Wet sneakers and newspaper: A scientific experiment 👟

[heathernoel]

@ParkRanger

I need to collect some course brown paper towels of the kind used in public restrooms. (Is that the kind you find in WDW restrooms?)

I’m not sure- I think they are the softer white ones? I was lucky enough to have paper towels from the kitchenette.

[OBNurseNH]

The ones in the DVC villas are for sure the cheapest store brand paper towels around.

But I think most of the dispensers spit out moderately soft white ones. Albeit such a small amount you need 2-3 passes lol

[ParkRanger]

@nuclearali

It didn’t work when we tried it once, but we also didn’t change out the newspaper. I bet that’s the game changer!

I think you’re right, and this is something I only learned yesterday from @SJCricket!

[ParkRanger]

I’ll grab some paper towels from the restroom at work next time I go in (Wednesday). I’ll just use those for Phase II no matter how soft they are or whether they’re brown or white.

Phase II will be a test of newspaper vs. paper towels. I don’t have three identical shoes to test different types of paper towels in the same experiment. And there will be no Phase III.

[ParkRanger]

OP has been updated with today’s observations.

[heathernoel]

Sounds perfect!!!

[SJCricket]

I love the update in the OP – but I need to be able to " " it again! I love that you are running (no pun intended) this experiment for everyone.

Not to be overly nerdy, but I’m sure you could weigh each shoe to get a pretty good estimate of how much water came out of the shoe thanks to the newspaper.

No matter what the outcome of Phase II, we find it useful to leave newsprint papers in the somewhat useless outside pockets of our suitcases

[ParkRanger]

@SJCricket

overly nerdy

No such thing in science!

@SJCricket

you are running

@SJCricket

outcome of Phase II

I’m hoping paper towels come out the winner here, or at least a draw. Paper towels are always available somewhere in WDW. And I don’t like the idea of stuffing dirty (inky) newspaper in my shoes.

[ParkRanger]

@SJCricket

weigh each shoe

This is a great idea! I’ll do this in Phase II—before soaking, right after soaking, and after drying. It might be more important in Phase II because the difference in the two results will probably be less dramatic.

[missoverexcited]

@SJCricket

useful to leave newsprint papers in the somewhat useless outside pockets of our suitcases

I do this too!

[Jeff_AZ]

I have used paper towels before and it worked fairly well. Which is to say the shoes were soaked when we went to bed but were “wearable” by the morning, if not totally dry. (As I recall, most were pretty much fully dry except DD5’s which had some ornamentation on the shoes which held water more.)

[OBNurseNH]

@ParkRanger

don’t like the idea of stuffing dirty (inky) newspaper in my shoes.

If your shoes are that wet they are already pretty icky

[ParkRanger]

Inky! Not icky! Ink is permanent! Wet is temporary!

[OBNurseNH]

I guess maybe if it leaked to the outside? I don’t mind if the inside gets inky.

[stlouie]

This is fun!

I HATE wet shoes and socks! Yuck, yuck, yuck!

I’m Team hiking sandals, especially in the summer!

[threeprincessesfourprinces]

Love this scientific approach to a simple solution!! Good to know that newspaper works well, but, yeah we gave up our paper delivery a couple years ago. It was a sad thing for me, I was one who loved reading the paper every day. Wet shoes are such an issue this time of year in FL! One year I partially melted my DS’ shoe with a hairdryer. Then there was the trip where one member of our party’s shoes smelled awful the entire trip after getting wet - and keeping getting wet. On our recent trip I brought along our full size boot dryer which filled up my entire personal item, I was afraid it would get smashed if checked. But it came in useful two days. Found this more portable version on Amazon :
https://www.amazon.com/DryGuy-Force-Dryer-Glove-Articulating/dp/B01LZE505J/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?crid=1H84XKFZ0QN8R&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Ittbi3h73_J9I3WfZFhQ-pNsnuGVWSuEbLsCABOvXSIzsqumxtjjjSIJZk41ieq1w75LW0wKWia5CZFP63HOgRdS959LtU9WXcSvVAy1qEti0-csMh4bSfifcgOwd3YIylDSbgEDHhAAEkCdV4GLLH3WRfruKpojCATl1wqUEtdoWK_OYNELp7ZBy6TnF780VJfKo4Zbszg48bL-WI1cJSNVMgI82lRvCLB3JDn7M7jdmAiI3j17FNjUpNk4HbuX2RUagZq7ahO0BEfWKrLkg4q0ZSoC6E76I5LlvV4on_g.Hko-VUBd6pE9mvL2MUUM2lTsaeQ9wQGhFJm4lLNEgDM&dib_tag=se&keywords=dryguys+boot+dryer&qid=1721607363&sprefix=dryguy+boot+dryer%2Caps%2C103&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRm&psc=1
Hoping to receive it for my bday from DH soon after spotting a prime day deal on it, and hope it works as well as the original and is more portable.

[janamelia]

That is an interesting boot dryer with plenty of good reviews, some from flyers.
We usually drive and I have brought my boot dryer along, when visiting WDW in summer.

Good luck with your birthday gift.

[schoenbauer]

@SJCricket

somewhat useless outside pockets of our suitcases

This is where dirty underwear goes. I thought everyone knew that.

[ParkRanger]

The OP has been updated with the final observation, conclusions, and theory.

[magical_jo]

I love that you did this! DH and I were in Epcot on a very wet evening a few years ago and sloshed through some deep puddles in addition to the general wetness from the rain. We were able to find a newspaper in the lobby (can’t remember where) and I stuffed them when we got back. I didn’t change the newspaper since it was overnight but they definitely got drier. Next morning I ended up taking out the inserts and blow drying them and the shoes. We were able to wear them that day. Next time I’ll try to change the paper but I’m also awaiting the paper towel experiment!