Even if you can’t afford to get a pair of hand-crafted, made-to-measure shoes, looking properly after your heels, brogues or boots will add considerably to their life span and make you appreciate the craft and effort that goes into a well-made shoe even more.
If you look at your shoes - and yes that includes everything from a bespoke leather brogue to your highstreet biker boots and trainers- as an investment, simple shoe care such as cleaning and polishing is an easy way to protect your assets.
jorg&olif has five simple and easy steps showing you how to look after your shoes:
Step one: Protect your fingers
Don’t get shoe polish all over your hands. Wear household gloves or rub a bit of vaseline onto your fingers first. Place your shoes on some old newspapers, you don’t want to get your floor dirty either.
Step two: Analyse, analyse, analyse
Before you get cleaning figure out what sort of stains you are dealing with. There’s a solution for all types of stains from simple soap and scrubbing with an old toothbrush to various lotions and polishes you can buy everywhere from supermarkets to shoe mongers.
Step three: Never just wash one part
If your shoes require a full-on wash, remember to bathe the whole shoe to avoid any awkward water staining. Also, baby shampoo works wonders!
Step four: Dry the old-fashioned way
Good old newspapers are the best way of drying your shoe. Only stuff your shoe enough to give it some shape, and remember to change the paper frequently until your shoe is completely dry.
Step five: Polish away
Everyone’s got their own preferred method but cream or paste polish will be best for leather shoes, allowing the leather to breathe. Apply with a clean rag in circular motions, allow your shoe to dry and then use a horsehair brush to buff as well as a soft cloth to shine as desired.
To get you started, Paul Smith has a fabulous luxury wooden shoe care kit, which includes everything you need to give your shoes a long and happy life.
