Men’s Shoe Care Tips: Make All Your Shoes Last Longer
Updated: Oct 18
Consider your shoes an investment and spend some time caring for them, storing them correctly, and cleaning them when required. Taking care of your shoes does not need as much effort as you would believe it does. The information that you require is detailed below.
Preventative Work
By taking preventative measures and adhering to best practices, you can ensure that all your wingtips, plain toes, cap toes, loafers, chukkas, boots and more will remain worn for the duration of their useful lives.
Right Place Right Time
Always choose the appropriate shoe for the event you are attending. Sneakers don't work at at a wedding and dress shoes don't go on a hike.
Don't wear leather, suede, or canvas when the weather is unpredictable. These materials have different levels of breathability. D
Quality Matters
Despite the potentially high upfront cost, you'll likely spend less throughout the shoe's existence.
Cheaper shoes are built with materials that are less likely to last, purchasing them may wind up costing you more money in the long term because you will have to replace them more frequently.
Break-In Period
With regular, rotated wear they should break in at about the 3-4 week mark.
If you are looking for faster results, taking a hair dryer to the inside and lightly stretching will loosen them.
There is another method of filling two Ziplock bags with water, stuffing them in the shoe and sticking the shoes in the freezer for about 4 hours.
You can also purchase shoe stretchers or take them to a cobbler for proper stretching.
Care and Storage
Waterproofing
Water can ruin your shoes, for example, salt can seep into leather whenever it rains; once it does, stains will be permanent. If the leather is subjected to excessive moisture, it runs the risk of drying out and cracking. Waterproofing is an absolute necessity for protecting leather and suede footwear. 3 Types of waterproofing tools:
Polishes with a wax basis
Specialized water protectants
Spray-on solutions
Because they are efficient, simple, and quick to use, spray-on waterproofing solutions is our recommendation for water proofing shoes. If you observe that water no longer beads up on the surface, it is time for a fresh coat to be applied.
Polish for Shoes
Polish is only necessary for shoes made of leather and using it once per month or so should be sufficient to obtain that mirror-like sheen. Polishing your shoes consistently can make them last longer and guarantee that they always have a fresh appearance.
Horsehair Brush
Use it to remove debris and dirt from the surface of your shoe in a gentle manner. It can be used on any shoe materials. You can use it to apply shoe cleanser and shoe polish to your footwear. Maybe get a few extra brushes for these purposes.
Shoehorn
A shoe horn prevents you from performing the wiggle dance every time you try to slip into a shoe. It preserves the heels as it makes it easier to glide into them. This can help prevent the back from wearing down and becoming distorted due to normal wear and tear.
Shoe Trees
Shoe trees are devices inserted inside a shoe to keep its form and increase the shoe's lifetime. This helps prevent the shoe from becoming misshapen.
A cedar wood shoe tree is the preferred material of a shoe tree. They dry out the lining of your shoe from moisture from a days wear and also help prevent odors from forming.
Plastic is okay but as mentioned above when it comes to quality, a wooden shoe tree is a much better option.
A Guide to Cleaning a Variety of Materials
Leather
A good pair of leather shoes may last a person's life if they are correctly maintained. On the daily use the horsehair brush to clean off any dirt and debris.
Open the pores in the leather of your shoes by giving them a quick wipe-down with a warm sponge.
Apply the waterproofing compound that you have selected
Apply polish to the shoe by using slight pressure and moving in circular motions throughout the shoe. When your shoe gets a shine comparable to a mirror, you are almost finished!
Be sure to condition your shoes regularly—about once a month—to help soften and moisturize the leather, preventing cracks from appearing in the leather. Nevertheless, if your shoe begins to fracture, little can be done to preserve it from further damage.
Canvas
This is a spot clean type of material. Apply a tiny amount of detergent and water to that area. Using a toothbrush gently clean the area. This method should maintain the shoes fabric and clear off minor stains.
Suede
We highly advise that you apply a suede protector as soon as you get the shoe then apply the protector about once a month.
Suede is susceptible to staining, you should always clean your suede shoes as soon as they show signs of soiling.
A nylon bristle brush allows for a lighter and softer cleaning of any filth or oil stains.
A mixture of two parts water and one part vinegar can be used to treat stains that have already taken root by applying the mixture directly to the affected areas to repair the damage.
Check the weather, if there's a chance of rain, we advise against wearing a suede shoe.
Rubber
The bottoms of many sneakers have rubber soles. If they have a white sole, we suggest the following:
Using a toothbrush in conjunction with toothpaste is an effective method for removing tough stains.
You may also try dampening a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for deeper or older stains.
Mesh
Most of the material used in the construction of sporting shoes is mesh.
Soak these types of shoes in a warm bath (you may use your sink for this), that includes liquid dish detergent.
After soaking for some time, any filthy spots can be removed by scrubbing them with a gentle cloth or brush.
When you're finished, put your mesh shoes somewhere that doesn't get direct sunlight and let them air dry (like your porch or a safe place indoors).
Your footwear, should be cleaned, and maintained regularly, just like the rest of your wardrobe. To ensure that your footwear purchases serve you for the longest time possible, it is essential to maintain a regular shoe maintenance routine.