Tips to make your shoes look great for longer!
Your shoes need the same pampering and attention as your darling pet. Right from the way you use them to the way you store and maintain them decides on how long they will be with you. So, you need to be particular about how you choose to take care of them.
No matter how busy and rough life they lead, there are efficient ways to protect them from the harsh times and get them to look newer and fresher for longer. And these are all super easy hacks to be tried all by yourself.
Make the most of them and let your shoes look just as new for longer:
- Never stack your shoes
Shoes fail to retain their original shape with time is mainly due to improper storage during the resting time. This gets them floppy and creasy and makes them gradually lose their firmness. Storing your shoes one on top of the other is a big no-no! Store them side by side to retain structure.
Also, be careful of the heels, make sure they don’t scratch or damage other shoes. If your shoes have spikes or other embellishments, careful not to put them too close to other shoes as well, as they might leave an undesirable scratch. As for the colour, try to arrange based on their colour. If possible, avoid placing light and dark coloured shoes, too close to the other, as the colour might run if the condition gets too damp.
- Plastic taboo!
Never store shoes in plastic! They require airflow to enable them to breathe. Especially so for leather shoes.
- Shoe boxes
They are good as they give your shoes the highest level of protection from dust, sunlight, and temperature. All of which can sap leather shoes of their flexibility.
- Silica gel
Add a pack of silica gel to the storage container to remove dampness.
- Acid-free paper
A big reason many shoes get to retire early is mainly that they come in frequent contact with water and get exposed to moist conditions. So, to counter this problem should your shoes hit rain or sweaty feet, simply stuff your shoes with acid-free paper instead of newspaper. It is absorbent and maintains the shoe’s proper moisture level while protecting them from deteriorating. After which, throw in silica gel in the shoes and they’ll be good as new in no time.
- Rotate your shoes often
Important tip. Constantly wearing a single pair of shoes can permanently damage their structure and insole.
- Clean & Condition
Before storing shoes, clean them well and apply leather conditioner to the leather upper. Everyone knows conditioning brings the sheen back to the shoes. Doing this regularly can make your shoe not just look good but also attain a longer life.
- Sort, Sort & Sort
Sorting your flats, heels and running shoes by design and purpose will help your closet stay organized and keep your shoes in better condition, way better than tossing them randomly.
- Use shoe bags or dust bags
No matter what material your shoes are made of, dust causes considerable harm to it. And you always need to be extra careful if you live in a more open area with free lands. To make sure your shoes are protected against the dust, use dust/shoe bags while you store them. You can use bags made of any material but avoid the ones that may expel the sheath to leave it in a fibrous mess inside.
- Store them in a cool and dry place
You must have heard of this many time. And these points are always suggested by experts to keep your shoes newer and younger for longer. This protection from the dampening air and direct sunlight prove really effective in getting your shoes a long life. So, always keep them away from these conditions tucked on a rack or inside a box that is placed in a room that doesn’t get your shoes to meet heat and moist in any way. Also, store brightly coloured shoes away from direct sunlight as it may bleach them.
In summary…
these are the common practices that you can try at home to keep your shoes younger for longer and get them the extra top-up of life. You can always try and replace these with other similar hacks that may come handy to you, but always try to treat them following this manual ‘as is’ for best results!