| How to Customize Black Shoes Posted: 27 Dec 2020 04:00 PM PST Black shoes are both timeless and classy, but they don't stand out from the crowd much. If you don't want your black shoes to look like everyone else's, you can customize them to make them your very own. Spend an afternoon crafting and DIYing to freshen up your look and turn heads when you go out. [Edit]Permanent Marker - Clean your shoes off with wet wipes. If you're drawing on the body of your shoes, focus on that area; if you're going for the soles, clean those off first. Scrub your shoes with a wet wipe until they're really clean, then dry them off with a soft cloth.[1]
- If your shoes are brand new, you can skip this step.
- Make your initial lines with a fat tip marker. You can use a permanent marker, a paint marker, or a fabric marker to draw your design. Metallics and bright colors pop well on black shoes, so try gold, silver, pink, green, blue, or white to really make your design stand out![2]
- You don't have to be an amazing artist to draw on your shoes. Simple lines, scribble art, or even words all look great on black shoes.
- Try making random shapes in varying colors for a simple, fun design.
- Or, fill in the logo on the side of your shoes to make them pop.
- Add details with a fine tip marker. You can use a fine tip marker on top of the designs you drew, or you can use it on the soles for small details. Add flower petals, clouds, or beach waves to make your shoes your own.[3]
- If you're working on white soles, a black marker will really pop.
- Seal your shoes with an acrylic finisher. Permanent marker actually does wear off over time. Use a small paint brush to add a layer of acrylic finisher onto the soles of your shoes, and let it dry fully before you put them on and show them off.[4]
- Even with the acrylic finisher, your marker may fade a little bit over time. Expect to refresh your design about once a year to keep your shoes looking great.
[Edit]Acrylic Paint - Clean the shoe well with a soft cloth. If your shoes are leather, grab a wet cloth and wipe them down to get rid of any dust or dirt. If you're working with canvas or mesh shoes, use a lint roller to get any hair or dust off your shoes for a clean, smooth surface.[5]
- If your leather shoes are really dirty, use some acetone on a cotton ball to clean those cracks and crevices.
- Take the laces out. You probably don't want to get paint all over your shoelaces. To prevent that from happening, slide your laces out of your shoe and set them aside for now.[6]
- Even if you aren't painting your entire shoe, you should take the laces out just in case.
- Cover the parts you don't want to paint with tape. If you aren't painting the soles of your shoe, grab some painter's tape and place it carefully all over the bottom of your shoe. That way, you won't accidentally drip any paint onto parts of your shoe where it doesn't belong.[7]
- Acrylic paint doesn't stick to rubber very well, so it's best to customize the body of your shoes, not the soles.
- Push a towel into the shoe so it holds its shape. Painting the tongue and body of the shoe can be tough if it doesn't have anything behind it to hold it up. Grab a small washcloth and push it into your shoe to push the tongue outward.[8]
- This will also make the front of your shoe much flatter so it's easier to paint.
- Mix a 1:1 ratio of acrylic paint with paint softener. On its own, acrylic paint has a tendency to crack with any movement. Grab whichever colors you're using and mix them with a paint softener in a 1:1 ratio. This will help keep the paint flexible as it dries so it doesn't crack as easily.[9]
- You can find this additive at most craft stores near the acrylic paint.
- Angelus 2-Soft is the most common brand of fabric additive for acrylic paint.
- Paint your design onto your shoes. Here's where you can really let your creativity shine. Go in with your bright colors and make your shoes your own! For large areas, use a large, wide paint brush; for fine details, go with a small, skinny paint brush. You could try:[10]
- A sunset
- Your national flag
- Characters from a TV show
- Words and symbols
- Floral designs
- Peel the tape off and clean the soles off with a spot remover. Peel the tape off your rubber soles and check to see if any paint got on them. If it did, dip a cotton swab into a spot remover and use that to quickly wipe off any areas that look splotchy.[11]
- You don't necessarily have to do this, but it can give your shoes a cleaner, more professional look.
