Ingenious Hacks For Restoring Worn Sneakers To Their Former Glory

Personally, getting a new pair of sneakers that I love is one of the best feelings there is. I mean, I'm pretty thrifty with my money, so it's not an opportunity I allow myself all that much. A lot of time and effort goes into the decision-making process over whether or not I shell out a small fortune for a pair of kicks that have drawn my attention. I'll try them on and inspect the pair from every possible angle, I'll assess how comfortable and durable they seem and I'll most likely parade myself around the store to really get a feel for them.

And the moment I decide - after a very painstakingly thorough assessment - that they're the pair for me is always a thrilling one. I'll wear my new shoes as often as I can, for as long as I can.

Unfortunately, it's a fact we sort of have to accept that there always comes a time when that pristine look fades away and your beloved shoes end up looking worn. The fabric is a shell of its former self, the rubber soles are damaged and its whole appearance just looks, well, tired.

Credit: Getty

As sad it is to find yourself in such a situation, there is hope yet! If you want to turn back time and restore your shoes to their former glory, then you should follow this simple step. All you need to complete the step is one everyday household item you probably have lying in your bathroom somewhere.

And how do we know this for sure? Well, we have been provided with some pretty convincing evidence. Yes, Reddit user PartyxDirtyDan shared a before and after photo of his sneaker after using a hairdryer to help flatten the wrinkles on the foam part of the shoe.

Credit: Imgur

There is a clear difference between the appearance of the sneakers in the before and after photos. In the first couple of photos, the shoes appear wrinkly and worn but in the second, they look like a spanking brand new pair.

"Tried using a blowdryer on my Acronym Prestos after seeing the post about un-creasing NMD blocks. Worked great!" Dan wrote on the Reddit forum.

He then explained how he went about the simple process:

"When you do this make sure to heat spots for about a minute at a time and move on to another section," he added. "Switch off on the areas you work on to make sure you don't melt the glue on the outsole and upper."

Credit: YouTube / sneakers_timzwart

"I just did a few rounds on each spot and it turned out great." He also pointed out that the hairdryer definitely needs to be in the "hot" setting as the "phylon definitely needs to get hot enough to become a pliable foam."

"After you apply heat don't put your fingers on the hot areas until they have cooled down or you could leave an imprint," Dan posted. "It's a tedious process, but just be careful of where you put your hands and aim the blow dryer [carefully]."

Since he posted the hack, thousands have tried their hand at the trick, with overwhelmingly positive results. "Sh*t like this is why I love Reddit," one person posted.

"For it to work really well you're going to have to do this about 3-5 times on each spot. Wave the hair dryer back and forth a little so you don't overheat a singular point of the shoe," another person suggested.

A third user suggested this trick: "Use a damp towel over the creased area and then iron over it. I used to do this with Roshes WAY back."

And there are plenty more hacks where these came from - apparently Micellar water is perfect for tackling tough-to-remove stains.

"Micellar water has just took all the stains out my suede heels,'" user Kiera O'Hagan posted on her Twitter profile earlier this year, alongside four photos of her high-heeled shoes before and after. 'Everyone needs to try this,' she wrote.

Credit: Allure

Kiera said all she did was apply some micellar water to a cotton pad and rubbed at the stains before leaving to dry. She used a bottle of Garnier micellar water, which is selling for just $13.99 for 400ml. Kiera added that the method also works with suede sneakers, and another user posted a before-and-after photo of a pair of Vans which had been cleared up by using the product.

Will you be trying any of these hacks in the future? They might just save you from having to get an entirely new pair!