Learning how to prevent mold on shoes in closet allows you to save your beloved footwear from the odor and damage caused by fungi. The methods of prevention, which includes using silica gel packets and acid-free tissues, all involve reducing the moisture and humidity around the shoes.
When it comes to mold, prevention is better, easier, and cheaper than treatment and repairs. Continue reading to learn everything you need to keep mold and mildew away from your shoes.
Tips On How To Keep Away Mold From Shoe Closet
In preventing harmful mold in general, you must keep humidity and temperature under control. With that said, here is a list of everything you can do to maintain cleanliness and control moisture around your shoe closet.
Tip #1. Clean shoes before storing them
The easiest way to prevent mold in your footwear is to clean your shoes before you even place them in storage. By simply brushing your shoes with a non-scratchy brush, you can remove dirt, dust, and mold spores that may be attached to your shoes.
It would also help if you cleaned and dried your wet shoes before placing them in your closet. Place the soaked shoes in a dry, well-ventilated area until all the moisture evaporates.
Once the shoes are dry, you can clean them just like before. In doing so, you prevent your shoes from growing mold and affecting every other pair you have stored in your closet.
Tip #2. Use silica gel packets
Silica gel packets enjoy widespread use because they are highly effective at absorbing and holding moisture. You can find these little packets in the boxes of newly-bought shoes because they limit moisture and prevent the growth of mold.
By putting silica gel packets inside your shoes and in your closet, you can control the humidity inside your closet and prevent a mold outbreak.
Tip #3. Use acid-free tissues
Another item you can find in the boxes of newly-purchased shoes is acid-free tissue papers. These papers serve to control moisture levels in the box and keep the shoes from damage.
With that said, you can wrap these tissues around your footwear before keeping them inside your closet to help control the humidity of your containers.
Tip #4. Avoid using plastic covers
Plastic covers are useful and reliable storage materials, but they can be harmful when used with footwear. Plastic and plastic covers can trap moisture which can encourage the development of mold and unpleasant odors in your footwear.
Tip #5. Store your shoes in the right place
All your cleaning and preparation will be futile if you store your shoes in a dirty, damp closet. A humid environment is conducive to mold growth, brittles leather, weakens shoe adhesives, and damages fabrics.
To prevent harming your footwear, make sure your shoe closet, rack, or any storage area is high-quality, moisture-resistant, and well-ventilated to reduce the chances of mold developing. It would also help to keep your shoe closet away from possible sources of moisture, such as pipes and windows.
It would be best to empty out your shoe closet and clean it thoroughly on occasion. Doing so would remove accumulated dirt, dust, and possibly even mold spores from your closet.
Tip #6. Keep your shoes away from dirty clothes and materials
Mold spreads through airborne spores that can attach themselves to anything in their hunt for a suitable place to grow. These spores can stick to your clothes, bag, and accessories.
To prevent mold spores from getting onto your shoes, keep your dirty clothes and items away from your closet and separate them from your clean clothes. This tip becomes even more important if your dirty clothes already have mold growth.
To prevent your mold-infested clothes from infecting everything else in your home, you have to clean the fungi out. To learn more, here is a helpful guide on how to remove mold from clothes with baking soda.
The process of removing mold from leather clothes is slightly different from other types of clothing. To help you out, you can check this article out to learn the easy steps on how to clean mold off leather effectively.
Tip #7. Install a light bulb in your closet
Although often unnecessary, installing a low-wattage light bulb can help prevent mold growth in your closet. The light bulb installed in your closet produces heat that helps keep your shoes dry.
When installing a low-wattage light bulb in your closet, remember to place it at a far enough distance away from flammable materials. Keep the light bulb at a safe distance from your shoes, as the heat produced may damage your footwear.
Conclusion
As the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.” Knowing how to prevent mold on shoes in closet can keep your footwear and other clothes safe from deterioration, unpleasant odors, and irreversible damage.
All it takes to keep mold from growing is to keep your shoes clean by brushing them before storage, using silica gel packets and acid-free tissues to keep them dry, and keeping your footwear in a tidy, well-ventilated closet away from dirty clothes.