- Brush on an acrylic finisher. Grab a small, clean paintbrush and dip it into a bottle of acrylic finisher. Cover all the areas that you painted with the finisher to seal the paint so it doesn't run when it gets wet. Let your shoes air dry before putting them on and showing them off to your friends.[12]
- You can also spray on a clear gloss coat instead of using an acrylic finisher. Both work just fine!
[Edit]Decorations - Glue on rhinestones to make your shoes sparkle. Fill a syringe with super glue and draw a line across your shoe. Carefully pick up your rhinestones one at a time and press them into the glue, holding for about 10 seconds. You can do stripes, embellish the logo, or even add rhinestones all over for a totally bedazzled shoe![13]
- If you're pretty rough on your shoes (if you go running or hiking in them a lot) the rhinestones might fall off. Keep a few extra around in case you need to patch up your design.
- Add some lace to your shoes to make them look classy. Pour some fabric glue onto the top of your canvas shoe and spread it around with a small paint brush. Cut out a piece of lace that's slightly bigger than the front of your shoe, then press it onto the fabric glue. Once the glue is dry, use scissors to trim the excess away for a beautiful, delicate shoe.[14]
- Fabric glue won't stick to leather shoes, so this method works best on canvas or mesh ones.
- Try using red or white lace to really make the design pop on your black shoes.
- Make your shoes shine with glitter glue. Draw your design lightly on your shoes with a pencil so you have an outline to work with. Grab a few glitter glue pens and fill the shapes in (and try to stay in the lines as best you can). Let your shoes dry for about 30 minutes before you show them off![15]
- You could draw stars, circles, or fill in the logo on your shoes.
- Try mixing and matching glitter colors, like silver and gold, red and pink, or green and blue.
- Draw your design on paper first to see how it looks before painting your shoes.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Permanent Marker - Wet wipes
- Soft cloth
- Permanent marker
- Acrylic finisher
[Edit]Acrylic Paint - Cloth
- Acrylic paint
- Painter's tape
- Acrylic softener
- Hair dryer
- Paint brush
- Acrylic finisher
- Spot remover
- Cotton swab
[Edit]Decorations - Super glue
- Fabric glue
- Lace
- Rhinestones
- Glitter glue
- Paint brush
[Edit]References |
| How to Decorate Beige Walls Posted: 27 Dec 2020 08:00 AM PST Beige is a great backdrop for any room in your home, but it can become a bit of an eyesore when the walls are bare. Thankfully, beige is a super versatile shade, which gives you a lot of options when it comes to design! Play around with different color schemes and decor as you spice up your living space, and see what you come up with. [Edit]Hang up some bold art.[1] - Add a little color into the room with brightly-colored prints and paintings. Hang up some wall art with a lot of bright hues, like red, orange, purple, yellow, or any other bold color that really stands out. Let your art do the talking—if your prints and portraits are filled with beige, they aren't going to really make a statement on your wall.
- With that being said, you don't have to decorate with bold hues. If you aren't a fan of bright colors, decorate with neutral tones instead. Shades like gray and cream go really well with beige without being too eye-catching.
[Edit]Contrast with white.[2] - Paint your door frames, window frames, and moldings white. White can give a subtle, cozy look to your living space, and helps give your beige walls a little extra depth without overdoing it. If your walls have windows, paint over the frames and window sills so they're completely white. Do the same thing with any molding or door frames near your wall, as well.
- If you'd really like to go the extra mile, repaint your doors so they're white.
[Edit]Decorate with uniform picture frames.[3] - Frame your prints, portraits, and wall art in the same type of picture frame. This really helps tie your room together, and will stand out well on a beige wall. Pick out neutral-toned frames like black, brown, or white for a really striking look.
- For example, hang up animal prints on the wall with the same dark brown frame to make the pictures look uniform.
[Edit]Fill up the walls with big pieces of art.[4] - Play around with spacing as you decorate your beige wall. When it comes to interior design, the world is your oyster—or in the very least, your wall space. You don't have to leave huge gaps of beige all over your wall. Instead, fill up this space with really big prints, portraits, or other works of art.
- For example, you can hang up 4 large photos to create an even bigger square shape.
- Line up pictures, prints, and portraits on top of each other in a grid to take up as much wall space as possible.
