Taking care of your shoes also means taking care of the environment in which we live. We just saw this in the previous article related to shoe care.
If you’re here, it means that it’s not enough for you to know some general tips for cleaning and keeping your shoes tidy, but you want to know more. That’s why we’ve prepared more specific tips for shoes in all closets.
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Grab a pen and paper and don’t miss any steps!
How to keep your sneakers white
Let’s start with the more specific tips starting with a casual shoe that has become a real must-have of shoe racks all over the world: white sneakers.
These shoes have now become a fashion and style icon, even on formal looks such as office looks, as we have seen in a dedicated article. But in order for them to always be at their maximum splendor, it is necessary to keep them white and shiny. No small job, since white is a color that attracts any type of dirt. And, as if that were not enough, on which every blemish and imperfection is amplified.
Fortunately, taking care of it is very simple and requires very few steps. All you need to do is use a magic eraser. If you don’t know what it is, don’t worry: it’s a product that nowadays can be found both on Amazon and in a regular supermarket or cleaning supply store. Soak it in dish soap, without exaggerating, of course, and wipe it over the surface of the shoe. It will only take a few coats to see your shoes shine like new and to be the envy of colleagues and friends who do not know this secret.
Seeing is believing!
Make your sneakers sparkle
In addition to simply cleaning to remove dirt, it is also possible to restore shine and panache to an old and worn pair of sneakers. Mind you: these products can’t fix imperfections or breakages resulting from too much use, but they can rejuvenate your shoes by taking a few years off their appearance.
Equip yourself with a toothbrush and a hydrogen peroxide and baking soda paste. And then underneath, with a little elbow grease! Slowly and carefully rub the surface of the entire shoe and wait for the paste to take effect!
Et voilà! Ready to go!
Leather shoes: treatments to make them last longer
Let’s now take care of leather shoes, a real must-have in the wardrobes of the most elegant men. Being very special shoes, however, they are certainly not a pair that you will use every day, so to keep them at their best, an occasional or low-frequency treatment is enough to check their state of health and apply these small precautions.
First, polish them regularly. As we said, you don’t need to do this every day. It is enough to do it regularly even after medium to long periods. This practice helps to keep the leather shiny and soft, extending the life cycle of the shoes. Do it with all the ones you have, even if they are very resistant boots: any leather shoe will benefit from this treatment. A valid alternative to polishing products can be magic eraser, which we have already seen in the paragraph for white sneakers. This is the normal maintenance treatment. Now let’s see how to fix leather shoes if they have scratches or stains.
- Before proceeding with any treatment, you should make sure that your shoes are clean or wiped clean. Then remove the laces – possibly to be washed in the washing machine or replaced with a new pair – and then wipe the surface with a soft cloth or brush to remove the most visible dirt.
- The first wipe should be done with a damp cloth. Only then should a specific soap be applied to the skin. You can also use a solution of hot water and dish soap, but we always recommend products specific to the material you are going to treat. Wipe the surface again with a cloth soaked in soap and water to remove even the most stubborn dirt.
- Then proceed to dry the surface of the shoe with a clean cloth. You can use a damp one to remove traces of soap and a dry one to finish drying.
- Now you can apply the leather conditioner or whatever product you normally use to polish your shoes. The conditioner is strongly recommended to protect the surface of the shoe from new stains and to restore strength and shine to the leather. Don’t skip this step, please!
- Finally, let the shoes dry naturally. For this point, the rules we have already seen apply: no heat sources and no direct sunlight, which could even cause cracking. It’s perfectly fine to leave them in an airy, cool place.
In this way, every leather shoe will always be as good as new and ready to be worn with style and elegance.
Suede shoes: here are the steps to keep them always new
If you are interested in this paragraph, you already know how easily suede shoes get dirty. Distinguished and classy, they are made of an extremely soft material with a velvety touch. On the other hand, however, they easily absorb moisture and are easily victims of different types of stains.
