Leather Shoe Care

Leather Shoe Care

Leather Shoe Care Tips. Leather footwear is crafted from premium materials for uncompromised comfort and exceptional durability. Our tips and cleaning advice below will help you care for your leather shoe, so you can enjoy them for years to come.

Our Triangle Shoe Care Kit contains one horse hair brush, two horsehair daubers, two polishing cloths, and black and brown cream shoe polish. Use this product on any genuine leather shoe product to maintain and protect the natural beauty of the leather.

Tips from Leather Footwear Experts

• Every so often, give your favourite pair of shoes the day off. This allows them to air out, which dries out the moisture so the leather lasts longer.
• For shoes you wear less frequently, you can use a cedar shoe tree to help absorb moisture and maintain their shape.
• Always allow your shoes to dry at room temperature, away from a heater. Heaters can cause leather to dry out and become brittle, and can also harm the adhesives.
• Don’t store your shoes in shoe boxes for long periods of time. Prolonged storage can cause certain footwear materials to deteriorate, particularly in humid climates.
• When applying any chemical to a product you own, it is always best to do pre-test in an inconspicuous area before applying to the entire surface area.

Cleaning Your Leather Shoe

Different types of leather require different types of care, so we made this handy guide for keeping your leather shoe clean and looking their best.

Full Grain Leathers

• To remove dirt, wipe gently with a dry cloth to remove any dried-on dirt and dust. Then dampen the cloth with warm water and wipe again. Allow leather to dry naturally, away from direct sunlight and direct heat sources (like heat vents) that can dry out the leather.
• Use a high-quality cream polish that matches the shoe colour, then buff to a shine.
• Avoid liquid shoe polishes and silicone sprays.

Beeswaxed and Oiled Leathers

• To remove dirt, wipe gently with a dry cloth to remove any dried-on dirt and dust. Then apply a cleaner such as Penguin P100 Instant Cleaner (available at many athletic and sporting goods stores). Allow leather to dry naturally, away from direct sunlight and direct heat sources (like heat vents) that can dry out the leather.
• Apply a leather protector and restorer, which are composed of oils and other non-water-soluble compounds like lanolin to help guard against water damage to the leather. (Please note this may darken the colour of your beeswax leather.)

Patent Leathers

• Use a soft damp cloth and a drop of mild soap to remove any haze.
• A patent leather cleaner that contains silicone will return the high gloss.

Suede and Nubuck Leathers

• To clean, use a rubber eraser to remove dirt and smudges. Then, brush lightly with a soft brush specifically for suede and nubuck products.
• Care should be taken to brush in the same direction. If you brush in different directions, some suedes will give the appearance of being two different colours.
• Never use a wire brush or polish on suede or nubuck. (Some suede brushes do have wire in the centre, which is specifically made for use on suede).
• Follow up with a silicone spray for water and stain resistance.

Weatherproofing

• To weatherproof your shoes, we suggest a non-silicone spray or a rain/stain repellent.

Shoe Care Tools and Supplies

With the right supplies, your shoes will last longer, feel better and always look their best.

Cream Polish

• Cream polish is offered in many different colours to match your leather footwear. It’s easy to apply with a horse hair brush, but should never be used on suede or nubuck.
• Cream polish won’t add as much colour as a wax polish.

Edge Dressing

• Edge dressing is most commonly applied to dress shoes with leather soles.
• Edge dressing comes in black or brown and will enhance the appearance of the outsole as well as protect it.
• You can apply edge dressing easily with a brush or sponge.s

Horse Hair Brush

• There are usually two different colours of horse hair brushes: a dark colour for darker polishes and a lighter colour for lighter polishes.
• The brush is used to work the polish into the leather and also helps remove excess polish on the shoe.

Shoe Horn

• A shoe horn helps protect the back of your shoes as you slide your foot in, maintaining its shape and fit.

Shoe Spray

• Shoe spray protects the surface of the shoe, making it easier to clean if they get dirty.
• The spray is usually non-silicone based to ensure that it doesn’t change the colour of the footwear.
• Spray’s does not make the shoes waterproof — just water resistant.

Shoetrees

• Shoe trees can extend the life of your shoes up to 30% or more!
• They help absorb moisture, drawing the leather back to its original shape as it dries, extending the life of the uppers and insoles.
• Shoetrees also promote even wear of the shoes, maximising the life of the soles.
• Cedar trees are the only effective type of tree. Plastic and metal do not achieve the drying effect.
• A secondary and also important part of shoetree use is to maintain the shape of the shoe. The tree will eliminate fine lines where the shoe flexes.
• Once you take off your footwear for the day, immediately place the cedar shoe trees into your shoes and leave them in the shoes until the next wearing.

Suede Block and Brush

• The block is used for erasing dirt and stains from the suede or nubuck. Use a fair amount of pressure when erasing the stains and dirt.
• The brush also helps in cleaning, and can be used to brush the suede and nubuck to enhance its appearance.

Wax Polish

• Apply wax polish to the leather shoe with a slightly damp cloth.
• Wax polish adds more colour and shine than cream polish.

Stay tuned for more footwear advice on Shoozii Blog

Written by Lauren Spencer.

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