear out, so the goal is keeping them nice enough to pass along to a sibling, cousin or neighbor. Grown-ups can do the same; see our guide to hand-me-downs for adults.
When the upgrade is worth it (and when it isn't)
For sneakers and everyday shoes, the free habits are plenty.
Shoe trees and a care kit make the most sense for leather shoes and boots you hope to keep for years, and shoe trees turn up used all the time. Cedar trees hold the shape and pull moisture from the lining overnight, and conditioner keeps leather from drying out and cracking. Waterproofing spray is worth it if you walk or commute in wet weather, or own suede you'd like to keep looking nice. Test any spray or conditioner on a hidden spot first and follow the label.
The bottom line
Rotate your pairs, dry them slowly, keep them clean, treat the heels kindly and visit a cobbler before small problems become big ones. It's a few minutes a week, and it can add years to shoes you already like. For more ways to fix instead of replace, see our guide to mending clothes.
Common questions
How do you dry wet shoes quickly without ruining them?
Remove the insoles and laces, stuff the shoes loosely with newspaper or paper towels, and swap in fresh paper once it's damp. Set them somewhere with good airflow, and point a fan at them if you're in a hurry. Avoid radiators, heaters and the clothes dryer, since direct heat can crack leather and weaken the glue that holds many shoes together.
Can sneakers be resoled?
Some can, many can't. A lot of sneakers have soles cemented, or glued, to the upper, and many of those aren't designed to be resoled. Some repair shops do work on certain sneakers, so it's worth asking. Welted leather shoes and boots, with the sole stitched on, usually can be resoled, which is one reason they can last so long.
How do you get salt stains off leather shoes?
Wipe off loose salt as soon as you get home. Many people use a soft cloth dampened with water and a little white vinegar to lift the white lines, then wipe again with plain water and let the shoes dry at room temperature. Test on a hidden spot first. Once they're dry, a leather conditioner helps put back moisture the salt pulled out.
When should you take shoes to a cobbler?
Go when you first notice the heel wearing down, the sole thinning or starting to peel, stitching coming loose or a zipper failing. Small repairs are quicker and cheaper than big ones, and waiting until there's a hole can make a pair impossible to save. A cobbler can usually tell you whether a repair makes sense before doing any work.