Some of our favourite styles include a hook and loop fastening, which is also known colloquially by the brand name ‘Velcro’. We sometimes refer to these fastenings as ‘rip-tape’.
This handy fastening is used across our collection from first walking styles for intrepid little fingers to pre-school, primary school styles and trainers for little ones who want to be able to put their shoes on and take them off again independently.
The rougher ‘hook’ side of the fastener is designed with lots of tiny hooks to have a strong affinity with the other ‘fuzzy’ side. This means that when the hooks attach to the fuzzier looped side, the two parts bond well together, helping to hold the shoe firmly in place. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the ‘hook’ side it will attract bits of dirt such as mud, dust, loose hair and lint from clothing and carpet. This can make the fastening look tired and messy and interfere with how well it can fasten to its ‘fuzzy’ partner side. It’s a good idea to keep the hook side as clean as possible so that the fastening continues to hold well and keep the shoes secure on your little one’s feet.
You can find a variety of useful tools around the home to help you keep your hook and loop fastenings clean and operational. The rougher, hook side will collect the most dirt. The fuzzy side is unlikely to need to be cleaned as often, but it’s still worth keeping an eye on it to check for debris and keep it in good condition.
Rub with a toothbrush:
This method is probably the easiest and certainly quite satisfying! The toothbrush bristles will work through the tiny hooks and pick up any unwanted debris. Take short, quite firm strokes to ensure that the bristles are working their way right into the root of the hooks. This will loosen the dirt and you will be able to collect it up with your fingers or shake it out onto the ground. We recommend doing this outside or somewhere you don’t mind getting messy, as bits of dirt can fall unpredictably and it’s not always possible to catch it easily..
Collect the fluff with sticky tape:
If your child has managed to accumulate lots of fluff then some quality sticky tape can help to remove it. Simply wrap the tape into a loop, sticky side out, around your finger, then tap it on the rip-tape to pick up and loosen fluff and fibres. The tape will not damage or attach to the tiny hooks. You can also use this method to clean the ‘fuzzy’ side of the loop.
Use a clothes lint roller:
A good sticky lint roller can work in much the same way as sticky tape, but this usually works best when the hook and loop fastener is laid out on a flat surface and held firmly in place. Simply roll from one end of the hook and loop fastener to the other as many times as you need to remove all the fluff.
Collect the dirt with a fine-toothed comb:
Simply hold the comb on a slight angle to the hook fastening and brush it. This will loosen debris and you can then remove it with your fingers. If you don’t have a comb to hand, then there are a variety of other suitable objects around the home that can work just as well, such as hairbrushes, pins or needles. We have even heard someone recommend the serrated metal strip on a tape dispenser!
Simply tweeze the hairs and dirt:
If you have tried the other methods and there is still some dirt that is stubbornly attached, then you might need to take a more precise approach with tweezers. This is more time consuming but will do the trick to return your hook and loop fastening to full working order.
School shoes are in frequent demand, but during the holidays and weekends, it’s a good idea to store them away and keep them fastened to avoid them attracting dust and hair particles. These handy fastenings are great for little hands and even better for unwanted particles! When the shoes are in use, it’s likely that they will pick up dirt and debris as your little ones walk and run about. To keep the debris from building up, it’s a good idea to have a quick refresh of the hook and loop fastening on a regular basis, such as every month or every few weeks. This can help to avoid large quantities of dirt from building up and impacting the usability of the fastening.
You can put shoes with hook and loop fastenings in the washing machine, but we do not advise putting leather or patent shoes in the wash. Canvas shoes and some trainers are fine in the washing machine but the hook and loop fastenings can easily attach to other material in the wash - especially with woollen materials or nylon tights!
Often, detaching the hook and loop fastening from other garments can cause bobbles to form on the fabric, so it’s best to avoid the attachment in the first place. Don’t wash delicate items with hook and loop shoes, and always remember to fasten the rip-tape before putting the shoes in the wash.
Author: Vista, published 10-01-2023.
