You’ve just gotten your new puppy home, and it’s been a lot of fun so far. They’re a cute little bundle of energy who can’t seem to do anything wrong until you step right into their poop!
We’ve all been there, and it’s one of the most inconvenient aspects of owning a dog. If you tread in someone else’s dog’s excrement, the annoyance is amplified.
The bottoms of most shoes feature ridges that can be difficult to clean thoroughly.
I know this is something that has happened to you before. You’re out with your dog and they poop, but you don’t have anything to clean it off of the sidewalk or grass. It’s gross and annoying! Here are some tips on how to clean dog poop off shoes?
Tips to Clean Dog Poop Off Shoes:
How to clean dog poop off shoes? First, there are a few different types of shoes that you may have been wearing while your puppy pooped. Your shoe could be made from a smooth leather-like material, the kind with a pattern on them, or even a mesh-styled material. Whatever it is you can still try these methods to clean dog poop off shoes.
It is probably easiest to start with whatever you can do without removing your shoe. If you wipe the bottom of your shoe down in one direction, that would be the best choice. You want to remove as much of the faeces that have stuck on there before moving on to applying cleaners or scrubbing it in.
If you can take your shoe off, it may be easier to clean the bottom of the shoe thoroughly. If you wear shoes every day as I do, this might not be worth it because you’d have to wash them more than once a week. It just depends on how much time and effort you want to put into cleaning dog poop off.
Remove the Shoe and Shake it Off:
If you can take your shoe off, try to shake it a bit over a trashcan. If the poop falls out then that’s great, but don’t worry too much if not all of it does.
Wipe the Bottom of the Shoes:
You’ll need paper towels or something else you can use as an absorbent. In this case, your hands are the best tool to use. You want to wipe all the faeces off of the shoe, but it is okay if some of it sticks because you’re going to be washing it later anyways.
You can pour water over the shoes to rinse them off but only do this with mesh-type materials or leather-like shoes that won’t get ruined by a small amount of water.
Spray the Bottom of Your Shoes:
You can use a shoe-cleaning spray meant for this purpose, or you could use some other type of cleaning solution like soap with water. If you don’t have anything else make sure to clean the shoes with warm soapy water either way before moving on to the next step.
Another alternative is a towel or rag with a bit of disinfectant, but it’s probably not going to be as effective as cleaning them first and spraying them with a solution that can kill anything harmful.
Rub your Shoes on Grass:
If you’re out of options, this might help. Another thing you could do is rub the bottom of your shoes on the grass and then clean them off like normal. It is better to do this before spraying them with a cleaning solution, but you could go back and forth if they’re still dirty after attempting one method.
Scrub the Area with Soap and Water or a Disinfectant:
Make sure to scrub the bottom of your shoe off very well, but this time with soap and water or a disinfectant. This is where you really want to make sure that all of the mess gets removed from your shoes.
You can use a brush if you have one for this purpose, but it’s not necessary. A rag could probably work well, but it would be better with a scrubbing brush.
Rinse Thoroughly to Remove all Traces of Soap or Cleaner:
Once you have finished scrubbing, rinse your shoes thoroughly with water. Once all soap or cleaner has been removed, it is safe to put your shoes back on your feet unless they are mesh-type materials.
Do not use Bleach or any Cleaning Solution that Contains Bleach:
Bleach will ruin the material of most types of shoes, so do not use it. If you do end up using bleach, make sure to rinse the shoes several times with water afterwards. You can use any of these methods or combine them for the best results.
Place in the Sun For at Least Two Hours to kill any Remaining Bacteria:
If it’s a sunny day out, leave your shoes outside in the sun for at least two hours before wearing them again. The UV rays will kill any remaining bacteria and make your shoe cleaner than it was before you had to clean dog poop off of it!
There might be something that smells like dog poop on your shoe still but doesn’t worry too much about it because the odor will eventually go away. The sun should get rid of any lingering odours on your shoe from dog poop.
Wipe Dry With a Clean Towel, Then Place Back on Foot:
When your shoes are done drying, use a clean towel to wipe them dry. This will get rid of any excess water and make it easier for you to put the shoe back on your feet without having to reach inside the shoe to take it off. Make sure that there is no water left or it could make your feet wet after putting on the shoe.
Clean your Hands after Cleaning your Shoes:
The most important thing to remember is to clean your hands after cleaning your shoes. You don’t want to have poop under your nails or inside of your own shoes, so make sure to thoroughly wash off any dog poop before touching anything else.
