We all own flip flops and they break quite often. Therefore, it is very important to know how to fix a broken flip flop. They are comfortable and prove to be great footwear. In fact, they are also worn outdoors by many people, especially in areas that experience extreme summer temperatures. Therefore, shoemakers and high-end brands have started introducing fancy and stylish flip flop designs in addition to the basic ones.
Either it is just a coincidence, or bad luck associated with this footwear that it breaks at the most unexpected times like when you are roaming around carefree in grocery store aisles. Therefore, we will be sharing with you some hacks to fix a broken flip flop.
1. Drill a hole and insert a wire across the toe thong
Most often, a flip flop breaks when the stopper-like thing holding its front strap comes off. For those of you wondering where the stopper is in a flip flop, it is at the floor-facing side of the sandal. The hack is:
- Drill a hole through your toe thong (towards its end) such that a thin material like a 16-gauge wire can pass through it.
- Hold the wire firmly and fold it using pliers.
- Insert the middle-fold through the hole and pull it out using pliers from the other end. Use another set of pliers to bend the free ends in opposite directions so the wire does not come out.
Helpful Tip: Keep the side with the middle fold a bit wider so that it doesn’t slip out.
The image below may further help in making this hack clear.
2. Use a paperclip
Another option is to repeat the first step of Hack number 1, using a paperclip instead of a wire. This will save you the hassle of fidgeting with the wire in attempts of folding and pulling it with a plier. You can easily straighten the ends of a paper clip and fold them again after passing it through the toe thong, so the paperclip acts like a stopper.
However, this hack is dependent on the availability of paper clips. Also, note that hack # 1 seems to make the fix last longer than hack # 2.
If you are still looking for more answers to “how to fix a broken flip flop?”, continue reading.
3. Use a screw
As surprising as it may sound, a screw can be used to fix a broken flip flop. To use this hack, you will need to follow these steps:
- If the stopper is still attached to the toe thong, but has been detached from the bottom, the first thing you need to do is get rid of it by cutting it with a pair of sharp scissors.
- Next, turn your flip flop upside down, and insert a screw such that the base (or head) of the screw remains on the lower side whereas its point emerges out from the upper side.
- The head of the screw will now serve as the stopper but the pointed edge will still be coming out from the other side.
- Hold the screw and fix the broken strap over it such that the strap is not only fit to be worn but also provides cushioning to the rough edges of the screw.
However, you must be extremely careful not to hurt yourself while using this hack.
There are many other hacks to fix a flip flop besides the ones we have mentioned. Some are more long-lasting than others. If you are someone who wears flip flops throughout the day, we would advise you to keep an extra pair in stock.