If you are fortunate enough to own shoes that are nice enough for an evening affair, then there’s nothing worse than exchanging them for your comfy flats. This is where an icebox shoe holder can come in handy. You can keep your evening shoes frozen with this simple DIY project, and right at the ready if you need them later.
If you’ve ever wanted to make your own ice box, the problem is you don’t know how! This article will teach you everything about making an ice box using ultraviolet light and a fan.
What Is A Shoe Ice Box?
A shoe ice box is inexpensive and easy to make using ultraviolet light and fan. The name comes from the fact that people used to use these boxes in the old days when shoes were common. Now, almost all people wear closed shoes (boots or sneakers) instead of sandals or flip flops. If you use this shoe ice box on your opened shoes, it will keep them fresh for weeks!
How To Make A Shoe Ice Box?
Here is tutorial help you make a shoe ice box step by step:
Step1
Cut the carton box so that it is the size of your shoe. This may vary depending on what kind of shoe you have.
Step 2
Make holes for the UV light and fan and tape them down to the cardboard.
Step 3
Put aluminum foil under UV light and fan. The reason for this is that if you leave it without aluminum foil, then the cardboard could catch fire from the heat coming from both sources (UV light and fan). I recommend that you use a larger piece of aluminum foil (about 3-5 inches bigger than your shoe) to give more room for error.
Step 4
Put your shoes in the cardboard box.
Step 5
Close the box, but leave an opening for the fan and UV light to go through.
Step 6
Put tape on top of where you’re going to put your shoe so that it doesn’t slide out during transit.
Step 7
Put your ice box in a dark place where it won’t be disturbed too much. This is optional, but if you want to make it faster, don’t put it in a place that’s exposed directly to sunlight because it will make your ice box melt faster.
Step 8
Turn on the fan and turn on the UV light for about 30 minutes, then turn off both sources for about 30 minutes or until there are no more cracks of light coming through.
What Do You Need?
To make an ice box, you will need:
- Carton (the kind that is used for transporting things) – You can find this in most stores that sell things in boxes. You can choose the size you want based on how big your shoe is.
- UV light – these are pretty much available anywhere, and they aren’t very expensive.
- Fan (the bigger the fan, the better)- If you use a small fan it will take longer to cool down.
- Wooden or metal box to put everything inside (optional, but it is recommended that you have something that doesn’t conduct electricity around the UV light because it could cause a fire).
- Scissors or a knife.
- Aluminum foil – this is optional, but it is needed if you want your ice box to have a shiny surface.
- Tape – if you don’t have a wooden or metal box, then you will need a piece of tape that is long enough to connect the UV light and the fan.
- Work glove – If you’re going to be handling cardboard with your bare hands, then I recommend that you wear some kind of work glove or band aid because cardboard can cut or bruise your fingers.
- Shoes – Any type of shoes will do as long as it can fit inside the carton box. Usually sneakers are best because they are flat and wide at the bottom.
Why Do You Need a Shoe Ice Box?
An ice box is very good for storing things, especially when the weather is hot. Open shoes are great for summer or tropical climates, but if you live somewhere with cold winters, there’s no point in keeping your shoes worn through the summer in the same shape throughout the winter. If you have a shoe ice box, you can keep your open shoes in almost the same condition for months.
The best thing about a shoe ice box is that anyone can make one at home for a small amount of money. If you have an old fan and some other things lying around, you probably have enough to make one too.
FAQs
How long do you leave shoes in ice box?
A week is the minimum, and 4 to 6 weeks is recommended. Always leave more than you think you need, as some shoes will take longer than others to reach their optimal level of preservation.
How long does it take for shoes to be disinfected and deodorized?
It usually takes at least a week for shoes to reach their state of optimal preservation. Shoes depend on many different factors such as the condition they were in when put into storage, how often they were worn prior to storage and more. Therefore we cannot predict how long it will take the shoes you send us to reach their optimal state of preservation.
How do I ice my shoes?
Always start with clean, dry, odorless shoes. Line the inside of the box with a garbage bag to make cleanup easier. Use a layer of newspaper followed by a layer of ice to cover the bottom and part way up each side of the box. Put your shoes inside and close the lid tightly. Now place a newspaper/ice combination on top of the shoe box and close it tightly. You can put a board or something similar on top so that the lid is even more secure.
Can you use sole bright without sun?
Soles bright is just that, treatments for the shoes sole. It is impossible to provide the same level of degradation as UV light on a shoe. Soles bright can be helpful to remove scratches and dents on the soles of shoes, as it is applied more on the surface of shoes than in their interior or core. When it comes to the degradation of leather shoes we only do soles bright and allow them to sit under fluorescent which has been proven to achieve better results than Soles Bright alone. Just like with any leather products we recommend you use both (Soles Bright and UV) for best results