How to Store Your Summer Shoes for the Off-Season

A Simple Guide to Keeping Sandals and Warm-Weather Shoes in Top Shape Until Summer Comes Back Around

Summer shoes take on a different kind of wear than boots — sand, sweat, sunscreen, pool water, and long stretches in the sun all leave their mark. How you pack sandals and lightweight shoes away for the off-season determines whether they come back out next year ready to wear, or stiff, faded, and falling apart. A little prep now saves a lot of frustration later.

Clean Every Pair Before You Store Them

This is the step people skip most often, and it’s the one that matters most. Storing sandals with sand, sweat, sunscreen, or chlorine residue still on them gives stains and material breakdown all off-season to set in undisturbed.

• Rinse off sand, salt, and pool or lake water completely — residue left in straps and footbeds can degrade materials and cause odor over months of storage.
• Wipe away sunscreen and lotion residue, which can discolor light-colored straps and footbeds if left to set in.
• Clean according to material: leather straps do best with a damp cloth and conditioner, canvas can typically be spot-cleaned or machine washed depending on the shoe, and rubber or foam soles just need soap and water.
• Let shoes dry completely before packing them away — anything stored even slightly damp is prone to mildew and odor by the time next summer rolls around.

For a more in-depth guide to proper cleaning techniques, check out our blog: How to Clean Your Shoes The Right Way!

Help Them Hold Their Shape

Sandals and lightweight summer shoes are often more flexible than boots, which makes them easy to store — but that same flexibility means straps and footbeds can crease or warp if packed incorrectly.

• Avoid stacking heavy items on top of sandals, which can bend footbeds or crease straps permanently over a long off-season.
• Buckle or fasten straps before storing rather than leaving them loose, so they hold their natural shape.
• Store espadrilles and canvas shoes with stuffing — acid-free tissue paper helps them hold their shape the way shoe trees do for firmer shoes.

Choose the Right Storage Environment

Where you store summer shoes for the next several months matters as much as how you prepare them going in.

• Keep sandals out of direct sunlight for extended periods — UV exposure is one of the fastest ways to fade colored straps and dry out leather.
• Avoid attics and garages if they’re prone to extreme heat or humidity swings, both of which can warp foam soles and degrade adhesives over a long off-season.
• Store in a cool, dry space — a closet shelf or an under-bed storage box in a climate-controlled area works well.
• Use breathable storage for leather sandals rather than fully sealed plastic bins. Rubber, foam, and synthetic sandals handle sealed plastic just fine.

Control Moisture and Odor

Sandals worn barefoot all summer tend to hold onto foot odor more than closed shoes do, and anything stored damp can develop a musty smell over the off-season.

• Silica gel packets tucked into footwear absorb residual moisture through storage.
• Baking soda sachets are an easy, low-cost way to neutralize odor in sandals and water shoes before they’re packed away.
• Make sure water shoes and pool sandals are fully dry before storing — these are especially prone to mildew since they’re designed to get wet in the first place.

Keep Them Organized and Accessible

Storage isn’t just about protection — it’s about not losing track of what you have or where it is when warm weather rolls back around.

• Store pairs together with straps fastened so they don’t separate or shift inside a bin.
• Label storage boxes by shoe type or household member so you’re not digging through every bin on the first warm day of the year.
• Photograph contents if you’re storing several pairs in opaque bins — a quick photo taped to the lid saves time later.

A Quick Summer Shoe Storage Checklist

Why Buy Yours From Brown’s Shoe Fit Co.?

With 73 locally owned and operated locations across the Midwest, Brown’s Shoe Fit Co. has been a trusted name in footwear since 1911. Known for our personalized service and commitment to quality, Brown’s Shoe Fit is the go-to destination for comfortable, quality footwear for all ages. Each of our stores offers a footwear selection unique to the needs of our communities, with a knowledgeable staff trained to give every customer the best fit possible. To learn more about us, visit brownsshoefitco.com or find a store near you!