One of the classic tips for a good wardrobe that will keep you warm and dry and looking great year after year is to invest in good quality footwear.
The UK spent nearly £11 billion on footwear in 2021 and, while we all know it makes sense to buy better quality clothes and shoes that will last longer than many cheaper items, if you’re going to invest in some good quality footwear, you’re going to want to keep it looking its best.
So here are some practical tips and recommendations to help you keep your shoes and boots clean and looking great.
And to make it easy for you to quickly see what you should and shouldn’t be doing to take the best care of your footwear, we’ve created a handy list of Dos and Don’ts
Shoe Cleaning Dos & Don’ts
• Do use a shoe protector
Show protectors may seem like an unnecessary step when your shoes are brand new and looking smart, but as soon as you see the first marks or stains on those winter boots, you’ll wish you’d taken a few moments to spray them with a good quality shoe protector. These can not only prevent some stains and marks from becoming permanent, but they also make your footwear easier to clean.
• Do invest in a good shoe-cleaning tool
These handy tools are great for on-the-spot cleaning when you’re out and about, for example when you’re walking the dog or roaming the countryside at the weekend. A good shoe cleaning tool allows you to get rid of excess mud and dirt, so that you don’t have to deal with bringing muddy boots or dirty shoes back into your house or car.
• Do check the material is suitable for any chemical shoe-cleaning sprays or foams
While many of the cleaning solutions available can do an amazing job of bringing tired-looking footwear back to life, you do need to be careful, especially if your shoes are made of delicate or natural materials such as leather and suede, or if the solution contains bleaching agents.
• Do treat your leather shoes and boots to an occasional nourishing polish
While leather is a classic material used in quality footwear, it can be prone to drying out and cracking. This may give you shoes that vintage leather look but to make sure any stylish creases don’t turn into cracks or splits that can let the rain and cold in, it’s a good idea to give your leather shoes a little extra love with the appropriate polishes and shoe cleaning products.
• Don’t treat suede footwear like all your other shoes
Suede footwear can look fantastic but it can also be one of the most difficult materials to clean without causing any damage. Winter can be a time of rain and mud which can leave your best suede shoes looking stained or marked, unless you take care to protect them and clean them appropriately as soon as they get wet or dirty.
• Don’t wash leather trainers or shoes in the washing machine
It can be tempting to just throw your dirty trainers or shoes into the washing machine and let technology do the hard work for you, but this can sometimes be a mistake, especially with expensive, delicate or leather footwear. Hot temperatures and fast spin cycles can be too much for some shoes, causing damage to the shoes and sometimes even to the washing machine itself. You also have less control over how wet your shoes become and how long they are submerged in water. Some shoes require much more delicate hand-washing to avoid excessive soaking.
• Don’t overdo it
While these tips will help you to keep your shoes and boots looking their best through rain and shine, it’s possible to overdo it. Repeated use of strong cleaning agents or excessive scrubbing can leave your footwear looking worn or faded before their time. So while it’s important to take good care of your shoes and boots, make sure you don’t clean them more often or more vigorously than is necessary.
With these quick tips, you have a good idea of how you can clean your shoes easily and effectively. It may seem like a little extra effort to put into taking care of your footwear, but when your shoes and boots last you for many years, it will be a worthwhile investment.
