‘Shoes’ is a broad term, which is why there isn’t one simple answer to the question of how to clean them. It depends, in fact, on whether you’re dealing with leather boots, clogs, straw shoes, trainers or a completely different type of footwear. In the worst-case scenario, cleaning shoes can do more harm than good if you use a harsh cleaning product on a pair of delicate shoes. That’s why it’s worth doing your research thoroughly before you embark on a major shoe-cleaning session.
Need help cleaning your shoes? Then read this guide and get fully equipped to make your shoes look good again.
CLEANING TRAINERS AND SNEAKERS
Nowadays, virtually everyone – children and adults alike – owns a pair of trainers or sneakers. These shoes can be worn for any occasion and go with almost any outfit. Unfortunately, it’s inevitable that your trainers or sneakers will get dirty when you wear them every day. Nevertheless, you can take comfort in the fact that these types of shoes are some of the easiest to clean. With just a few simple items, you can make your dirty shoes look neat and clean again.
Before you start cleaning, you should remove the laces and rubber soles, as these parts need to be washed separately. You can then start cleaning, using a bucket of warm water, cleaning product, a brush and an old towel. From there, it’s simply a matter of giving both the upper and the sole a good scrub to get rid of the dirt. Afterwards, leave your wet shoes to dry – either in a drying cabinet or outside – depending on the season. It’s just as easy as it sounds.
CLEANING LEATHER BOOTS
There’s a difference between cleaning trainers and leather boots – quite a big difference, in fact.
You can’t just rinse and brush the dirt off. You’ll also need to use beeswax and leather grease, which help to ensure a good finish and a longer lifespan. Finally, you can polish your leather boots to restore their beautiful shine. When it comes to caring for leather boots, it obviously makes a big difference whether they’re made of genuine leather or imitation leather. You may wish to seek professional help if you own a pair of expensive leather boots that you’d prefer not to risk damaging through incorrect cleaning. Leather, after all, doesn’t react well with all cleaning products.
CLEANING PLASTIC SANDALS
During the summer months, it’s natural to wear flip-flops and sandals, which, like all other shoes, can get dirty when worn on the streets and in alleys, as well as on the beach. Fortunately, cleaning plastic flip-flops and sandals is a piece of cake. You can choose to wash the shoes by hand, but it’s actually also possible to pop sandals and flip-flops in the washing machine at 30 degrees. This is an easy and effective way to remove odours and dirt.
Most sandals and flip-flops can easily withstand a spin in the washing machine – though there are no rules without exceptions. If you want to be on the safe side, you should wash your shoes by hand, even if it takes a little longer and is more of a faff.
CLEANING SUEDE SHOES
Cleaning a pair of suede shoes isn’t the easiest of tasks, but it can certainly be done if you simply buy the right products for the job. The first thing you need to do is apply a special cleaner to the shoe. Next, dampen a brush, which you’ll then use to scrub the shoe with the stiff side. After that, rinse the shoe in water and leave it to dry. Finish by brushing the fibres with the other side of the brush.
All of the above products can be bought online at affordable prices.
The lifespan of your shoes depends largely on how well you look after them and how you clean them, which is why it’s worth taking the time to do this properly. Remember that we stock both women’s and men’s shoes.
