The Herald (Zimbabwe)

Take good care of your sneakers, trainers

- Senior Lifestyle Reporter tafadzwa.zimoyo@zimpapers.co.zw

Ihope you are all staying at home and for those who are on the essential work staff list, please take good care and make sure you practice social distancing and sanitise or wash your hands frequently as requested.

At home there are a lot of things you can do.

Apart from bonding with family, it is the time for you to clean up your wardrobe, getting rid of all those unwanted and unworn clothes.

You never know you might bless someone by sharing those old clothes too.

Last week we focused on how to take care of jeans after some people argued and asked how many times you wear your jeans without being washed and if it’s healthy to repeat those jeans.

Today, we focus on sneakers and trainers, how to wash and take good care of them.

Firstly, people need to understand that these two types of shoes are different and secondly, on all footwear or shoes to be precise, the above mentioned items are known to be the worst when it comes to smelling.

Men are known for not always cleaning their shoes and they tend to hide the odour by using shoe powder or baby powder daily, sprinkling on feet and inside the shoes.

It is okay to do that, but some say it is not healthy as those “powders” might mount and give bacteria and germs space and a chance to grow.

Back to the drawing board, generally, sneakers and trainers are differenti­ated by the looks, with the canvas topped athletic shoe being termed as sneakers, while anything designed with a sporty look is a trainer.

Besides, sneakers are fashionabl­e, anyway. According to Nike.com, to ensure peak performanc­e of your shoes over time, proper care and maintenanc­e is recommende­d, including cleaning.

By the way, I am an vivid fan of Nike shoes and I am not being biased, but it is just a label design. However, all sneakers and trainers when it comes to cleaning have the same principle.

Below are steps from Nike.com how best you can keep your sneakers fresh:

1. Dry brush.

◆ Remove dirt from the outsole, midsole, and uppers using a dry, soft-bristled shoe brush. No shoe brush and you should not worry as an older toothbrush will work just fine.

2. Make a mild cleaning solution.

◆ Mix warm water with a small amount of laundry detergent.

3. Wash laces.

◆ Remove the laces and apply a small amount of the mild cleaning solution. Massage the laces, rinse, then dry with a soft cloth.

4. Wash soles.

◆ Apply the mild solution to a soft-bristled brush and brush the outsole and midsole. Dry with a soft cloth.

5. Wash and blot.

◆ Use the mild solution and a soft-bristled brush or a soft cloth to clean the uppers. Then use a dry microfibre towel or soft cloth to blot and lift as much soapy moisture and dirt as possible.

◆ Repeat if necessary.

6. Air dry. Air dry at room temperatur­e. Well, however, still many people ask how do I clean my insoles and reduce the shoe odour?

From time to time, it may also be necessary to clean your insoles. To do so, remove the insoles and use the same cleaning steps for the outside of your shoes.

And be sure to air dry them completely before putting them back in your shoes.

If odour persists, you may want to replace the insoles.

Replacemen­t insoles are available at most sporting goods and shoe stores. Thank you Nike for the quick tips. Our fashion pick this week is a chiffon scarf.

Well, I chose that because it is trendy, easy to throw over on any outfit.

Another secret is that because now almost everyone is wearing a face mask, then you can have an excuse covering your mouth too with that scarf.

Just a thought hey.

Stay safe and please stay indoors, Covid19 is real.

Always check on your loved ones, family and friends how they are coping, you never know.

 ??  ?? From time to time, it is necessary to clean your shoes
From time to time, it is necessary to clean your shoes

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Zimbabwe