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Spray Starch Time SaverI bought a can of spray starch at Walmart. It works well, but a hassle. I spray an arm, then iron. I spray a yoke, then iron, I spray a cuff, then iron. I was picking up and putting down that can of starch as much as I was ironing. I came up with an idea I wanted to try.

 

A pair of rubber soled shoes and a pan of water.

How to Keep Shoe Soles CleanIn the winter months, when we have had rain or snow, there can be a lot of tracking in that has to be swept up. Mud gets caught in the grooves of the shoes and it's hard to remove once it dries.

 

Using a banana peel to shine your leather shoes.

Banana Peel Shoe ShineUse a banana peel to polish shoes. The oil in the peel will give your shoes a nice shine. Compost the peel after you are done!

 

Tennis shoes with newspaper stuffed inside for drying.

Newspaper for Drying Wet ShoesTo dry your shoes bunch newspaper together and stuff in the shoes. They will dry faster.

 

Drying Shoes Without the Banging - ends of mesh bag protruding from dryer door

Drying Shoes Without the BangingI thought of this because I hate that banging sound of athletic shoes slamming around in the dryer. It's pretty simple as the pictures show. You need a long mesh laundry bag. This one is 2-3 feet long.

 

Washing an adhesive bra under a faucet.

Getting the Most Out Adhesive BrasThese warm days bring out many backless and strapless outfits. Adhesive bras are very in right now (I know I love them), but they lose their stickiness after a wear or two. Not very thrifty! Here is a trick to get at least a dozen wears out of them.

 

Rubbing ice on gum stuck to the bottom of a shoe.

Ice for Removing Bubble Gum on ShoesI always kept getting gum stuck on my shoe and on my kids' shoes. I have a 5 year old daughter who loves chewing gum and she just sticks it or throws it anywhere. So before leaving home or when you're home, before trying to remove gum on your shoes, take a small cube of ice, stick it or wipe it over the bubble gum before you pull it. This will not make a mess, it's easy to pull and neat.

 

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Washing Flip FlopsI love shoes. Especially comfortable flip flops. I am always watching other people's feet to see what kind of shoes they have. But I am often appalled when I see someone with cute shoes that are so nasty. Living in Florida I have lots of flip flops and sandals.

 

Tape being used to clean fuzz off a dark blazer.

Cleaning Your Blazer Using TapeSometimes it's hard to pull off some small fibers on your blazer or coats, cottons that stick, or the fur from your dogs and cats. It is time consuming if you pull them one at a time. I cut a 2 1/2 inches of tape, I rolled it on my fingers and started tapping it on the blazer, where the fibers are present.

 

Better Way to Wash Shoes - two part photo of both methods

Better Way to Wash ShoesSoak the brush with water, brush it on the detergent and tap the tip on the baking soda then brush it. You can see the difference between brushing with detergent only and baking soda and detergent combined.

 

Thrifty Lint Roller Brush - lint roller made from tape covered TP tube and hair brush

Thrifty Lint Roller BrushWhat does an empty toilet paper roll, a hairbrush, and a roll of wide masking tape make? A lint roller if you are in a pinch!

 

dirty white sole on shoe

Soft Scrub for Clean White ShoesTo keep your shoes white and clean use Soft Scrub bleach and an old towel to clean the white parts on the shoe. White rubber can get dirty really fast so you could do this as many times as you want, but make sure to clean all the dirt out of the cracks first so you don't get mud everywhere.

 

dirty shoes

Easily Clean White Leather on Tennis...Has the white leather on the edges of your tennis shoes turned dingy? I have found a simple way to successfully clean this. All you need is soap, water, and a battery powered toothbrush.

 

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Salt for Stinky ShoesUse regular kosher salt or any salt. Just sprinkle in shoes after heavy use, then wear with socks or without. It will kill the odor. Repeat if necessary.

 

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Essential Oils for Smelly ShoesPut a drop of peppermint or cinnamon oil on some used dryer sheets and tuck them into athletic shoes or work boots. Great for teenage boys!

 

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Removing Yellow Mold off SneakersAs you can probably tell by my name, I love Son of Mars sneakers. To get the mold off, I suggest getting conditioner or cleanser, water, a rag, and a toothbrush. Also have vinegar and straight bleach.

 

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Removing Smoke Smell From ClothesLaunder items using hot water, regular amount of detergent, and 1 cup each of white vinegar and baking soda. Repeat if any smoke smell remains. DO NOT dry until smoke smell is gone.

 

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Cleaning Smelly SneakersTo get the stink out of your tennis shoes use tea tree oil. Put the shoes in the washing machine. Set the water level to low. Add 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil.

 

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Refurbishing White Tennis ShoesI spray the tennis shoes with Shout laundry stain remover and rub off dirt with a rag. Then I take a water dampened rag, wipe shoes off and wipe dry. Next, I polish over the shoes and the laces with white polish.

 

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Keeping Drawstrings In Place During WashI have several pairs of lounge pants that have both elastic and a drawstring in them.

 

Pink flip flop with a Magic Eraser

Cleaning Flip FlopsFlip flops tend to get dirty, especially my white and pink ones. I have tried many cleaners and the best is the Magic Eraser.

 

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Newspaper for Stinky ShoesWant to get rid of the stink? Stuff the shoes with newspaper. That's right. Newspaper. Shoes should be "stink-free" come morning!

 

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Banana Peels for Cleaning ShoesWith mornings being extremely crazy, I certainly do not have time to buff or polish shoes. This is particularly true, especially since we spend a big part of each morning looking for them, saving time is a must!

 

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Cleaning Sandal InsolesI have a pair of sandals with faux suede insoles that had darkened with perspiration and dirt. It was unsightly and annoying until I tried washing them. I used a toothbrush and an enzyme household cleaner, although I'm sure soap would work as well.

