How to take care of leather shoes to make them last for years?

High-quality leather goods are famous for looking impeccable even for many years. If you bet on accessories with a timeless design, you can use them for several seasons. How to take care of leather shoes so that they do not get damaged and do not leak? We have prepared a handful of practical tips for you. Here you will find professional shoe cleaners and home remedies. Find out what to grease leather shoes with so they don't crack.

Table of Contents:

• How to care for leather shoes? Learn about the key stages of care
• How to impregnate leather shoes?
• How and with what to clean leather shoes?
• What to grease leather shoes? Home remedies

How to care for leather shoes? Learn about the key stages of care

Women's and men's natural leather footwear requires proper care. Otherwise it quickly loses its elasticity and impeccable appearance. Begins to crack and leak. We suggest how to care for leather shoes in a comprehensive way.

1. Waterproofing before you leave home for the first time will protect your footwear from leaks and the negative effects of the outdoors. Many people do not protect their shoes, making the shoes fail to meet their expectations. Meanwhile, even the best boots, boots or sneakers need specialized preparations. Otherwise our feet will get soaked in them during rain or snowfall. In shoe stores you will find specialized specifics for impregnation of suede, nubuck and grain leather. Check what material your shoes are sewn from and buy the right product to use regularly according to the manufacturer's recommendations.
2. Systematic cleaning of shoes is very important. They are in direct contact with mud, soil, sand and grass, making them easily soiled. When we quickly remove the dirt, we avoid deep and difficult to remove stains. It is recommended to clean footwear after returning home with a brush, you should also use it to reach the harder to reach places and heels. Sometimes you can get rid of dirt by reaching for a damp microfiber cloth. However, we advise against wet cleaning for suede and nubuck. The mentioned solution will work only with grain leather.
3. Leather shoes are considered durable and comfortable. They are flexible, so they work with the foot, adapting to its natural anatomical curves. Unfortunately, they lack natural hydration and lubrication, making it necessary for us to take care of them. Otherwise they may start to crack. Natural skin needs to be supplied with nutrients from outside. A good solution seems to be creams and pastes that lubricate it. Thus, they will protect the shoes from negative external influences and make them more flexible. Some skin care products contain pigments that boost natural skin color. With black or brown, we have no problem choosing the right paste. Worse if our leather shoes stand out with their original color. Then a clear cream will prove to be a good solution.

Important! Leather shoes should never be washed in a washing machine, as the material from which they are made may tear.

How to impregnate leather shoes?

Natural leather shoes are famous for being elegant, comfortable and functional. They look very noble and age that way too. Unfortunately, unprotected ones can leak, giving rise to great discomfort. If you want to avoid soaked feet, you should reach for the right preparations. How to impregnate leather shoes?

Some companies offer professional impregnation of leather shoes before they are first worn. All you have to do is bring your shoes to them, and their employees will place them in a special device. Once removed from the chamber, they will be resistant to leakage and the negative effects of the outside world. This does not mean that professional treatment exempts us from the need to regularly waterproof our shoes.

Make sure to get the right preparations for waterproofing footwear. When doing so, pay attention to the type of material from which the shoes are made. There are products for suede, nubuck and grain leather. Each contains slightly different ingredients that correspond to the specifics of the shoes. You should use it according to the recommendations on the package or leaflet.

Shoes need to be cleaned of dirt before waterproofing. This is best done with a special brush. For grain leather, harder and stiffer bristles are recommended, while for suede, accessories with a silicone finish are recommended to prevent damage to its delicate structure.

Women's footwear, which has heels trimmed with leather, should first be thoroughly cleaned, and then sprayed with a specialized impregnation product.

How and with what to clean leather shoes?

How to clean leather shoes so that they look impeccable and at the same time do not get damaged? We have prepared detailed instructions for you.

1. Laces from shoes should be removed for cleaning. This is because they can become contaminated with paste. In addition, they very often do not look very aesthetically pleasing and need to be refreshed. Put them in the washing machine or wash them by hand in a bowl of soap and water. In case the shoelaces appear severely damaged and worn out, replace them with new ones.
2. Mud, road salt, sand, soil, leaf and grass fragments all accumulate on our shoes. It can stick to the skin or nest in the sole. Remove dirt with a brush. However, be careful not to scratch the natural leather. Clean the recesses of the sole by reaching for a toothpick.
3. What to clean leather shoes with? Much depends on their material, which reacts differently to different substances. You can clean shoes made of grain leather, on which stronger dirt appeared, with a damp microfiber cloth with dishwashing liquid. Specialized foam also seems to be a good solution. It is sprayed on a clean cloth and then spread on the surface of the skin.
4. Reach for a new cloth. With it, wipe off the residue of the detergent or specialized preparation. Set the shoes aside for 60 minutes to dry.
5. What to grease leather shoes? You can use paste or cream for this purpose. A colorless product that does not contain pigment will work best. For it has a universal character. Apply the cream or paste with another clean microfiber cloth that does not leave streaks and scratches. Wait a few minutes.
6. Once the paste has moisturized, nourished and lubricated the leather, you can proceed to polish your shoes. Use a soft cloth for this purpose. Do the activity with short but steady movements.
7. Let your shoes dry. Ideally, you should put them out on the balcony or in the garden. Choose a shaded place, as the sun can discolor and damage the skin.
8. When the footwear dries, spray it with a waterproofing product.

What to grease leather shoes? Home remedies

Many people wonder what to grease leather shoes with. Home remedies prove indispensable when you run out of special paste. The trick with cosmetic petroleum jelly is very popular. The mentioned product is often used to lubricate dry lips and elbows. It will also perfectly shine our leather shoes.

In addition, we recommend your attention to the natural mixture. Combine 50 ml of olive oil with 50 ml of vinegar and a few drops of lavender oil. Spread the resulting concoction on the surface of the skin with a microfiber cloth. It's a simple, inexpensive and eco-friendly way to restore the shine to your favorite footwear.