How to Waterproof Your Shoes

by sbminniear55 in Living > Life Hacks

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How to Waterproof Your Shoes

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  • THIS WORKS ONLY FOR CANVAS SHOES
  • MAKE SURE SHOES ARE CLEAN BEFORE APPLICATION
    • If there is dirt present the wax will not adhere to the fabric of the shoe properly
    • Cleaning shoes after application is extremely difficult
  • MAKE SURE THE LACES HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SHOE
  • SOME ELECTRONIC APPLIANCES ARE NECESSARY

Gather Your Supplies

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  1. Taper Candles
    • 10 in. white candle stick
  2. ANY Canvas Shoe w/o laces
    • Converse, Vans, Keds, etc.
  3. Hair Dryer w/ high heat setting
  4. Paper Towels
  5. Old towel OR newspaper

Prep Work Area

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  • Place an old towel or newspaper down to prevent any messes throughout this process.

Check the Shoe(s)

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  • Make sure that the shoe is dry, clean, and the laces are removed.

Prep the Shoe(s)

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  • Tightly pack paper towels into the shoe for support.

Remove Plastic From Candle

  • Remove the plastic from the candle before applying to the shoe

Apply Wax to Shoe(s) WITH FORCE

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  • “Color” the shoe with the candle stick
  • Apply forcefully

Apply Until a White/Waxy Coat Appears

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  • If there are still dark spots on the shoe then reapply the wax harder to those areas.
  • Make sure the ENTIRE shoe has a thick layer of wax.

Set Hair Dryer to High Heat

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  • If the hair dryer is on low heat then the wax will take longer to soak into the fabric.

Apply Heat to the Shoe(s)

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  • Wave the hair dryer back and forth along the entire shoe slowly.

Apply Heat Until the Wax Disappears

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  • If the wax appearance is still on the surface of the shoe, you haven't applied enough heat.

Let Shoe(s) Cool Off

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  • Let the shoe cool off for 1-2 minutes before performing the next step

Test Your Results!

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  • Slowly pour water on the shoe to test if the shoe is waterproof or not!

Repeat IF NECESSARY

  • If the shoe is not waterproof, allow the shoe to dry.
    • Air-dry
    • Apply Heat with hair dryer
  • Repeat steps 2-9.