A shoe care guide is the basic knowledge we all need to maintain our shoes. Higher-end shoes are an investment, and the more that you know how to look after that investment, the more valuable it will be in the long run.
Shoes aren’t free, right? Unfortunately not. Knowing that, why not maximize our investment and treat our shoes as nicely as they should be treated? If you have nice leather shoes, you should be investing in the little things that can double their lifespan. There are not many, and they are easy to use and store. A shoe must never simply be taken off and thrown in the closet unless you really want your shoes to deform, your leather to wrinkle, and an exponentially fast breakdown of them.
That being said, here is the list of things you need…
I have not necessarily put these in order of importance, as they are all important in the long run. If there is only one thing that a person must purchase when getting a pair of good quality leather shoes, it should be shoe trees. Shoe trees alone will help add time to your shoes’ lifespan. For each one, I will explain why they are needed and how you use them to your advantage.
Shoe Trees
There are so many things that shoe trees do, but in my opinion, the most important is the fact that they will help to maintain the shape of your shoes and prevent deep creasing from setting in. Deep creasing over time can crack your leather as the creasing creates weak points. Shoe trees help to push out these creases to maintain the leather’s tautness. Not only does that help to prevent them from cracking, but it also helps to keep an elegant shape for your footwear.
Certain shoe trees will also help to absorb moisture, although I personally believe this selling point is over-hyped and only a real issue if you sweat more than the average person. But excess moisture left in your leather will not only stiffen your leather, increasing the chances of cracking (as previously mentioned), but will also slowly deteriorate the integrity of your lining leather.
The use of shoe trees is also among the most important aspects of long-term storage, ensuring that the leather stays as rect as possible, thus ensuring time/air doesn’t dry out the weak points, which can lead to cracking.
Some shoe trees, mainly cedar, will also act as an aid to odor prevention through the wood’s naturally strong aroma. It is advised to always have your shoe trees in your shoes when you are not wearing them. If you happen to get your shoes quite wet, the most important way to dry them is to insert your trees and lay each shoe on its side. Let them sit for 1-2 hours and then rotate the shoes to lay on their opposite sides. That way, there is no uneven drying, which will leave dried wet spots. Some ideologies say that using a crinkled newspaper in place of the shoe tree for a heavy soaking of the leather is actually preferable. I have no proof of this, though.
There are several types of shapes and woods used for shoe trees. Depending on who you ask, many people recommend cedar shoe trees, especially because they fight odor the best. Since I don’t have this problem, I don’t really care what type of wood they are, but I care more about the shape of a shoe tree and how it corresponds to the filling-up of the shoe in question. There are really two main types of trees, and those are ones that fit exactly the last of the shoe and those that are generic in shape and sizing. Obviously, the ones that fit the last exactly are better, but they are harder to find, expensive, and often heavier. There are a lot of nicely shaped generic trees on the market now, though. There is also a big trend toward hollowed shoe trees that are lighter in weight and good for travel.
No matter what you do, when you buy a nice pair of leather shoes, you should have a shoe tree to complement it. And each shoe should have its own shoe tree. It’s a rotation game. That doesn’t prolong the life of anything.
Shoe Bags
A proper shoe bag will assist you in many ways to maintain your fine leather dress shoes.
- They will help shade the shoes from light that can harm your leather and will also keep your shoes free from dust.
- They will also lessen the chances of you scratching the leather of your shoes from other objects in your closet, especially when you travel. Most good shoes come with their own shoe care bags, but if not, one of your trusted shoemakers might be able to sell you a set. Unless you store your shoes on custom racks, I would always suggest leaving your shoes in their shoe bag.
- They prevent dust buildup, which in the long run can dry out and crack your leather.
The shoe bag, especially for travel, is another one of the most important aspects of storing your shoes while not wearing them.
Leather Lotion / Shoe Conditioner
Leather is like your skin. It needs to be treated to maintain its soft look, shape, and feel. Leather lotion/conditioner, such as Saphir’s Renovateur or their Crème Universelle, is the moisturizer that you need to use to maintain these qualities in your leather. Ideally, you should apply leather lotion to your shoes anytime they might be looking a little scuffed and/or dry.
However, if this is too much for you to do, just make sure that you apply it before every polish and let it dry for at least 10 minutes before applying the wax (20 minutes is better). Use an old T-shirt or soft rag to apply and do so evenly. This will buff the scuffs out and clean unseen dirt.