Normally it is enough to apply a protective product to avoid the worst stains, but since a simple walk is enough to ruin the perfection and aesthetics of a shoe that has just left the boutique, here are some simple steps to follow to maintain suede shoes. These guidelines can also be used if the upper has deeper scratches and marks.
Small tip before you start cleaning: make sure that the shoe, even if dirty, is completely dry. Any operation with a wet – or even just damp – upper can lead to the onset of new stains. Wait for the shoe to dry normally, avoiding heat sources or dryers. At most, fill them with rolled up sheets of newspaper, which will help you maintain the shape of the shoe as well, and place them in front of a fan.
- Remove dirt and debris
As we have already seen for leather shoes, the first thing to do is to remove all the dirt accumulated both on the upper and between the gaps of the sole. To clean the suede layer, you can proceed with a soft brush or a cloth. The important thing is that both are completely dry. As we have just seen, soap and water only worsen the condition of the skin. Then proceed to brush the upper with quick, lateral movements that lift the fibers and remove dirt;
- It uses a suede rubber
This is a specific product used to remove marks on the surface of the shoe. Alternatively, you can use a simple eraser or one for household cleaning, as long as it is free of stains. Proceed to scrub the stains more vigorously, while being careful not to ruin the fabric. This should be enough to clean medium-severity stains.
In this way, every suede shoe can come back perfect and as good as new after every use or before an important event. However, if all this is not enough to remove a particularly stubborn stain, then we recommend using a solution of white vinegar, rubbing alcohol or a suede cleaner. It will be enough to moisten even a small corner of a cloth and pass it over the stain just enough to make it disappear. Without exaggerating, of course, because acidic solutions could ruin the footwear.
Once you’ve completed all of these steps, we recommend applying suede protector, which is often sold as a spray. It is a very useful product especially in regions and countries with a very humid climate and frequent showers.
Patent leather shoes: for shoes that are always ultra-shiny!
If you have a pair, you are definitely a person who does not go unnoticed. Patent leather is a highly resistant material that requires very little maintenance, to be done when the surface requires it and not at a fixed cadence. Be careful, however, that removing scratches and marks from patent leather is very difficult. In addition, like any other product, a maintenance treatment is essential to allow the material to extend its life cycle and last longer and in better conditions.
Fortunately, patent leather is extremely easy to clean and can also be done with everyday products, present in everyone’s homes. All you need is a microfiber cloth, water and mild soap. There are also more specific products, but let’s see how to proceed with what is already present in the house.
- Also for these shoes we start with a deep cleaning, taking care to remove any type of dirt. There are those who prefer to use a soft shoe brush, but a dry cloth can still be fine;
- Clean more thoroughlyUse soap and water at this stage. Soak a clean cloth and gently wipe the surface. So you’ll be able to remove even the smallest, most superficial scratches. Be careful, however, that it will not be possible to eliminate the oldest or deepest ones;
- Wipe dry with a clothTake a clean, dry cloth and wipe it over the surface. Be careful to remove all excess water: patent leather is very durable but not waterproof!
That’s it, now you have a pair of shoes like new! The steps are really quick and easy, to be repeated every time you see some stains or need to get ready for an elegant party.
Just remember that since they don’t need constant maintenance, patent leather shoes must still be treated with care. When you’re not using them, store them in a bag or pillowcase, away from heat sources that could ruin the color and finish. Also, avoid colored products, upholstery, or cloths when cleaning light-painted leather shoes, as they may unacceptably absorb other colors.
Well!
Sneakers, sneakers and different types of leather. We’ve seen a little bit of everything, don’t you think? All you have to do is equip yourself with the little material you need and a lot of desire to do to take care of your shoes and find them ready for the next event.
Are you ready to make a great impression?
You may also be interested in the following articles:
Shoe Care: best tips for Daily Cleaning and Maintenance
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The Ecotan project, which introduced a biocircular tanning alternative to the world of leather, is only two years old, but it has already profoundly changed the industry.
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