How to Wash Your Shoes If You Stepped in Dog Feces

Perhaps everyone knows how unpleasant it is to be in a situation when you walk in a park in your new white sneakers and step right in dog feces. This is when you can’t enjoy the walk anymore and all you can think of is how to clean the shoes.

5-Minute Crafts is going to tell you how to clean your shoes from dog feces quickly and easily.

Water hose

If you have a house and a lawn where you can use a hose, cleaning your shoes from dog feces should be fairly easy.

• Take off your shoes and put them on a surface you won’t have to clean later. For example, the lawn.
• Take a hose, turn the water on, and adjust the stream.
• Direct the water on the shoes to remove the feces.
• You can use a stick or any other tool for scrubbing for better results.
• Put the shoes far from you and turn the water on to remove the remains.
• If there’s some left, use a shoe brush to scrape off the rest.

This method is great for different types of shoes, including sneakers, sandals, boots, flip-flops, and so on. But you should be careful with leather and suede shoes.

Sun drying

Cleaning off fresh dog feces is not an easy task. Try drying them first.

• Find a spot where there’s direct sunlight.
• Turn the shoes upside down and leave them there. The sunlight should be directed right onto the soles for the feces to dry as fast as possible.
• Take a long object, for example, a wooden toothpick.
• Using the toothpick, remove the dog feces from the soles.
• You can remove the feces just by pounding the shoe on a solid surface, like a brick wall.
• Wash the shoes with water and soft soap using a brush.

Freezing

Freezing is a good alternative to drying. Frozen feces are easier to remove than fresh ones. Do the following things:

• Put the shoes in 1 or 2 plastic bags.
• Make sure the bags are sealed.
• Remove everything from the freezer and put the shoes in.
• Wait for the feces to freeze.
• Take a sharp object and clean the feces from the soles. You can use a stick or an old table knife. Do it fast before the feces defrost.
• Wash the shoes under water and use an antibacterial wipe.
• Dry the shoes in fresh air.

WD-40 spray

You can use a WD-40 spray can to deal with dog feces. WD-40 is a multi-purpose water-displacing spray that usually acts as a lubricant, moisture displacer, and rust preventative. You can buy it in a specialized store or online.

You will need very little water and no soap at all. This method is great for most types of shoes, such as sneakers and boots. Don’t use it for suede.

Do the following steps to clean your shoes with WD-40:

• Take off the shoes.
• Take a scraper or paper towels and scrape off the top layer of the feces.
• Put WD-40 on the rest of the feces.
• Take an old toothbrush and remove the feces.
• Wash the shoes with a bit of water.

Washing machine

A washing machine will clean almost any shoes except suede and leather. You will be able to remove the dog feces without getting your hands dirty.

Do the following steps:

• Remove as much of the feces as possible using paper, brush, or a stick.
• Take out the laces.
• Put the dirty shoes into the washing machine.
• Set the right mode. Don’t use hot wash: it may ruin the shoes.
• Add the gel and turn the machine on.
• After washing, let the shoes dry. Don’t use a drier because it may ruin the shoes.

Toothbrush

If you stepped in dog feces and you have not time to wait for them to freeze or dry, use an old toothbrush. You will also need warm water and soft soap.

• Scrape off the excess dog feces using grass, a stick, or a paper towel.
• Get a container of warm water and soap.
• Wash the shoes.
• Take an old toothbrush and clean the shoes.

A toothbrush is great for removing feces. It can reach the most inaccessible areas, for example the place where the top of the shoe connects to the sole.

This method is perfect for most types of shoes, aside from those made from suede and leather.

How to get rid of the unpleasant smell of dog feces

Sometimes, the unpleasant smell remain even after you’ve removed the visible dirt. There are several ways to battle it.

• Baking soda. Fill a bag with soda, put the shoes into it and tie it. Several hours will make the smell disappear.
• Activated charcoal. Put the shoes next to a bag with activated charcoal. The smell with go away in several days.
• Odor remover. It’s a special solution that contains the enzymes that will remove the smell.

Dry the shoes in fresh air to make sure the bad smell doesn’t appear.

Important! Always wear gloves when cleaning shoes. Dog feces may be dangerous to your health.