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The Covid-19 coronavirus can attach itself to shoes and remain infectious for several hours or days. So, it is better to keep your footwear outside your house during these pandemic conditions.
But, in case you need to take them inside, you should get them disinfected.
Mr Ambud Sharma, founder and CEO of New Delhi-based Escaro Royale, which makes premium leather shoes, explains how this works.
"Cleanliness is a vital factor when it comes to combating the spread of the coronvirus," he said. "Therefore, it's important to keep your shoes disinfected.
"We are used to spraying cleansers on trainers or sneakers, but this simply isn't an option when attempting to sanitise your pure leather shoes and luxury footwear.
"This needs to be done delicately. You have to kill the germs and bacteria with the help of a suitable chemical or cleaner."
He suggested the following steps. Clean thoroughly Always remember to clean your shoes before disinfecting them. Get rid of the dirt and grime from the soles and sides with disposable wipes.
This will also remove bad odour.
The wipes are also great for shining the shoes and removing scuff marks. Aerosol disinfectant Use an aerosol disinfectant meant for fabrics. It has a lower content of chemicals such as bleach.
Do not use a manual pump spray as the application won't be uniform.
Allow shoes to dry After applying the disinfectant, let the shoes dry at room temperature in a clean environment with no sunlight.
If you have leather and suede shoes, clean them using a suede eraser. You can also use leather cleaners.
Don't leave them wet Wet shoes are more prone to collecting bacteria. So it's important to dry your shoes properly.
The best option is to let them dry naturally. But if you want to speed up the process, stuff them with tissue or newspaper to absorb the moisture.
If you're using newspaper, try to avoid sheets with lots of dark ink or pictures, as the ink could bleed into your shoes.
Always use gloves Do not forget to wear gloves when disinfecting your shoes as chemicals are involved. Throw away the gloves immediately after use. Reusable gloves must be stored in a separate laundry basket.
Never wear leather shoes to a place which is likely to be contaminated.
Indo-Asian News Service
