Caring for Your Shoes

I love shoes but I am not good in taking care of them. When I was working, I would sometimes wear different shoes everyday and after wearing them, I would just stack them in a rack without wiping the dust let alone some grub on them. Well, those were busy days I would say. But I didn't change. I still am busy.. even busier now.

But I do take care of them from time to time.. giving 'em some TLC.

Here are some tips on caring for your shoes:

Use shoe trees between wearings to help shoes retain their shape.
Let shoes rest on the trees at least 12 hours between wearing.
Clean off dirt after every wear with a soft brush or rag.
Always use a shoehorn for putting on your shoes.
Stop new suedes from "crocking" (rubbing off on clothes) by rubbing vigorously with a towel.
Exotic skins need extra care -- use special cleaners and conditioners.
Use water and stain repellant on suede and nubuck shoes before you wear them. When water stops beading up, respray.

Polishing smooth leather in a nutshell
Clean the shoes with a leather cleaner to get the grime off the top.
Condition the leather to soften.
Use a cream a shade lighter than the shoe to cover scratches.
Use paste, wax or cream polish to shine your shoes.
Weatherproof your shoes.

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