[Edit]Light up the room.[5] - Get rid of any extra shadows from the room. Beige doesn't look too great in a dark and shadowy room, so light things up with some natural and artificial light. The brighter your room is, the more beautiful your beige walls will look.
- Don't be afraid to mix natural and artificial light! There's nothing wrong with having several lamps or wall fixtures in a room with windows.
[Edit]Place wooden furniture against the walls.[6] - Use your furniture placement to your advantage. Slide bookshelves, desks, or other pieces of wooden furniture against the wall as a striking accent. This adds an extra dimension to your wall, and shifts the focus of the room away from just the beige walls.
- For example, place a wooden bookshelf against the wall in your living room, or set up a wooden desk in your study.
[Edit]Install tasteful shelves.[7] - Arrange multiple floating shelves at eye-level on your beige wall. Place special mementos on your shelves, like photos, or place other decorative odds and ends on top. Choose decorations with a similar color scheme for a really sleek, uniform look.
- For instance, you can display multiple photos or prints with the same white photo frame.
[Edit]Jazz up your walls with patterned curtains.[8] - Pick a fun pattern that adds a little pizzazz to the room. Beige is a great base color, but it can only add so much to a living space. Patterned curtains are a fun, easy way to breathe some life into your walls, while also framing and decorating the windows.
- For instance, you can play around with stripes, polka dots, or some other funky pattern that fits your home's aesthetic!
- A ton of colors go well with beige, so it's hard to go wrong with any curtains. In particular, dusty pink, purple, blue, forest green, and neutral tones are especially striking with a beige wall.[9]
[Edit]Stick decals on the wall.[10] - Pick up some decals online or at your nearest home goods stores. Decals are essentially big, fun stickers that go on your walls. Pick up designs that work well with the beige, or add a splash of color, instead! Stick these decals onto the wall alone or in a group to give your living space a little extra pizzazz.
- For instance, you can center 1 large decal on the wall, or line up multiple small decals in a row.
- Subtle designs, like sunflowers, work well as designs.
[Edit]Incorporate textured beige accents.[11] - Pick out beige curtains to add an extra dimension to your room. There's nothing wrong with having a little extra beige in your room, as long as you find a creative way to throw it in. Pick up a set of beige drapes or curtains and use them to frame your windows, which can really tie your room together.
- It doesn't technically count as "wall decoration," but textured beige blankets, rugs, and throw pillows are other great ways to liven up your beige living space.
[Edit]Hang up kitchenware on beige kitchen walls.[12] - Display your pots, pans, measuring cups, and utensils all over the wall. Beige is a great color for your kitchen, but it may seem a little bland on its own. Use nails or adhesive hooks to display all of your pots, skillets, pans, and other kitchen tools along the wall. They'll not only look great, but they'll be easy to grab, too!
- For instance, you can hang up a row of pots or saucepans right above the stovetop, and display your measuring cups near your cutting board.
[Edit]Put up string lights.[13] - Drape some string lights over the doors and windows. These add a fun, subtle glow to your room, and look great on a beige wall. You can hang up traditional lights, or play around with colorful string lights to make your wall a little more festive.
- For example, you can drape the lights over the top of a window or door as a fun accent.
[Edit]Hang up a couple mirrors.[14] - Fill up some open space on the wall with a mirror. Mirrors can be a fun way to add some brightness and light into the room. You can place them in just about any living space, whether it's a bedroom, bathroom, or something else altogether. Play around with different sizes, shapes, and frames and see what kind of designs you can come up with!
- For example, you can place 2 mirrors along both sides of a headboard in your bedroom.
- You can also space out 2 mirrors over 2 vanities in a master bathroom.[15]
- Neutral tones work great for frames, like black or brown.
[Edit]Frame windows with bamboo shades.[16] - Liven up your walls with a little texture. A little texture can go a long way in a beige room, especially around the windows. Instead of traditional drapes or curtains, opt for bamboo shades.
