Quick 'Fix' Friday: Cleaning Thrifted Shoes

I LOVE THRIFTING!!! I am also notorious for stating the obvious;). Thrifting is like a great treasure hunt that requires time, effort, and a love of sifting through every.single.item. in order to find the gems. That's right up my alley! I guess the not-so-glamorous side of thrifting is cleaning and disinfecting the items you decide to bring home...yes, I called thrifting glamorous ;). Take, for example, these very dirty, but oh-so-comfortable, black leather boots. Combat style, and made in Canada! Hey Canada :). These were in desperate need of a good cleaning, but for $2 I knew that I'd be up for the challenge. 

I grabbed my supplies first:

• dirty boots
• saddle soap
• soft cloth/towel

First, it's a good idea to brush off any bits of dirt or dust that'll come off easily. Then, remove your laces. {I did a quick rub on the front of my boot before removing my laces just to give you an idea of how dirty these really were.} Next, dampen your cloth and rub across the saddle soap to work up a bit of lather (not suds, but essentially you're working it into your cloth). Then have at it! Rub all over your leather boots/shoes making sure to reach all of the creases and cracks. Once you've given them a good rub, you can find a clean spot on your cloth and wipe away any excess soap while buffing your shoes for a bit of shine/luster.

Here's a look at mine after the cleaning...dirty rag and all! The leather came out so pretty and is super soft/pliable (I told you they were uber comfortable). Ready for wear!

And the obligatory side-by-side shot ;). Much better.

To disinfect them, I used a pretty basic method: mixing a bit of water with hydrogen peroxide and spraying the insides. I then let them air out and dry completely. Some people prefer to use a mixture of bleach and water (just be careful not to get this on the outside of the shoes), or Lysol disinfectant, or putting them in the freezer for 24 hours to kill the germs. Pick your poison...just make sure you do it! Now, as is true with this next pair of shoes, replacing/using insoles can also go a long way in removing any unwanted germs. The boots' insoles needed to replaced and thankfully I scored 3 sets at the thrift store brand new! Granted, they were brand new in the package circa 1995, but hey, they work like a charm ;). 

I found these Minnetonka moccasins at a community swap (free!) two days after almost buying a pair exactly like this (but new) at Urban Outfitters for $20. For reals. They were similarly in need of a new insole after going through the disinfecting process. But I also felt they could benefit from a little makeover as well. 

I'm not a big fan of fringe. First, I shortened the ties to get rid of the nasty dirty bits. Then I trimmed straight across the fringe to even it out. Hmmm, not sold.

So, then I gave them another trim with a rounded 'peter-pan collar' inspired look. I tried tying the ties a couple of different ways. Which do you prefer?

Now, those free mocs are soooo much better! And with the new insoles, they are even more comfy to wear. I have to say, I am not completely sold on this after look and may mess around with these a bit more...paint, maybe? We'll see :).

So, the next time you bring a pair of thrifted shoes home, you know how to disinfect and clean them up! This quick 'fix' takes only a few minutes and can really make a huge difference to your feet :).

Happy Refashioning!
Peace,
Andrea