Leather Shoe Guide: Proper Shoe Care and Maintenance
Footwear is an investment and deserves proper shoe care
Clothing always comes with a care label. What temperature to wash it in, how to dry it, whether to iron it or not and even what colours to wash it with. However, shoes don’t seem to come with the same manual. You might wear the same shirt two days in a row but you’ll most likely wear the same pair of shoes for a whole week. They’re an investment and naturally you’d want them to live a long beautiful life. So what is the proper shoe care? We’ll go through different ways to maintain your shoes so they last.
Paradigma Shoes
First off, if you are still wearing square toed shoes, we have to request that you burn them (sorry, not sorry).
Major key: Look for shoes that are Goodyear welted. This allows you to replace the soles which eventually wear out so your shoes can stand the test of time. Try a pair of our Gotstyle ones, you won’t regret it.
The Basics: Waterproof, condition & polish
This is the kind of stuff that everyone generally knows is important for maintaining their shoes.
There are many products out there that do a combination of shoe maintenance. Waterproofing of your shoes should be done every six months or so.
Conditioning is something that should be done regularly. About 1-2 times a month. The reason for this is that leather is skin. A cream conditioner will keep your leather soft and keep it from cracking.
Polishing is completely subjective. Do it as often as you want depending on how shiny you like it.
Important Maintenance Tips
1. Keep your shoes dry
Even if you’ve waterproofed your shoes, the intensity of the weather is something you cannot avoid. Do your best to keep your leather shoes clean and dry. A pair of Swims Galoshes is highly recommended.
Major key: Remove any salt stains with a little vinegar and water. Apply sparingly and wipe clean with a cloth.
IF they do get wet, stuff them with newspaper immediately and keep it away from direct heat. Drying leather too fast will cause it to crack.
2. Use shoe trees
Shoes are an equally good investment. They keep the same of shoes, lowers the chances of creases and actually absorbs moisture (think sweat) and odours. The best are unfinished cedar ones. You don’t need to own a set for each pair of shoes. The trees should be put into your shoes within 1-2 hours after you’ve taken them off and after that, they can be taken out.
3. Own a shoe horn
When you’re putting on your shoes, use a shoe horn. It’s not only about proper shoe care but also about usage. It’s easy to ruin the heels when you wiggle your feet into them.
4. Wear socks
It seems silly to put this here as part of proper shoe care but it’s a must. It creates a barrier between your feet and shoes. Leather is absorbent and adding that to wearing your shoes for a minimum of 8 hours in a day means you get sweaty and maybe even stinky feet. If you don’t like your socks showing, wear no-shows.
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