 

Clean Yellow Croc Shoes

Cleaning Your Croc ShoesIf you wear Croc (plastic) shoes like I do, the best way to clean them is to wear them in the shower every time you take a shower. Then once a week, use a back brush on them with a little soap. They will stay looking new.

 

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Removing Mud From ShoesI discovered that if I put one quarter inch of water in the sink and let the shoes rest there for a short while, the mud softens and I can brush it off straight into the sink then wash down the drain.

 

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Refreshing Suede ShoesSpruce up your "buck"/suede Timberland boots you've been stomping around in this past winter by cleaning them with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and a stiff brush.

 

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Use Knee High to Polish Shoes Use an old knee-hi stocking to bring a quick polish to gloss-finished shoes. Just hold on to each end of the knee-hi and buff away!

 

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Wash Vinyl and Suede Clogs in Washing MachineVinyl and suede clogs and sports sandals can be cleaned in the washing machine in cold water with laundry soap. Don't put them in the dryer; air dry.

 

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Washing SuedeI have a brown suede skirt that I LOVE but when I took it to have it dry-cleaned, they wanted $50! I don't love it enough to spend a couple hundred dollars a year to clean it. I thanked the woman behind the counter but said, "No Thanks."

 

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Washing Grimy SocksI keep shampoo remnants in a soap dispenser by the bathroom sink. I also have a bottle of Listerine, in a spray bottle, and a bottle of generic type hand lotion.

 

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Fabric Softener Sheet for Smelly ShoesTo freshen up smelly training shoes/sneakers, put a sheet of fabric softener in them overnight.

 

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Pressed and Starched JeansIf you want your jeans pressed and starched: after washing them, put them on jeans stretchers, heavily spray them with spray starch. Let them dry, remove them from the stretchers, dip a rag in white vinegar and run it along the crease of the pants.

 

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Clean Suede Boots With Hydrogen PeroxideHydrogen Peroxide really does clean your dirty suede/buck work boots. It makes them look almost like new. Pour the hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl, grab a stiff brush and clean cloth, and start cleaning up those waterproof boots.

 

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Removing Fish Oil From ClothingTo get fish oil out of clothes, first treat the oil with Dawn dish detergent. Let it sit over night and then wash. Air dry and repeat if necessary. Then treat the smell with pet stain remover. I used Nature's Miracle.

 

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Hand Lotion to Polish Imitation LeatherI use cheap hand lotion to polish away the scuff marks on my imitation leather shoes. Works beautifully. Just smooth on and wipe off excess with a paper towel or a sock without a mate!

 

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Removing Smell from ShoesTo get the smell out of shoes, I put a mixture of baking soda, baking powder, and cornstarch in a pair of cotton socks and stick in the shoes overnight. It works like a charm.

 

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Magic Eraser for Clean SneakersI can't stand having dirty sneakers. I used to use white shoe polish but it smells, takes a while to dry and can stain. I've found that using a Mr. Clean magic erase block (or similar store brand erase block) works wonderful at whitening even the oldest dingy sneakers.

 

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Use Shampoo to Wash WoolI've been a weaver, spinner and dyer of wool for years. One of the tricks I learned, was that because wool is hair, you can use hair products to clean it. When you wash your wool hats or sweaters, wash them with shampoo.

 

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Use Baby Wipes For Cleaning ShoesI was looking for a way to clean my 12 year old daughters shoes. We all know how expensive shoes can be and I didn't want to risk washing them in the machine. A friend told me to try baby wipes, it worked like a charm.

 

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Washing Tips to Keep Jeans Looking NewWhen washing blue jeans, be sure to turn them inside out. This keeps your jeans looking new. Also, be sure to fasten the zipper and snap before you wash them.

 

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Carpet Cleaner for Canvas SneakersA great way to clean canvas sneakers is to lay them on an old towel on top of the washer. Spray them with foamy carpet cleaner (you can get it for $1 at the dollar store) inside and out.

 

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Dry Shoes in Front of the FridgeTo dry tennis shoes after washing or to dry out any wet shoes, put them in front of the refrigerator vent grill. Open the laces wide, pull open the tongue of the shoe so the air can get inside and lay shoes on their side with the opening facing the grill.

 

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Steam Cleaning Leather Running ShoesYou might faint from shock or horror, but I have had great luck cleaning leather runners with a steam cleaner. Just be careful not to let the dirt from the shoes blow onto the white sink like I did while steaming.

 

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Cleaning Collars of Shirts or BlousesTip for Cleaning Collars of Shirts or Blouses. Use a cheap shampoo. Pour a little onto the stain and with tooth brush scrub it clean. . .

 

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Removing Chewing Gum From ShoesRemoving Chewing Gum From Shoes. My husband had chewing gum on a pair of his nice dress shoes. I suggested he try rubbing ice on the gum-it didn't work. . .

 

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Rinsing Chlorine Out of Swim WearAfter I swim, I remove my swimsuit and drop it on the floor of the shower. I then proceed to shower, as the shower soap rinses the chlorine off me and my swim wear.

 

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Shake Out Rarely Worn Boots or PursesShake Out Rarely Worn Boots or Purses. If you have boots or purses that you haven't worn or used in quite some time, shake them out, outside first, before running your foot or hand inside. . .

 

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Wrinkled Slacks But No Iron?This tip is especially useful when traveling and staying in a hotel. If you have wrinkled slacks but no iron, just put the slacks neatly over the towel bar in the bathroom while taking a shower. Be sure to close the bathroom door to trap as much steam as possible.

 

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Starch for Canvas ShoesSpray your new canvas shoes with spray starch (for ironing) to keep the dirt from settling in the fibers. Easier to clean, too.

 

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