- Mirrors can be a fun way to add some brightness and light into the room.[17]
- Center your room around a beige color scheme. Your beige won't seem out of place when it's paired with whites, creams, and other neutral tones![18]
[Edit]References |
| How to Remove Candle Wax Posted: 27 Dec 2020 12:00 AM PST You left your favorite candle burning and now there's wax everywhere. Your entire living room is ruined! (Or is it?) Removing candle wax might seem impossible, but there are actually a few different ways you can go about it depending on what you're cleaning and which tools you'd like to use. Choose the right one for you to get rid of wax fast and protect your interior in the process. [Edit]Removing Wax by Freezing - Scrape as much wax off as you can. If there's a lot of wax on your item, use a butter knife to get as much of it off as possible. If the wax is on fabric or clothing, try not to rub it into the fibers so you can avoid a tough cleanup later on.[1]
- Freezing and scraping the wax is a good method to use if you're trying to clean bamboo furniture, cane furniture, wicker furniture, plastic, steel, vinyl, cast iron, and marble.[2]
- Put the item in the freezer. Pop small items, like a table runner, into the freezer to harden the wax. If you have a chest or deep freezer, you may even be able to freeze large items, like candlesticks, to help remove the wax.[3]
- If the item is too large to fit in the freezer, wrap ice cubes or ice packs in an absorbent towel and apply them to the wax to cool it.
- Allow the wax to cool completely. This usually takes about 30 minutes to an hour. This will make it easier to remove the wax and ensure it doesn't spread further.[4]
- You can check to see if the wax has hardened by looking at the color. If it's turned darker and more opaque, it's probably cooled.
- Chip off the wax with a butter knife. Hold a butter knife parallel to the item that the wax is on, then slowly scrape it off. The wax should flake and chip away as you go. If you don't want to use metal on your item, use a plastic credit card instead.[5]
- If you're getting candle wax out of a glass jar, use a butter knife to gently pop the wax out of the container.
- Wash the item to get rid of the rest of the wax. For household objects, put a small amount of all-purpose cleaner and scrub the area with a toothbrush. For clothing or fabric, treat the area with a spot lifter and then put them in the laundry.[6]
- This will get rid of the greasy residue left over from the wax.
- If you're cleaning wax off furniture, just wipe it down with a clean cloth.
[Edit]Removing Wax Using Heat - Use heat to remove wax from carpets and floors. Sometimes, there's no way you can put something in the freezer or cool it down enough to scrape the wax off. If that's the case, you can use heat instead.[7]
- Never use heat on glass (which can break) or synthetic fabrics (which can melt).
- Try not to use heat on fabric, as it can melt the wax and spread the stain.
- Heat the wax with a blow dryer until it melts. Set your blow dryer to a "hot" setting and aim it directly at the stain. Keep the blow dryer a few inches from the surface to avoid scorching the material. Try not blow the wax around—it's easier to wipe up if it's all in one puddle, rather than spread out.[8]
- It may be helpful to have another person helping you here. As the wax melts, someone else can be on hand with a cloth to wipe it away.
- Wipe the wax off with a paper towel. Wax can be difficult to get out of the cloth or towel you use to wipe up the mess, so be sure not to use your nice towels. An old rag or a disposable paper towel will do the trick. Carefully sop up the melted wax, trying to get all of it at the same time.[9]
- You can also use a plastic-edged card to lift away the hot wax.
- Remove residue with an all-purpose cleaner. If there's a film of wax left over, get rid of it with a little spray cleaner and a sponge. Squirt or spray an all-purpose cleaning fluid onto the area and wipe it up with a damp rag or sponge. If you're working on a fragile surface (for example, a fine wooden tabletop), be sure not to damage your surface with an abrasive cleaner or rag.[10]
- If there's still more wax left on the surface, you can use the hair dryer again until you get it all.
[Edit]Removing Wax from Fabrics - Cover the wax with paper towels, then iron the fabric. Set your iron to medium heat and place a few paper towels over the wax. Gently rub the iron back and forth over the waxy area to gradually melt it. As the towels soak up the wax, replace them with new ones until all of the wax is gone.[11]
- You can use brown paper bags instead of paper towels if you have them.
- Make sure you use white paper towels without any designs in order to avoid transferring color to your fabric.
- You can use this method for clothes as well as table cloths, napkins, and towels.