Lack of conditioning your shoes over time will cause them to crack, as excess build-up of dust, rainwater, and even arid climates are all things that are not great for leather over time without a counterbalance to their negative effects.
Below is a short video on how to apply leather lotion/shoe conditioner:
Shoe Polish
There are generally two types of shoe polish: cream/paste and wax. Both have their specific uses and are both important in shoe care and maintaining one’s shoes.
Wax polish is more for shine and protection, while cream polish is more for color rejuvenation and nourishment. Wax polish creates a surface on top of your leather that helps to protect it from water, i.e rain. Cream polish will help to give back the color that the leather loses over time from being subjected to sunlight, dust, rain, etc.
There are many brands of wax, especially new ones in the last 10 years. Since I started my life in shoe care, I have always been using Saphir’s products, as I personally find them to be the best. This is also why I sell them on The Shoe Snob Shop, as I believe in them and think that if you, too, care for your shoes as much as I do, you would want what is best for them.
Other brands that have a good reputation are Boot Black, Pure Polish, and Paul Brunngard.
Old T-Shirt For Polishing
I use these to apply the leather lotion/conditioner and the wax. It is preferable to have one for each but is not absolutely necessary. I have found that a 100% cotton t-shirt works best. It allows me to feel the leather as I am applying the polish which helps when you are trying to build a mirror shine. I often simply cut up an old t-shirt or you can buy a new specific one for making these strips of cloth.
See the video below on how to make these.
These are the tricks to keeping your shoes clean and shiny. Working in retail, I always carried a footie (try-on size nylons) in my pocket to wipe down my shoes to clean the dust that would collect on them. You will be amazed at how fast they will clean and shine at the same time.
They are also used at the end of the polishing process. Once you have applied the wax and think that your shoes are ready to go, let them sit for 10-15 minutes, and then wipe them down with black nylon to really bring out extra shine by taking away any dust particles and excess wax.
These are not absolutely necessary but do make for a very quick job in buffing up your shoes. The goat hair brush below also does the trick.
Shoe Brushes: Horsehair & Goat Hair
These can be used for several different reasons. The most common use is to bring out the shine after applying wax; however, if you know how to apply a mirror shine, you would not use it for that- just the wax, t-shirt, and nylon. You might use it in between, but not as a finisher.
What I typically use these for is to clean the shoe and get in the cracks between the welt and the upper leather, to get that dust and dirt out. If you use these for shining, make sure that you have one for black, one for dark brown, and one for lighter colors. I prefer the horsehair brush for cleaning and the goat hair brush for buffing/blending my polishing.
The goat hair is finer and will bring up the shine more so than the horsehair brush. If you do not apply mirror shines to your shoes and simply desire a higher level of buff shine from your brush, then the goat hair will be your best option.
The brushes can collect the wax on the bristles and will stain your lighter shoes if you were to use the same brush that you used on your dark shoes. Horsehair brushes often come in different color bristles to assist you in maintaining certain brushes for certain shoes.
All of these shoe brushes are also found at The Shoe Snob Shop
Edge Dressing / Dye
Keeping your soles tidy is not as much of a necessity for longevity but more so for appearance’s sake. There is nothing worse than a chewed-up-looking edging on your sole, especially in the toe region. But common wax and creams might not always do the trick permanently.
Often, in the case of black edging on your soles, you will need a black dye and/or edge dressing product that will help to keep that black color intact. Saphir has recently introduced an Edge Dressing Pen that makes application easier than ever. Better yet, it comes in three colors: Black, Dark Brown, and Neutral. Learn how to apply it here.
Conclusion
Of course, shoe care also means being mindful of how you treat your shoes. The best polish and shoe trees cannot prevent you from scraping your toes against concrete or catching the leather on something sharp.
And when that happens, take some ownership of it. An accidental scrape is not a manufacturing fault, and cuts do not magically appear in leather. Before blaming the maker—or giving up on the shoes—see what a little care or a good cobbler can put right.
Learn to enjoy looking after your shoes, and you will enjoy wearing them for many years to come.
If you ever have a question about what to do, leave a comment below!
Find all accessories for your shoe care at The Shoe Snob Shop
—Justin FitzPatrick, The Shoe Snob
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