Shoes are not just meant to be looked at – that much is clear. Whether sneakers, loafers or high heels – footwear wants and is meant to be worn. However, in order to enjoy your new shoes for quite a long time, conscientious care is unfortunately unavoidable.
What is the best way to care for my shoes?
Of course, the range available in supermarkets, specialist shoe stores or drugstores is extensive. From tubes to jars, sprays to tinctures, you can find a large number of shoe care products. However, you should not let yourself be too unsettled by this, because truly good care requires not huge amounts of shoe creams. In most cases, all you need is
- solid basic waterproofing,
- a good hard wax cream or
- a shoe pomade that helps preserve the shoe colors.
What is the difference between a hard wax cream and a shoe pomade?
Hard wax cream primarily protects the leather of the shoes and also provides an ultimate shine. Shoe pomade is used for deep care, long-term preservation of the shoes and refreshing the color. With a good cloth and one or two brushes, the cream and pomade can be applied to the shoes perfectly – nothing more is needed for shoe care.
What does basic care look like?
Most shoes often come from the factory already cared for and perfectly equipped, but at some point a basic cleaning is necessary. For this procedure, you should first apply a Gbasic waterproofing to new shoes. Therefore, first remove the laces – if necessary – and apply the cream evenly and carefully. Make sure you choose the right shade. If you are unsure, colorless wax is exactly the right choice. An application brush is perfect for this job, by the way, as it reaches into all cracks and corners.
After this, leave the cream on the shoe for approx. half an hour and give the wax plenty of time to soak in. Now it is time for the hard wax cream, which you can quite safely leave on the shoes for several hours or overnight . After it has taken effect, the shoes can be polished, which promises the ultimate shine for the footwear.
The 10 golden rules for a long shoe life
Shoes need to be cared for as well as possible – we know that now. But in order to enjoy your new footwear for quite a long time, you have to do more than just rub and polish thoroughly all the time.
- Don't forget a shoehorn. Particularly narrow or stiff shoes are difficult to get onto your foot. You pull here and press there – but that does your shoes no favors at all! It works better and more easily with a shoehorn. This protects the foot and prevents damage to the shoe.
- Open shoes first, then take them off. Even if it is difficult, doing it any other way is more likely to ruin your shoes. Especially if you press down the heel of the shoe with your other foot, untold damage is inevitable.
- Don't always wear the same shoes – even if you would prefer to do so every day, because everyone has their favorite pair. But: Variety is good for feet and shoes are spared.
- Comfortable shoes for healthy feet – that is the motto. Anyone who always wears only tight shoes or high heels will soon have to endure severe pain, corns and calluses. Suitable shoes are better friends: for shoes and wearers.
- Shoe storage is the be-all and end-all, and shoes therefore belong best in a cabinet intended for this purpose. Here the shoes are protected from heat and dust. But: the cabinets must be aired regularly, and stacking shoes damages the shoes.
- Apply shoe cream to the shoes in the evening, but only brush them off the next morning.
- Shoe trees have advantages: they keep the shoe in shape and even out dents or creases from walking. Make sure you choose the right sizes, and nothing can go wrong.
- Newspaper helps with wet shoes – simply stuff the shoes with it; it absorbs the liquid and can be removed very easily.
- Waterproofing not only protects against wet feet, but also prevents discoloration from jeans and the like.
- Shoe repairs should really not be done yourself, but should always be left to a professional.
Read also: Converse – what helps with squeaking and creaking canvas shoes?
Photo by Janine, meinhaushalt.at
