Nothing decreases the value of an otherwise nice pair of sandals like toe, heel and foot marks on the insoles. Such marks on your own shoes make them look worn and dirty if you slip off your sandals at the pool or beach. Heel, toe and foot marks on pre-owned sandals for sale decrease the value and make them much harder to move.
They might look like permanent foot imprints, but they’re really just ground-in dirt and stains. They can be challenging to remove through standard shoe cleaning methods because the grime has been pushed down into the cloth fibers of the insoles repeatedly over time. Fortunately, with the right materials and about 15 minutes of time, you can probably erase most of those hideous marks.
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What You’ll Need
- Spray shoe cleaner (spray carpet and upholstery cleaner should work as well)
- Old, soft toothbrush that you don’t plan to ever use again
- Old washcloth or dishcloth
Steps to Remove Sandal Insole Toe, Foot and Heel Marks
First, try the cleaner on a small spot on your sandal insoles to make sure it doesn’t cause any unexpected results.
Spray the stained insoles of your sandals thoroughly with the cleaner. Be sure to spray them until they’re visibly wet, but don’t submerge your sandals in water or any liquid.
Let the cleaner soak into the shoes for a couple of minutes, but don’t allow them to dry.
Wet the toothbrush under running water. Scrub the dirty insoles like crazy with the old toothbrush. Clean the toothbrush under running water every few minutes to make sure you’re not rubbing dirt back into the shoes.
When the sandals start to look clean, rub the newly scrubbed surfaces with the cloth.
Wash the toothbrush under running water and scrub the shoes again, then rub them with the washcloth again.
Keep repeating this process until you’re no longer rubbing dirt onto the cleaning cloth.
You’ll be amazed at the difference in how your sandals look when you’re finished!
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