Tips & Hints
Leather Shoes
Many people think that shoe care just means polishing your shoes occasionally.
Actually, it is more involved than that. Caring for your shoes is a four step process – cleaning, conditioning polishing and waterproofing.
The first step in shoe care is to clean the surface with a leather cleaner to remove surface dirt, just as you would wash your car before you polish it.
After cleaning you should condition the leather. Conditioners soften and lubricate the leather, keeping it feeling and looking new.
Once the shoes have been cleaned and conditioned then it’s time for polish. Polish contains dyes and pigments to renew colour and cover scuff marks; waxes to provide shine and protection and conditioning agents to moisten and renew leather.
The final shoe care step is weatherproofing/waterproofing. Although polishes provide some sealing qualities, if you live or work in a wet, muddy or oily environment then the added protection of a water /weather proofer is a must.
Suede and Nubuck
The secret to keeping suede and nubuck products ( shoes, bags, coats, etc) in top shape is preventative maintenance.
Before you use the product protect them with a water and stain repellent designed specially for suede and nubuck. As soon as you notice the water is no longer beading up, spray them again.
Use a plastic or rubber tipped brush regularly to restore the nap and remove surface dirt. Be gentle with nubuck, it is softer than suede and is easily damaged. With oiled nubuck, use a nubuck conditioner on a regular basis to put back some of those oils.
If you get a stain on suede or nubuck, try to remove it immediately with a solvent based cleaner made specifically for the product.
Athletic Shoes – Joggers
If you have shoes with fabric or suede uppers follow the steps outlined for suede care.
Leather uppers are much easier to clean. Sneaker shampoos with with scrubbing applicators remove stains and dirt from the leather surface. If the shoes become scuffed, shoe whitening products can help to restore the original colour.
The big problem with athletic shoes/joggers is controlling odour. Because these shoes are made from foam and other man made materials, they are ideal places for bacteria to grow.
Several deodorising products are available including insoles, powders and sprays. Find a product that absorbs the odour causing bacteria and counteracts it. A product that simply masks the odour will not solve the problem.
You can keep your athletic shoes/joggers looking and feeling new with replacement parts. New laces do wonders for the appearance and new insoles are also available.