Caught in the rain, stepped in a puddle, or just finished a muddy football match? Wet shoes are annoying, and the quick fixes most of us reach for can do more harm than good. Here's how to dry shoes as fast as possible while keeping them in good shape, plus the methods you're better off avoiding.
The short answer: take out the insoles, open the shoes up wide, remove as much water as you can with a towel, and dry them from the inside with gentle, steady warmth and airflow. A radiator, tumble dryer or hair dryer may feel faster, but too much heat softens the glue, warps the soles and makes leather crack.
Step 1: Get the worst of the water out
- Remove the insoles and loosen or remove the laces. Insoles hold a lot of water and dry much faster on their own.
- Open the shoe up as wide as it goes, so air can reach the inside.
- Press out the water with a dry towel. Push a towel into the toe and heel, squeeze, and repeat with a dry part of the towel. Don't wring or twist the shoe.
- Wipe off mud from the outside. Dried mud traps moisture and is harder to remove later.
Step 2: Choose a drying method
Option A: An electric shoe dryer (fastest safe option)
An electric shoe dryer sits inside the shoe and dries it from the inside out with warm air. Because the warmth is gentle and constant, it's safe for leather, glue and foam. With a ShoeDry Airo, most shoes are dry in about 2 hours at 40–45 °C, and the built-in timer switches it off by itself, so you can use it overnight. The Airo models also use ion technology (a built-in ionizer, like in many air conditioners) that neutralises sweat odours while your shoes dry.
Best for: anyone who regularly deals with wet trainers, football boots, work boots or school shoes.
Option B: Air-dry with airflow (free, but slow)
Put the shoes (and insoles) in a warm, well-ventilated room, not directly on a heater. Stand them heel-down so water can run out of the toe. A fan pointed at the open shoes helps a lot.
How long: thoroughly wet shoes can easily take 12 to 24 hours or more, especially thick boots.
Option C: Newspaper or paper towels (better than nothing)
Stuff the shoes loosely with newspaper or kitchen roll and replace it every hour or two as it gets damp. It draws out moisture, but it's slow, and old newspaper ink can stain light-coloured linings.
How long: often a day or more for soaked shoes.
Methods to avoid
Can you put trainers in the tumble dryer?
It's best not to. The high heat can soften the glue that holds the sole to the upper, warp foam midsoles and shrink some materials, and the tumbling knocks the shoes (and your dryer) around. Some fabric trainers survive a low-heat cycle, but check the care label first, and never do it with leather, suede or football boots.
Can you dry shoes on the radiator?
Direct heat from a radiator, heater or open fire is one of the most common ways shoes get damaged. Leather dries out and cracks, glue lets go, and soles can deform. If you use a radiator at all, keep the shoes near it rather than on it, and only for a short time.
Can you use a hair dryer?
A hair dryer gives very concentrated heat in one spot. That can damage the glue and materials, and leaving a hair dryer running unattended inside a shoe is a fire risk. Use it on a cool setting at most, and never leave it on its own.
What about rice or the oven?
Rice is a myth for shoes: it absorbs very little moisture from a shoe. The oven is a real risk to both your shoes and your kitchen. Skip both.
How to dry football boots
Football boots get soaked in sweat, rain and mud, often several times a week. After every match or training session:
- Knock off the mud and remove the insoles.
- Press out the water with a towel and loosen the laces fully.
- Dry them from the inside with gentle warmth. Never use a radiator, because the synthetic uppers and the glue around the studs don't cope well with high heat.
If you have more than one pair in the house, a two-pair shoe dryer dries them at the same time, along with shin pads or goalkeeper gloves.
How to dry trainers quickly after washing
Washed your trainers in the washing machine? Take them out straight away, remove the insoles, press out the water with a towel, then dry them at room temperature with airflow or with an electric shoe dryer. Don't put them in the tumble dryer or on the radiator: freshly washed trainers are at their weakest when they're soaked.
How to dry shoes overnight
Want dry shoes by the morning? Start as soon as you take them off:
- Remove the insoles and press out the water.
- Use an electric shoe dryer with a timer: switch it on before bed and it switches itself off.
- No shoe dryer? Put them in a warm, ventilated room with a fan, and stuff them with fresh newspaper before you go to bed.
Why drying your shoes quickly matters
Sweat itself hardly smells. The odour comes from bacteria that thrive in warm, damp shoes. The longer shoes stay wet, the more they smell, and the sooner the materials wear out. Drying your shoes after every use is the simplest way to keep them fresh and make them last longer, especially expensive running shoes and work boots.
Which ShoeDry suits you?
- Airo 1 pair: our best-seller for one pair of everyday shoes, trainers or boots.
- Airo 2 pair: two pairs at once, ideal for sporty families or ski boots and gloves.
- Airo Helmet: a helmet plus a pair of shoes or gloves. For motorcycle, ski, bike and riding helmets.
- Airo Travel: small enough for your bag, with UV light.
All Airo models fit shoe sizes 26 to 50 EU. Not sure which one you need? Compare all shoe dryers.
FAQ
How long does it take to dry wet shoes?
Air-drying soaked shoes can take 12 to 24 hours or more. With an electric shoe dryer like the ShoeDry Airo, most shoes are dry in about 2 hours.
What is the fastest way to dry shoes without damaging them?
Remove the insoles, press out the water with a towel, and dry the shoes from the inside with gentle, steady warmth, for example with an electric shoe dryer at 40–45 °C.
Can I put my shoes in the tumble dryer?
It's best not to. High heat and tumbling can loosen the glue, warp the soles and damage leather. Check the care label, and never tumble-dry leather, suede or football boots.
Is it bad to dry shoes on the radiator?
Yes, direct heat can make leather crack, soften the glue and deform the soles. Keep shoes near a heater rather than on it, or use a shoe dryer with a controlled temperature.
Does newspaper really dry shoes?
It helps, but slowly. Replace the paper every hour or two, and expect soaked shoes to take a day or more.