There’s no style advice more basic than keeping your clothes well-maintained, more there is somethingmore sustainable than taking care of what you have? Taking care of it prolongs its lifespan and thus reduces its carbon footprint by up to 25% on average. And the shoes are perhaps the garment that suffers the most and which, in turn, tends to attract the most attention. Here you will find a guide to take care of them as they deserve.
“What is elegance? Soap and water!” Cécile Beaton
“Buy less. Choose wisely. Make it last” Vivienne Westwood
Contents
Tips to extend the life of your shoes
Before you start
Putting sustainability into practice avoid aerosols, disposable products or solvents. Cleansing erasers (or magic erasers) are abrasive and the like, like treatment sprays raincoat or varnishes, quite aggressive, although in the event that they save your shoe, it is worth evaluating any option.
- The eraser and water-resistant, plant-based markers or dyes They are a better option than the previous ones, which are more extreme and in any case consult a professional shoemaker to evaluate it.
- As a general rule, if there is a stain, you should act as soon as possible.
- Metals and buckles can be cleaned with Shammy
- Check the soles and button tabs after each season in case they need to be repaired or changed.
These precautions can be applied to bags and backpacks of the same materials but if in doubt ask the brand about its maintenance.
1. Let shoes air out and rest
The insoles and the outer material need several hours to recover their original shape, recommended with 24 hoursThis is why wearing the same pair of shoes every day is not the best option.
To ventilate it, before storing it in the closet, simply leave for a few hours in a cool, dry and open place.
2. Take care of your form
Wooden shapes or newsprint or similar, are necessary options, especially when talking about animal leather or easily deformable materials. Not only do you avoid creases and cracks, but it also absorbs moisture and odors that may have remained after airing. You can add a sachet of bay leaves or rice with an aromatic herb or infuse the rice with 4 drops of essential oil.
Use a shoe horn in closed shoes, and for those with laces, always undo and loosen to the middle of the instep. If you need it, add special pads or reinforcements in high-wear areas.
3. Routine cleaning
Ideally, give a light brushing every time we wear our shoes, on the soles, a classic carpet or with an integrated brush would suffice. You can also “knock” or rub the soles against each other (always dry). To clean in detail, a brush with medium or hard bristles, such as coconut fibres. Vacuuming, if there are seams of contrasting colors, is the best option.
The rest of the shoe (the outer part) is enough to spend a dry soft brush or sponge dust and a soft cloth, in the case of leather, suede type, to shine.
Store them without crushing, in boxes, shelves or breathable fabric bags, never in boxes or plastic bags or on top of each other. Leather and many other materials are sensitive to light, so it’s best not to hit them directly when not in use.
4. Seasonal or specific cleaning
When we need extra cleaning, we work in layers:
- Laces are removed first if you know it
- So we dry cleandust and dry residue with a soft brush and a vacuum cleaner, paying particular attention to seams, creases and parts such as the tongue, an old toothbrush can help us a lot here.
- The insole, if it is made of fabric but not machine washable, is cleaned in the same way as the sole; make a mixture in a spray bottle ⅔ water ⅓ vinegar and a little neutral soap, brush and rinse with a cloth with water or water and vinegar.
- Allow to air dry.
For very dirty and light-colored soles, you can replace the neutral soap with a “stronger” soap such as dishwasher or black/potassium soap.
Nubuck, suede, suede, same effect of vegetable origin:
In case of contact with water, absorb the excess with a towel or similar, let dry near a fan and brush occasionally until completely dry.
For general deep cleaning, use a rubber or crepe brush resistant and brush in both directions, for superficial scratches and stains use a gum (from stationery) and brush in one direction to finish.
Leather:
Do not get wet or use soap, just brush gently, clean with a dry cloth and in case of stains use cornstarch when it is not yet dry so that it is absorbed, leave the shoes upside down so that the sauce, oil or water does not continue to penetrate. After a few minutes, brush gently to remove debris or repeat if needed.
Patent leather:
A cloth with water and a little soap, damp, never wet. For scratches, buff with a dry, lint-free cloth, natural wax or a little coconut oil.
Leather effect:
Generally, having no pores like genuine leather, they can be moistened slightly with a a cloth soaked in water and neutral soap. For stains, you can rub in potato starch, wait for it to dry, and remove with a damp cloth.
To polish them, use the skin of a banana and remove the excess with a dry cloth in circular motions.
Cloth shoes (without pieces of other materials):
Clean by hand with a brush, water and neutral soap, rinse and let air dry.
In white shoes that degrade their color or are staineda mixture with baking soda and white vinegar, leaving it to act for a few hours, in case of very yellowish stains or encrusted dirt, we can make a paste of percarbonate and warm water, leave to act for 1 to 4 hours, rinse with water and clean normally.
Jute and esparto:
Brush with a medium brush in one direction. With a cloth soaked in a mixture of ⅔ water + ⅓ vinegar and a little soap, It must be wet, brushed and rinsed several times and in this case, as long as the rest of the materials are not likely to discolor, let it dry in the sun.
Grass or pen stains can be removed with a little alcohol if they persist.
Do you maintain your shoes regularly? Do you have any tips to share?
Bianca Fuentes
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You have more tips in my account @_StylingConscious!
Cover photo: Paloma Barceló Photos: Palm Studio
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