5 proven disinfectants for shoes against fungus

If you cautiously bypass public showers, look askance at people buying shoes in a second hand, and when you see a person trying on shoes on your bare foot, you are covered with a wave of indignation, then, apparently, you know firsthand the problem of foot fungus. And if the obvious solution to the problem, understandable to everyone, is a long and systematic treatment process, then disinfection of shoes is not always taken seriously. But in vain, because it is the fungus that multiplies calmly in your sneakers or boots that can undermine the treatment even with the most expensive and potent drugs.

How to prevent walking in a circle? We have collected 5 simple but effective ways that will help get rid of the fungus in shoes and accelerate recovery.

Vinegar essence

For lovers of folk remedies, vinegar essence is suitable: it has a fairly strong effect against fungi and bacteria, but its effect on the shoes themselves can not be called gentle.

• For vinegar processing, ordinary vinegar is not suitable. It needs exactly 40% essence in order to effectively get rid of the fungus.
• Dampen a cotton swab with vinegar, put in shoes and place the pair for 1 to 3 days in an airtight bag or plastic container.
• After that, leave the shoes to dry and ventilate. Due to the pungent smell of vinegar, this may take several days.

It is important to say that the vinegar essence, although safe for skin and fabric, can harm the rubber parts of the shoe, such as heels or soles, so it is not very suitable for use after each sock. It is also not recommended to treat shoes with vinegar spraying for the same reason.

Tip

Given that you need to process all the pairs that you wore during the infection period, there can be no question of throwing all this stuff out. But it’s better to send socks to the trash, as most manufacturers of antifungal agents recommend.

Chlorhexidine

This tool is considered to be more gentle and suitable both for spraying shoes from the inside with a spray bottle, and for the method with a cotton swab, described on the example of vinegar essence. That's just to fight the fungus you need a 1% solution, which is sold in specialized medical stores, since the concentration of the active substance in pharmacy solutions (0.05%) is too low.

Chlorhexidine is suitable for frequent disinfection of shoes and has no smell at all, which will reduce the time of ventilation and drying. An excellent tool for use throughout the course of treatment.

Tip

The importance of preventive disinfection should not be underestimated, because it will help to prevent re-infection and protect your family from fungus. Use one of these products at least once a season or twice a year for shoes that you wear year-round.

Miramistin

Miramistin is also suitable for use after each sock and has no destructive effect on shoes. The recommended method of use is slightly different from previous means: instead of placing it in an airtight bag, shoes are simply wiped from the inside with a cotton moistened with 0.1% solution and allowed to dry, although to enhance the effect, it is quite possible to place the shoes in an airtight package. You can also pour the product into a container with a spray bottle and spray the shoes from the inside: so you do not have to directly contact the fungal propagation medium.

The only drawback is the price of the product, and for daily disinfection throughout the treatment, as well as for prevention, it will require quite a lot.

Tip

To enhance the effect, it is recommended to process the laces and insoles separately, regardless of the means you have chosen. In this case, it is the insoles that should be given special attention: be sure to wipe them on both sides. It will be useful to even soak them in the selected solution for several hours.

Formidron or 15% formalin solution

This tool not only has a strong antifungal effect, but also helps to get rid of unpleasant odors due to the deodorizing effect. Many people note the specific smell of the solution, but for the sake of the result it is quite possible to tolerate it, especially since it disappears quickly enough.

The method of application is the same: you process the insoles and shoes with a solution from the inside, without even missing hard-to-reach places and seams, put the pair in an airtight container for a period of 24 hours, then dry and ventilate. By the way, it is better to put the bag in a warm place, since in the heat the force of action of any of these substances will be higher.

Tip

Disinfection of shoes with the help of pharmacological agents can be supplemented with the use of ultraviolet drying of any brand. Moreover, for the prevention of fungus, its use is often quite sufficient. Dry your shoes after each sock for 8-12 hours, and the chances of the fungus to breed will be minimized.

"Mikostop" or "Gorosten"

If the tips on how to sanitize shoes using multifunctional products do not seem effective enough to you, try more narrowly targeted products, such as Mikostop or Gorosten sprays. It is used only to combat fungus and is also very convenient to use.

• Spray generously inside the shoe.
• Let it dry well.
• Repeat for 3-5 days.

Note that the instructions for using the funds do not say anything about putting shoes in a bag or plastic container, but such a measure will not hinder and only enhance the effect of active substances, being a universal way of processing for most drugs and folk remedies.

Tip

In seasonal shoes, for storage, you can put a cotton swab slightly moistened with essential oils of cloves and any coniferous tree: they have a light antiseptic effect that will not harm the material.

Forgetting the fungus forever is real: just supplement the main course of treatment with these simple shoe disinfection procedures, and you can again wear open sandals without hesitation, flaunting an impeccable pedicure!