How to care for leather shoes: white and color, in winter and summer

Leather shoes are particularly comfortable: they allow the foot to “breathe”, wears easily and takes the shape of a foot, and it looks stylish and elegant. Therefore, natural shoes, boots or sneakers occupy the top lines in the popularity rating. There are hygiene rules for leather material, following which you will extend the period of wearing shoes and provide your feet with a healthy microclimate.

Choosing shoe cosmetics ...

When buying a brand new pair of shoes, immediately purchase care products. And in this matter do not save. According to professional experts, cash costs for shoe cosmetics should average 10% of the price of shoes for which they are purchased. From the following list, select several tools.

• Shampoos and foams. Their function is to remove dirt, various stains and stains, to maintain color.
• Creams. Increase the life of shoe products, provide elasticity, softness of genuine leather.
• Color recovery aerosols. You can choose any shades.
• Polishes. Protect from moisture and moisture, provide shine.
• Impregnation. Create an additional protective layer, have a water-repellent effect, the properties of neutralizing salt stains.
• Specific cosmetics. These are antibacterial deodorants, softeners, anticolors (protect socks from staining) and others.

It will not be superfluous to study the composition of shoe cosmetics. So, wax provides grooming, gloss effect, protects from external factors. Oils return freshness to the appearance. Silicones - polish, solvents - remove dust. Fluorocarbon resins are used to create water repellents.

... and a cleaning "inventory"

The main and mandatory device for cleaning shoes made of leather is a brush. Natural or with artificial pile. Also keep on hand:

• brush for cream (for each color - separate);
• polishing cloth;
• impregnation sponge;
• washing sponge or washcloth;
• soft rags;
• toothbrush (for hard to reach places).

Leather shoe care: 5 rules

How to wash leather shoes? Rain and autumn slush, dirt, snow "porridge" with industrial reagents are destructive for natural leather material. Such shoes need to be cleaned after each exit to the street. Once a week, give her more significant help. Thus, you will preserve its beauty and gloss, “breathing” and moisture-repellent properties, relieve microcracks, scratches, stubborn stains or an unpleasant odor. Cleaning leather shoes from dirt is not at all difficult. Try to follow these five guidelines.

1. Clean your shoes outside. This should be done with any damp cloth for cleaning immediately after arriving home. Remove stubborn dirt with a wet, well-wrung rag (dilute shoe shampoo in water). Sequence of washing: heel, sole, upper part.
2. Wipe dry. A clean flannel or cotton cloth is suitable for these purposes.
3. Dry naturally. Drying is carried out at room temperature. You should first remove the insoles. The ban on drying with a hairdryer, heater, special dryers, on a battery or in the sun is fundamental. This only deforms the product and dries the skin. A popular way is to stuff shoes with old newspapers.
4. Apply a thin layer of cream. Only after complete drying. A colorless option is suitable, but it is better to use a tool in the tone of the shoe. Leave it overnight. In the morning, remove the residue with a soft sponge. Use the cream twice a week.
5. Treat with a water-repellent spray. In wet weather it is worth doing this once every five to seven days, in dry weather - once a month. Using special tools, polish to a shine.

If the pair is new

After buying a new shoe pair, soak it with cream and then carefully polish it. To make the shine appear, you can wipe it with a slice of lemon or orange peel. Then polish with a rag. After a week of wear, lubricate the shoes with castor oil or fish oil. This will make it water resistant.

Wet and "laser" products

It is advisable not to wear suede and patent leather shoes in wet weather. After walking in the rain, these delicate materials are difficult to regain their “salable” appearance.

• Suede. Very moody, afraid of water, prone to stains. Wash or wash such shoes will not succeed. Bold ones are removed using talcum powder, shiny ones are removed using an ordinary eraser. If the suede shoes are wet, wash off the dirt with soap and water, dry over steam.
• Varnish. Be guided by the general rules of care, but to give a beautiful shine, rub the varnish shoes with glycerin, egg yolk, vegetable oil or milk.
• Nubuck. Outwardly similar to suede, but moisture resistant. Contaminants are cleaned in
  dry with a soft brush.
• Laser treated leather. In fact, ordinary genuine leather, but with a special manufacturing technology. Using a laser engraving machine, images are applied to the material. Such shoe products are considered exclusive, but there are no special tips on how to properly care for leather shoes with laser processing. The care is the same as for ordinary leather models.

