Is well known that ladies shop obsessively for shoes and men treat their sports sneakers like some kind of sacred talisman. Whether you’re out braving the elements, striding through the hustle and bustle of a busy urban marketplace, or soaring across slick gymnasium hardwood in a heated game, it pays to make traction. Which is why we love leather sneakers.
If you have bought a leather sneaker, then you know how easily are for them to get dirty and with lots of grime. Maybe it built up over the years of abuse or maybe it was in a week. Anyway, we are here to tell you how to take care of your shoes with just a simple routine.
Tips to Care for Your Leather Sneakers:
- Don't buy shoes that don't fit comfortably.
- If you have more than one pair of leather sneakers, wear them interchangeably.
- When they get wet, dry as much as you can off with a clean cloth, and lean them upside down against a wall. Down towards the base of your shoes is a foamy material that is more difficult to dry – put them upside down and gravity works with you to prevent water from getting to it. Stuff them with newspapers while you’re at it, which will absorb moisture more readily than the shoes will. Also, stick away from artificial heat (this includes hair dryers) and sunlight.
- When its time to clean them, brush off any surface dirt with a soft cloth or bush. You don’t want that stuff hindering your cleaning process. For actual cleaning, a soft cloth slightly dampened with undiluted, white vinegar is known to make a world of difference on finished and unfinished leathers alike. Lightly brush the vinegar across your leather’s surface in thin and even layers. After you’ve got the surface covered, dry off any excess fluids with another clean cloth, and let it dry in a cool, indoors location away from sunlight and direct heat. This treatment also works well for getting out stains and road-salt. If you get grease on your shoes, sprinkling a bit of cornstarch over the stain and letting it sit overnight should do the trick. Use a soft brush the next day to remove the starch.
- Every once in a while, you’ll also want to condition your leather sneakers. For finished leather, you’ll have to gauge this based on how much exposure your sneakers get to the elements. A safe approach is to generally buff them up three to four times a year if they get lots of exposure to dirt and water, or twice a year if they’re kept in more regulated environments.
