When the weather is warm, flip flops offer a cooling alternative to wearing shoes and socks. Flip flops also provide a safer way to walk on slippery shower surfaces in locker rooms, and they protect against bacteria in public showers that put people at risk for picking up diseases like athlete's foot. Bleach is a sanitizer that kills almost all kinds of viruses, bacteria and fungi. It's an easy and inexpensive way to safely clean your rubber flip flops.
Fill a bucket or sink with 1 gallon of water. Measure 3/4 cup of bleach. Add the bleach to the water and stir thoroughly with a plastic or metal spoon.
Remove the top from a clean, empty spray bottle. Use a glass or stainless steel cup to pour some of the solution inside the bottle.
Use a rag or paper towel to remove excess dirt on the bottom of the flip flops. This will enable the bleach solution to reach the entire sole of the sandal. Do this over a garbage can or outside.
Spray the entire surface of the flip flops with the bleach-water mixture. Place them on a nonporous surface such as a bathtub or shower pan. Wash your hands after handling the wet flip flops. Let the solution sit on the flip flops for five minutes.
Rinse the flip flops thoroughly and let them dry before wearing them again.
Warning
If you break out in a rash, have swelling or itching after cleaning your flip flops with bleach, you may have a sensitivity or allergy to bleach. Discontinue cleaning them with bleach and use hydrogen peroxide or vinegar instead. Use a spray bottle that's never held ammonia solutions, since combining bleach with ammonia creates toxic fumes. Verify that the bottle has not contained acidic fluids as these also create a hazardous chemical reaction.