Throw a rock anywhere and you’re bound to hit three to five sneakerheads (even self-proclaimed ones). If there’s one thing sneakerheads suffer the most, is the yellowing, the filth from usage, and crumbling of their beloved pairs, but fret no longer because we are here to introduce you a few steps on how to take care of your sneakers to make sure they look clean all the time. Let’s begin!
1. ZipLock Bags
Malaysia is humid, and this humidity affects your sneakers by causing your rubber midsoles to oxidize, turning it yellow. By storing your sneakers in ziplock bags, you can reduce the exposure to humidity of your sneakers. However, you will need to air them out once in a while though or else, risk crumbling after keeping it out of its elements.
2. Air Dehumidifier
When it comes to storing sneakers in Malaysia, it will almost always relate back to humidity (near the Equator problems). If you have an electronic air dehumidifier, its time to put it to good use to preserve all your expensive heat. Another one which is more affordable that you could use is none other than our favourite animal, the Thirsty Hippo (not a paid advertisement). It is sufficient and definitely wallet-friendly, so start raiding your supermarkets to get yours before your sneakers change colorways or even turns into powder.
3. Storage Place
Finding space to store your sneakers is difficult enough but many people tend to neglect certain factors which will eventually damage your sneakers if stored in the wrong area. Sneakerheads should avoid storing their sneakers where sunlight enters the space as it will heat up the gum indirectly and cause sole separation, discoloration, yellowing and even crumbling to sneakers. The space sneakers are stored should also be at room temperature or cooler as high temperature will cause the glue which holds your shoes together to melt and cause the uppers to separate from the midsole. Another tip which may be useful is to keep your pairs in a dark, cool room. Time to relocate the sneakers in the house.
4. Paper
One fact that most would be surprised to hear is that the paper that comes along with your original packaging is one of the main reason why your sneaker’s midsole yellows. The paper that comes along with the sneakers is slightly acidic and when stored for a long period of time, the midsole starts to oxidize causing it to turn yellow. An alternative method to store your sneakers would be to store them in plastic containers with lids without the risk of oxidisation to your treasured sneakers.
5. Water-Repellent Sprays
The weather in Malaysia is unpredictable, we may wake up to a bright, sunny day only to end the day with torrential rain pouring down on us. To keep your sneakers clean and dry, we highly suggest sneakerheads to use water-repellent sprays such as Crep Protect (other brands are fine as well) on their sneakers unless your sneakers are made of leather (Air Jordan 1). Imagine getting caught in the rain in your favorite shoes, storing them in their boxes, and the next time you lift the lid of your shoe box, you are greeted with mold on your sneakers. In this case, prevention is better than cure, because it’s incredibly difficult to get mold off of your sneakers than to not have them altogether.
6. Wearing Your Sneakers
We know keeping your treasured sneakers crispy and clean is a priority but this method applies to any sneakerheads who collect Nike, Air Jordans, New Balance, Saucony and more. Sneakers are meant to be worn afterall, and wearing them every now and then will actually lengthen their lifespan considerably. A deadstock pair of Air Max is more likely to crumble compared to a used pair. Try it out yourself if you’re patient enough.
7. Cleaning
Lastly, before storing your used sneakers in their boxes, make sure to clean them. The dirt from the roads, walkways and more may contribute to speeding up the deterioration of your sneakers (yellowing, molding, bad smell, etc). There are plenty of sneaker cleaner brands out there which you may want to consider (Jason Markk, Crep Protect, etc) or you could even use normal dish soap to clean your midsoles and outsoles. Remember to always air dry your sneakers after cleaning to prevent any molding.
And there you have it! I hope these tips will help you in taking care of your beloved heat, and always remember to take them out for a spin!
