The shoes you purchase can be expensive and therefore keeping your shoes in top condition is worth a little extra effort. The facts and tips below are ways to help you look after and even extend the natural life of your shoes.
Leather shoes:
Dirt and other debris can easily embed into leather. Therefore, your leather shoes or boots need to be cleaned before you start polishing. Shoe brushes and wipes can easily be used to remove excess dirt and debris.
To polish your shoes effectively, always remove the shoelaces from your shoe before you start polishing your shoes. This is the best way to get to clean the tongue of the shoe and avoid staining the laces.
For best results using shoe polishes or creams firstly apply the shoe polish or cream evenly to leather shoes and boots with a brush or soft cloth. Once the polish has properly dried, simply buff to a brilliant shine using a natural bristle brush. Note that it is important to use a separate brush and cloth for applying and buffing different coloured shoes.
If you prefer a more convenient alternative there are instant shine liquids. Simply remove excess dirt and then apply the liquid evenly to your shoes. The formulation restores colour and dries to an instant shine – without the need to buff.
Use Protector to help waterproof your shoes thoroughly so as to protect them from common stains caused by water, mud, dust and snow or salt.
Store leather shoes using a shoe tree, this will help retain the shape of the leather. If you can’t use a shoe tree (e.g. for strappy shoes), stuff the toe cap with newspaper or tissue. Never store or dry leather shoes near direct heat.
Suede & Nubuck shoes:
Your suede shoes deserve special attention. Make sure they are cleaned and waterproofed regularly.
If your suede shoes get wet, stuff them with newspaper while they dry to keep their shape.
Always allow them to dry naturally and never put them near direct heat.
Suede and nubuck shoes will look their best when brushed. You can use Suede and Nubuck bushes and cleaning blocks for this purpose.
Sport shoes:
To extend the life of active or outdoor shoes (golf shoes, football or hiking boots), make sure you polish and waterproof them regularly.
Before polishing, first knock off the loose mud and allow your boots to dry naturally.
Other interesting tips & tricks:
To keep your shoes lasting longer, rotate your shoes with another pair.
When you buy a new pair of shoes, protect them before you wear them for the first time.
If your shoes get wet, allow them to dry completely before wearing them again. Once your shoes have dried, waterproof them again with a multi-purpose protector.
Use a shoe horn to assist with putting on your shoes, to keep the heel from losing its shape.
When you travel, always place your shoes inside a shoe bag or wrap your shoes in a soft material.
At Bradshaw and Lloyd we offer a free comprehensive smart cleaning kit in a leather zip-up bag with most of our English made shoes, worth £30. The ever expanding Bradshaw and Lloyd website: www.bradshawandlloyd.com offers the entire range of shoes from Loake shoes, Sanders shoes, Trickers shoes, Bradshaw and Lloyd shoes and Sebago shoes.