Alternative to store creams

To maintain shoes in perfect condition, it is not necessary to spend money and buy special products. There are a number of folk methods that are not inferior in effectiveness to store cosmetics for shoes.

• Shining. In 0.5 liters of warm water, dilute a teaspoon of baby soap and a few drops of ammonia. Wet the washcloth in solution and apply to the surface. You can also beat egg white, milk and sugar (in equal proportions), then cover the leather surface with the resulting foam. At the end, polish with a rag.
• Drying protection. Drying the top of the shoe or shoe will save treatment with castor or vegetable oil. And so that the leather surface does not crack, use glycerin or petroleum jelly.
• Creating a water-repellent effect. In-store tools will successfully replace flax oil. The popular way to rub natural skin with unsalted pork fat.
• Removing unpleasant odor. A light solution of potassium permanganate will help to clean leather shoes from smell. You need to thoroughly wipe them inside the insoles and side walls, and then re-walk with a cotton pad dipped in pharmacy hydrogen peroxide. If there is no potassium permanganate, you can do just peroxide.

Folk recipes from spots

Stains from leather shoes can be removed folk remedies. Before starting this procedure, you need to clean the product from dust and dirt. Wet shoes must be dried.

Starch

1. Sprinkle a greasy stain with starch (baby powder or crushed chalk).
2. Soak for about half an hour.
3. Shake off the white powder, wipe the place of contamination with a damp cloth.

Baking soda

1. Dissolve a teaspoon of soda in half a glass of warm water.
2. Wipe off the greasy stain until a light foam forms.
3. Wipe with a cloth and dry.

Bulb

1. Take half the onion.
2. Cut and rub the greasy stain with the cut part.
3. Repeatedly walk with a clean sponge to remove onion odor (will last a few days).

Lifehacks for light couples

Of course, in winter, brown shoes are more appropriate, but in frosty, dry weather you can calmly flaunt in white boots. Moreover, you can clean white leather shoes without much effort.

• Toothpaste. To whiten white leather shoes with toothpaste or powder. It is necessary to apply the product on a soft toothbrush and treat the places of contamination.
• Soda. Baking soda, diluted in water to the consistency of a thick slurry, will quickly and easily refresh natural white skin.
• Milk with an egg. You need to separate the egg white. Add it to warm milk (half a cup). Handle shoes with such a mixture. When dry, rub to a shine.

Remedies for black streaks and salt streaks

Table vinegar is the most effective way to get rid of white salt stains. First, wet shoes need to be completely dried, the basic requirements for its care must be met, and only then prepare a solution of one part of water and three parts of vinegar. Then wipe the dirty areas with the mixture until the stains disappear. Launched salt stains will help eliminate castor oil.

How to store ...

It is imperative to comply with the storage conditions of leather shoes. For these purposes use cardboard boxes or fabric covers. The use of plastic bags is prohibited. You need to store leather shoes in a dry place, away from heating devices and moisture sources, on special struts to avoid losing the model form (or you can use dry paper). Previously, the surface is brushed, then a protective water-repellent layer is applied.

... and wash

Knowing how to care for genuine leather shoes, you can extend the life of your favorite moccasins, half boots or ballet shoes for a long time. But one way of leaving causes irreconcilable disputes among housewives - washing. So wash or not leather shoes in the washing machine? If the manufacturer does not prohibit doing this, and your shoes are terribly dirty (most often it’s sports shoes), proceed with this method of purification from pollution safely. Take out the laces and remove all removable parts, place in a special bag, add powder or gel, select a delicate mode with a temperature of no more than 30 ° C and no spin. It only remains to properly dry the leather shoes after washing. We do this without using the battery in the old proven way - using paper. Then wet shoes will not lose shape.