Smart Tips Tuesday

What in the world is an old smelly pair of sneakers doing here? Well, I bet you didn't know you could recycle those old stinky sneakers. But you can and you can drop them off at different Nike stores. What will they do with them? Look below....

They will make running tracks, basketball and tennis courts, playgrounds, gym floors and much more out of the rubber from the outsole, foam from the midsole and fabric from the upper of all recycled athletic shoes. Your worn out sneakers, any brand, not just Nike, can be turned into brand new wonderful play places!

Since 1993, Nike's http://www.nikereuseashoe.com/ program and NikeGO Kids, has recycled 16 million pairs of sneakers of all brands. They are sliced into three parts, known as the Nike Grind.

And for those sneakers that just look dirty and maybe, a little stinky, here's instructions for cleaning your tennys in the washing machine.

You will need: Mesh Laundry Bag

Laundry detergent

Laundry booster (optional)

Baking Soda
Remove any surface dirt with a stiff brush. Get into the treads to remove any trapped dirt or gravel.

Place shoes in the mesh laundry bag and close it. This will keep the shoe laces from tangling.

Set to a small cycle and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of detergent. Add laundry booster fir extra cleaning power if needed. For smelly tennis shoes, add 1/2 cup of baking soda. This will neutralize odors.

Allow to agitate for several minutes, add tennis shoes and allow to run through all cycles.

Remove the shoes and pat with a dry towel to remove excess water. Stuff the toes with a wad of newspaper and set in the sun to dry.