- Rub the area with ice, then wash your item. Take an ice cube and rub it on the wax until it gets hard. Then, use a butter knife to scrape off the hard wax and throw it away. When most of the wax is gone, run the fabric through a wash cycle to get rid of any residue.[12]
- You may need to use some bleach to get rid of the waxy residue completely.
- Sponge the fabric with an upholstery cleaner. Spray the waxy area with cleaner and allow it to dry. Use a sponge or a paper towel to blot the cleaner and the wax, then spray more cleaner on. You can keep doing this until the wax is gone.[13]
- If you can wash the fabric, run it through a wash cycle to remove any residue.
[Edit]Removing Wax from Flooring and Walls - Use ice and a cleaning solvent on carpet. Wrap an ice cube in a plastic bag and rub it on top of the ice until it's hard. Use a butter knife to scrape the wax off the floor, then spray a carpet cleaning spray on the area. Scrub the area with a paper towel to remove any residue.[14]
- You can also shampoo your carpet and then vacuum after it's dry for a deeper clean.
- Wipe away waxy residue on vinyl with mineral spirits. If you spilled some wax on your vinyl flooring, rub an ice cube wrapped in plastic on top of the wax until it hardens. Use a plastic credit card to scrape the wax up (a metal butter knife can scratch the surface), then dab a cotton ball in mineral spirits and use that to wipe up the residue.[15]
- Heat can warp vinyl flooring, and chemical solvents can discolor it. It's best to stick to simple methods that aren't too strong for vinyl floors.
- Buff wood flooring to get rid of waxy residue. Wrap an ice cube in a plastic bag and rub it against the wax on the floor until it's hard. Use a credit card or a dull knife to scrape up the majority of the wax. When you're finished, buff the wood with a chamois cloth to remove any residue or scratches.[16]
- Wood flooring can get scratched easily, so be careful not to gouge your scraping instrument into the floor.
- Use detergent to wash wax off of tile, brick, cement, and decks. Use an ice cube wrapped in plastic to harden the wax, then scrape it up with a dull knife or a spatula. When you're done, mix up a little bit of water and detergent, then wipe the area clean.[17]
- Be careful: your tile will be slippery until the water dries!
- You can use this same method on exterior flooring, like decks or patios.
[Edit]Troubleshooting - Heat the wax if it's really old. If you've just discovered a mess of wax and it's completely stuck, don't worry! You can use a hair dryer to heat the wax and loosen it up enough for cleaning. Try to scrape off as much as you can before you go the heat route, though, just in case your material doesn't mesh with it.[18]
- Never heat anything that's very old or made of synthetic fibers.
- Use a vinegar mixture on delicate surfaces. Wood and vinyl don't do well with sharp tools scraping against their surfaces. If you want to avoid scratching your floors, mix 1 part water with 1 part white vinegar and soak a cloth in it. Use the cloth to dampen the wax and peel it up slowly without hurting your home.[19]
- Vinegar also won't discolor light-colored wood.
- Mix alcohol and water for tough fabric stains. If you've scraped, washed, and scrubbed your fabric and the waxy residue is still there, mix 2 parts rubbing alcohol with 2 parts water. Sponge the area lightly, then rinse it out with cool water. Keep repeating this until your fabric looks brand new again.[20]
- If your fabric is safe to bleach, you can use that instead.
- Dry clean linen if it's stained. Linen fabric is pretty delicate, and it doesn't hold up well under deep scrubbing. If there's still an oily residue left on your table cloth or your favorite blouse, take it to a dry cleaner and have the experts fix it up for you.[21]
- Washing and drying linen at home can warp the fabric, so it's best to take it to a professional.
- Save recovered wax to get a little crafty. If you cleaned up a lot of candle wax, it can seem like a waste to just toss it in the trash. You can melt the wax and pour it into a new glass jar with a wick to create a brand new candle, keep the wax to use on squeaky doors or hinges, wax a skateboard with it, or use it to seal your fancy letters. It's up to you![22]
- If it's only a little bit of wax, you can toss it out.
- Wax and water do not mix; washing the area with water will not help remove the wax.
[Edit]Warnings - Hair dryers can burn cloth if held too close to the fabric, especially on high heat.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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