SORABYCO | Life in Japan

Living in Japan has made me pay much more attention to humidity than I used to. One rainy day doesn't bother me much. But when the rain keeps coming for several days, our genkan starts to feel damp. Shoes take longer to dry, and eventually I start wondering what is happening inside the shoe cabinet. That happened again recently. I opened all the shoe cabinet doors because keeping everything shut didn't seem like a good idea. Then I wondered: Should I really leave the shoe cabinet open while it is still raining outside? The simple answer is yes, opening it can help when the inside feels damp—but you don't need to leave it open for the entire rainy spell. When the rain keeps coming, I open the cabinet to let air move through it and also try to reduce the humidity indoors. Wet shoes stay out until they are dry. Once the cabinet and the shoes inside feel dry again, I close the doors. What to Do With a Shoe Cabinet When It Keeps Raining If you want the quick version, these are t...

I thought the rain would finally calm down after the typhoon passed. Instead, I went out in much heavier rain than I expected and came home with completely soaked sneakers. My socks were wet, and the inside of the shoes felt damp all the way to the toes. Standing in the genkan, I wondered: Do I need to wash soaked sneakers, or can I just dry them? The short answer is: you do not necessarily need to wash sneakers just because they got wet in the rain. If they are soaked but not muddy or noticeably dirty, start by removing as much moisture as possible and drying them thoroughly in a shaded place with good airflow. If you walked through muddy water, the inside is dirty, or the shoes smell unpleasant, check the material and the manufacturer's care instructions before washing them. A simple way to decide is: Mostly wet → dry them well Muddy or dirty → check the care instructions before washing Should You Wash Sneakers After They Get Soaked in the Rain? Before washing anything, look at h...