How to care for your shoes

You probably know what it’s like to say goodbye to a pair of much-loved shoes that have succumbed to the many escapades on the dance floor, wind, weather and long shopping trips. But you can actually avoid the tearful farewell if you just learn to take good care of your shoes from the start.

Impregnate the shoes

 

If you want to give your new footwear a long and happy life, always start by impregnating them – regardless of the season! You never know when you’ll run into a cloudburst. It is better to have three thin layers of impregnation than one thick one, so ensure regular impregnation, preferably a few times a month, if it is footwear you use often. Lacquer and synthetic leather shoes must not be impregnated. Boston Rainguard Allover is an impregnation spray suitable for all materials. It is available at ashoeaffair.dk and costs DKK 59, which you can buy right here .

 

Put your shoes on at home

When you buy a new pair of shoes, start by walking them around a bit at home. Firstly, you get your foot used to your new footwear – but you actually also get your new footwear used to your foot. Slowly build up to walking with the shoes for a few hours at a time if you have short appointments or errands out in the city. Wait to put the shoes on for a whole day until you can feel that the adaptation period is over.

 

Use the shoes with care

If you want to give your shoes a longer life, let them rest for 24 hours between each use. The bonus is that the bacteria that naturally form in your footwear are not allowed to flourish and turn into a clammy, sour and unbearable stench.

Use insoles in your shoes

Leather insoles don’t just provide an extra comfort bonus – they also extend the life of your footwear considerably, and provide better hygiene because they prevent moisture. The insoles can be changed as often as needed, and you don’t have to wear out the soles of your shoes prematurely.

 

That’s why you need shoehorns

It sounds a bit like something your grandmother once told you, but it works: Always use shoehorns – especially if you have many fine shoes in leather or with a patent surface, which risk getting ugly grooves and wrinkles on the heel cap if you have to pry your bums into them. The same applies to the shoes you have with laces. Always loosen the shoe well before taking it off or putting it on – then it will stay much nicer for longer!

Shoe horn DKK 15 at netsko.dk, which you can  buy right here .

 

How to choose the right shoes

Pissing it down? So don’t jump into your suede shoes or boots. Although they are well impregnated, they still cannot withstand much water. Choose more solid leather shoes instead – or even better: rubber boots that are made for the weather! Is it hard frost or high heat? So put the patent leather shoes far away and jump into something else instead – they crackle from both harsh cold and high heat.

Give the shoes proper care

Touch your shoes at least once a week. It pays off! Once your shoes become stiff, stained and cracked on the surface, the damage cannot be repaired. Start by cleaning the shoes – then care for them. Always ask your shoe retailer which products are best suited to care for your new footwear. Then you won’t go completely wrong in the city.

 

How to care for leather shoes 

Smooth leather, like your own skin, must not dry out – therefore you must regularly lubricate it with cream or leather grease (use a soft brush or a cloth). Start by cleaning the shoes with a damp cloth or sponge and let them dry. Then lubricate them and, if necessary, finish by polishing them afterwards with a soft cloth or brush, so that you remove cream residues and get a nice, shiny shoe.

 

How to care for suede or nubuck shoes

Clean the shoes with a cleaning rubber block and / or a mild soap solution, which you massage in with a soft brush – the shoes should not be wet, just moistened. Wipe them with a damp cloth and let them dry. Then brush up the suede with a suede brush. After cleaning and care, the shoe / boot is impregnated again .

 

How to care for patent leather shoes 

Lacquer is leather that has been varnished. When you need to care for it, brush it free of dirt and dry with a piece of cotton wool or a cloth wrung out in lukewarm water.

 

How to care for artificial leather shoes

It’s super easy to deal with – it doesn’t need to be impregnated, and if it gets dirty, you can just wipe it over with a damp cloth. Voila!

 

How to care for textile shoes

Do you have a pair of fabric sneakers? So don’t throw them in the washing machine unless it’s an absolute emergency – it shortens the life of your favorite sneaks! Instead, use a cleaning product to clean them with. If they are white, you can refresh the color with Touch White. Remember to also impregnate them so that you avoid wet feet.

 

How to care for rubber shoes

Yep, rubber boots must also be cared for – the natural rubber can become white and dull from use. Wash them with clean water – do not use detergents. Let them dry on their own. Then spray with a natural rubber care product and polish the boot. Voila, you have beautiful, shiny rubber boots again!

 

Store shoes properly

If you just kick them off in a pile in the hall, they won’t stay nice for long. Store them neatly and feel free to use shoe bags and shoe blocks for your shoes when they are not in use.

Put your shoes away

 

If you have winter or autumn shoes that are just sitting in your entryway, smear them with a thin layer of shoe polish, put them in a box where they can stand on the soles, and put them away until you need to use them again . The shoe cream ensures that they feel good in the meantime.

Never lend your shoes to others

 

Even if your friend thinks your stilettos go perfectly with the dress she’s wearing this weekend, for God’s sake don’t lend her your shoes! No two pairs of feet are the same, and she risks ruining the fit you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

Help – shoe crisis!

My shoes are soaked

If you’ve been caught in a real downpour and haven’t soaked your shoes or boots well enough, rush home, take off your footwear and let them dry on their side at room temperature for 24 hours before wearing them again. It is forbidden to hang them on the radiator or use a hair dryer! Finally, if you want to speed up the process, put newspaper in the shoes.

My shoes have got salt edges

 

You can buy special products to clean your shoes or boots again if salt and slush have left their mark on your favorite shoes. But if the bad luck is out and you don’t own cleaning products for your footwear, you can actually remove ugly salt marks on your boots with a bit of lukewarm milk. Use a cloth and dab gently. Allow the boots to dry completely before jumping in them again.

 

Combi Cleaner from Lloyd is a cleaning foam that removes dirt and salt marks from leather, suede or textile footwear. You can use the product both inside and outside of your shoes. DKK 100 at lloyd-shop.dk .

 

My shoes smell of sour toes

 

Shoes can get a little sour… Fortunately, you can combat the terrible odor with a bit of shoe deodorant. Shoe deospray from Matas acts as a disinfectant and removes bad odours. DKK 35 at matas.dk .

 

My leather shoes have creases and wrinkles

 

Smooth out the folds again with the back of a spoon, and then treat with shoe polish or leather grease.

 

There have been scratches in my patent leather shoes

If the patent stilettos have got ugly scratches, you can save them by finding a nail polish that matches the color of the shoes. Gently pat and allow to dry before use. Voila!

My suede boots look boringHave your favorite suede boots become dull and dull looking? Hold the boots over a pan of hot water to catch the steam. When the suede seems damp, place them to dry on a few newspapers at room temperature. Remember to brush them nicely afterwards!