How do you take care of your shoes?

[mz_kylie]

Im curious as to how you ladies (and gents) take care of your shoes.

I usually clean the soles of my heels with tea tree oil on tissue or cotton bud before gently wrapping them with the tissue paper and placing it in the boxes they came in.

Before i begin wearing new shoes, i waterproof and stain proof them with a shoe care spray.

Yet what about designer shoes? I recently bought a pair of manolos and havent worn them in the fear that i'll damage the delicate soft leather sole .
Is there something im supoosed to do to the sole before i wear them out? and what about cleaning them?. Tea tree oil wouldnt work on the hardened leather, im guessing it would just soak in and ruin the heels. So how do you maintain them?

Share your secrets girls!!

 

[Guessgirl96]

I've never done anything, I just get the soles replaced when they wear out.

I'm thinking I may start though... what shoe care spray do you use? Are there sertain materials not to use it on? I'm thinking I may ruin more choes with it than I would save

 

[travis_nw8]

life is really too short to worry about keeping your soles pristine- they will wear out and you will have an excuse to buy a new pair!

i've never sprayed my shoes because they will affect the colour so i don't risk it.

 

[ivyrose]

i hardly do a thing to my shoes. i just store them in their respective boxes to keep dust away, but that's basically it.

 

[fashionista-ta]

I just wear 'em, and then kick 'em off I have transparent shoe boxes from the Container Store, but it ends up that only my off-season shoes are in them. When something needs doing, I take them to one of two different shoe repair places that I use. (Or, in the case of certain shoe ornaments, to my mom, who has tiny jewelry pliers.) This includes both cleaning and repair--"leave it to the experts" is my motto. Well, sometimes I do dust them with a cotton rag before wearing (maybe dampened a bit), or run my lint roller over the black espadrilles (one of my dogs is mostly white). I figure that what I'm paying the big bucks for is their ability to be resilient. This may or may not be true, but I take note of the brands that do and do not meet my expectations

 

[Plastic'sWife]

I try not to wear delicate shoes out when i know I will be walking on a gravely parking lot or to a club. I watch my step so that I dont step between the cracks on the concrete or pavement and thus scrap the heel too much. I clean my heels with a soft damp cloth inside and out. I keep my shoes in thier original shoe boxes ( I know! totally disorganized) or clear storage boxes. I use dustbags to store then while traveling.

 

[Chrystyle]

take your shoes to a shoe repair shop or cobbler and ask them to put a thin protective layer on your sole. I'm not sure the name, but you can call you local repair shop and ask. I hope this helps.

 

[tinuvielberen]

life is really too short to worry about keeping your soles pristine- they will wear out and you will have an excuse to buy a new pair!

Agreed!!!

Nice things are meant to be worn again and again...and then you get them fixed.

Anyway, how to take care of shoes?

SHOE TREES! Little cedar do-dads of happiness. Stick 'em in your shoes, they absorb all the perspiration, and reform the shoe taking out all the little wrinkles. They cost $15-30, but for >$200 shoes, it's worth it.

 

[mz_kylie]

thanks for the replies girls

hmm...i like that idea of having more pairs!! (though my bank account would throttle me). Ill try putting on a protective film in the mean time and get back to you about it


Guessgirl96, i use a shoe spray from Nine West. Its function is a waterproofer and it says it protects leather, suede and fabric shoes. I find its easier when you get those nasty black marks on the sides of your satin shoes as with a little water and soap it comes off.

 

[Melisande]

Yes, for delicate shoes, protective film or attatching an extra rubber sole *before* you start wearing them, is apparantly the way to go.

My local "shoe-meister" repair guy always scolds me for not getting that done on my leather-soled shoes. "Then you could've worn them indefinitely!" he sighs, shaking his head. I love him for loving shoes as much as I do!

 

[Therealshoelover]

Caring for Shoes..........Shoelover style

I was running into a shoe care issue myself (organization, preservation)........so I developed some clear boxes of my own as I was not a fan of the ones from the container stor. My friends saw them, wanted them...so I have started up my own little shoe box business, Shoe Stor.

Always looking for feedback on the product.....let me know on my blog

 

[fashionista-ta]

Anyone have a recommendation of where to buy women's shoe trees? I have a pair of suede boots that I think would benefit. (I'm in the US.)

TIA--

 

[tott]

^ http://www.woodlore.com/

I like their stuff.

 

[kentucky*derby]

I just have a cobbler add a protective sole prior to wear. Gives them better traction as well.

 

[brian]

i really don't do anything in particular...

... i need to get some shoe trees

 

[crow_watcher]

my shoes are mostly all on the floor and sometimes I step on them. Yeah, most of my shoes are of high quality and I have to treat them better.

 

[shoexgal]

My problem is that my heal on the stiletto always wears down and after 3 months I have to buy a new pair for work. Bummer

 

[FashionGrrrrl]

My problem is that my heal on the stiletto always wears down and after 3 months I have to buy a new pair for work. Bummer

If it's just the little plastic part on the bottom of the heel you can always go to a shoe repair place and get it replaced. I had a pair of boots that I managed to wear unevenly on one heel making it hard to walk and I got the little plastic parts on the bottom replaced and they were good as new. As long as you haven't worn past that they should be easy to fix and save you having to buy a new pair.

 

[shoexgal]

Really? Its embarrassing but I grind it down to the metal part and all the plastic is gone. Can it still be replaced at that point?

 

[Diorling]

^ Yes. My sister does it all the time.

I keep them in thier dustbags and boxes. I like organization (though they are normally strewn across my bedroom floor.