Leather Shoe Care-How to Keep them Shining

The condition of your shoes say a lot about whom you are. Here are tips on how to care for your leather shoes.

Leather shoes are unsuitable for wearing in wet weather, as the leather absorbs moisture causing the salt used to cure to stain the surface. Select synthetic shoes when it is wet, however, in case you get your leather shoes soaked, pack dry newspaper inside to absorb the moisture, and then place in a warm place to dry. Do not place near direct heat.
• Use castor oil to waterproof the underneath of leather soles. Also, to keep leather soft and graceful, apply a little castor oil and leave to dry, then clean shoes in a normal way.
• If bright-colored leather fades in certain areas, use an oil paint pastel of the same color obtained from paint stores. Paint the affected part, and then tip up with neutral wax polish.
• Shine patent leather shoes with a small amount of petroleum jelly.
• To clean suede shoes, use a masking tape instead of a wire brush, which damages the base fiber mesh. Just rub the tape over the entire shoe to keep it looking as clean as new.
• To make an old pair of lace-up shoes look new, buy new laces, perhaps in contrasting color. If lace ends fray making them look messy and difficult to thread, hold ends over a lighted match for a moment. this helps to fuse the fibers together.
• To prevent shoes from being untied, put polish on the laces and leave to dry overnight, then re-thread into shoes, they will hold well.
• To attain maximum comfort from shoes, buy those with soft cushioned insoles and sides. To stretch tight shoes, pack them with potato peels and leave for 48 hours. The natural enzyme action works to expand and soften leather.
• To retain the original shape and fit of your shoes, store them with shoe trees placed inside when you are not wearing them.
• To avoid straining your feet when wearing high heels, select shoes with wide based heels.
• To soothe and relieve tired feet after wearing ill-fitting shoes, soak your feet in a basin with shower gel and half a cup of salt. Relax for 15 minutes, and then wear a pair of soft bedroom slippers.