Dress Shoe

Shoe Care

Here are some tips on caring for your shoes to prolong their life.

• Remove any dist or dirt with a clean cloth before you polish your shoes.


• Leather Shoes - Regularly use dubbin or a leather conditioner to keep the leather supple. Weather-proofing prevent creases and cracks. To keep leather soft and supple, apply a little castor oil and leave to dry, then clean in the usual way.


• Nubuck Leather - Use a very fine sandpaper.


• Patent Leather - Rub petroleum jelly and leave for a while to soak in, then buff up with a soft clean cloth. This will not only keep them shiny but also prevent them cracking.


• Color - Heavily dyed leather uppers are not colorfast.


• Suede Shoes - Suede shoes look best when brushes. To clean suede shoes, instead of using a wire suede brush which takes off the top layer of the leather try using masking tape.


• Polishing Shoes - A banana skin can be used to polish leather shoes, once polished wipe clean with a paper towel or soft cloth. A fabric softener sheet has the same effect.


• Scrathes and Marks - The materials following can be used to camoflage scratches on shoe surfaces and heels. Paint, nail polish/varnish, car paint markers, eye-liners, crayons, wax polish and candle wax. The most important thing is to match the color of any of these materials with your shoe. Glue and shimmery powder or shimmery nail polish can be used to hide scratches or tattered patches on high-heel shanks.


• Stretching Shoes - To stretch shoes, slip a leak-proof plastic bag into the shoe, fill with water, ensuring it fills the shoe completely. Close securely and freeze. The water expands and stretches the shoe.


• Wet Shoes - Allow wet footwear to dry naturally in a well ventilated area as this will prevent any damage. DO NOT dry your footwear using an artificial heat source as this will damage the shoe and cause the leather to separate from the bonding.


• Washing - Never machine wash your footwear as this will seriously damage your shoes and void any guarantee.


• Replacements - Regularly replace heel tips, leather soles and insocks to prolong the life of your footwear and prevent damage to the construction.


• Shoe Laces - When laces fray, hold end over a lighted match for a moment, this should fuse the fibres together.


• Storing Shoes - Use a shoe tree to store your shoes, this will help maintain their shape and can help prolong their life.