Keeping Your Shoes Tied

I am the mom of a 9 year old son, who seems to forever have shoe laces that need to be retied. I have even been known to triple knot his laces at times, and they still seem to come untied. Sometimes untied laces can be dangerous when kids are playing sports, so I knew I needed to come up with a quick and cheap (free) way to keep the laces tied.

I decided to use a twist-tie that I had in a kitchen drawer. After tying his shoes with no double or triple knots, just regular bow-tie, I insert the end of a twist-tie under the laces to the immediate right or left of the knot. I then twist it a couple of times and smooth the ends flat so they sort of blend in with his laces, horizontally. It works great!

His shoes almost never come untied, through P.E. at school and even basketball and soccer games. The plastic coated twist-ties don't work nearly as well as the paper covered ones that are sometimes included with trash bags. The twist-ties at the grocery store that accompany the plastic bags in the produce section (green in my area) work really fantastic too.

By Kelley from Albuquerque, NM

Answers:

Keeping Shoes Tied

Spray a little hairspray on tied laces to keep them from coming undone.
(06/07/2005)

By Jahlbait

Keeping Your Shoes Tied

When you are going around the first loop, go around it twice and continue tying as normal. (06/07/2005)

By Darlene Kidd

Keeping Your Shoes Tied

Tie the two "ears" one more time in a knot. (06/07/2005)

By Katie

Keeping Your Shoes Tied

Wet your shoelaces (or your child's) before tying. (06/07/2005)

By Karen

Shoelaces

Trouble keeping shoelaces tied? Dampen them before tying. They will dry and tighten.
(06/17/2005)

By Syd

Keeping Your Shoes Tied

I find that if my shoelaces are made with nylon rather than cotton materials, I have to double tie them. This way they don't come undone, till I want them, to. (06/17/2005)

By badwater

Keeping Your Shoes Tied

My husband taught me to go around the loop twice before going in through the hole and I NEVER have to worry about them coming untied! I also have never had to tie a double knot on my daughter's shoes, as this method works on her shoes, too! (06/17/2005)

By Amy

Keeping Your Shoes Tied

Well my 6 year old son wears velcro gym shoes, so no problems there. They are very easy too for him to get off and on. I will have to remember these hints though as my 8 year old daughter usually has tie shoes.

I know that wetting the laces works. I used to do that on a pr of leather boat mocs of mine. (11/21/2006)

By Debbie Dzurilla