The Ultimate Hack for Wet Shoes: Just Use Newspaper

Have you ever been caught in a sudden torrential downpour on your way home? Just yesterday, I was walking back from the grocery store when the sky completely opened up. By the time I walked through my front door, my favorite pair of canvas sneakers were completely soaked through, practically squishing with every step.

My first thought was to just toss them into the clothes dryer. But then I remembered the last time I did that—the deafening thump, thump, thump for an hour, followed by my shoes coming out slightly misshapen and the glue holding the soles together looking completely melted. There had to be a better way to save them.

That's when I remembered an old-school life hack my grandfather used to swear by. It doesn't require electricity, it won't ruin your shoes, and it's practically free. All you need is some old newspaper.

The Newspaper Drying Method

This is a very simple hack you can use anytime your shoes get soaked. You just need a few sheets of standard, black-and-white newspaper. Avoid glossy magazine pages or store flyers, as they don't absorb water very well.

• Prep the Shoes: First, loosen the laces and pull the tongue of the shoe forward. You want the shoe to be as wide open as possible to let air circulate. If your shoes have removable insoles, take those out and lay them flat to dry separately.
• Crumple the Paper: Take a sheet of newspaper and loosely crumple it into a ball. You don't want to pack it too tightly; keeping it a bit loose helps air flow.
• Stuff and Wait: Stuff the crumpled newspaper balls deep into the toe of the shoe, and then add more until the shoe is completely filled. Wrap the outside of the shoe with one more layer of newspaper for good measure.
• Let it Sit: Leave the shoes in a well-ventilated, dry area (not directly next to a roaring heater, which can crack leather or melt glue). Leave them overnight.

The science behind this is brilliantly simple. Newspaper is incredibly porous and absorbent. The crumpled paper acts like a giant sponge, aggressively pulling the moisture out of the fabric of the shoe. Because the paper is stuffed tightly inside, it pulls the moisture from the inside out, while also helping the shoe maintain its natural shape as it dries.

The next morning, I unwrapped my sneakers and pulled out the newspaper (which was completely damp). My canvas sneakers were perfectly, unbelievably dry, and they hadn't lost their shape at all.

If you have a pair of soggy shoes sitting by your front door right now, skip the noisy dryer. Grab that stack of old newspapers from the recycling bin and give this old-fashioned trick a try. It is genuinely the best, most reliable way to dry your footwear!