Shoe trees: Shoe trees are crucial. They allow your recently
worn shoes to contract and dry out to their ideal shape — but only if you
choose the less decorative unvarnished ones. Varnished trees look posh, but
they don't properly draw moisture — i.e., sweat — out of the leather. Top marks
go to unfinished cedar models with a split toe and a fully shaped heel: These
ensure the closest possible fit between shoe and tree. Also, there's no need to
own a pair of trees for each pair of shoes. The vital time for using them is
the hour or two after you have removed the shoes from your feet. After that,
the shoes will have returned to their natural architecture and the trees can be
removed.
Repair work: Invest as much care in choosing a cobbler to
resole or reheel your shoes as you did in repurchasing them. And to prevent
permanent damage (or, at least, the outrageous repair costs), have all work
done before it's absolutely necessary.
Suede: Suede shoes are in a category of their own, since you
cannot polish away any scuff marks. Use a suede eraser (basically a brick of
crumbly rubber) to rub away small blemishes. Then use a suede brush to restore
the nap, or fuzz, of the leather.
Wet shoes: Stuff soaking-wet shoes with newspaper and dry
them away from direct heat. Direct heat can dry the leather too fast, causing
it to crack — and once that happens, nothing can save your shoes.
Salt stains: The traditional remedy for road-salt stains is
a little vinegar and water, applied sparingly.
What to Do When You're Soaking F**king Wet:
You were caught in a downpour on your way home from work.
Act fast and do as follows.
Stuff your shoes with crumpled-up newspaper and dry slowly,
away from direct heat. Before they're entirely dry, insert cedar shoe trees to
make sure they dry out evenly and maintain their shape.
What to Do About Smelly Shoes:
Prevention: Wash your feet more often and wash your socks
even more often, and don't wear the same pair of shoes every day. (Ideally,
have three interchangeable pairs of dress shoes.) Also, try inserting
unvarnished cedar shoe trees into just-removed shoes. They'll absorb
perspiration, deodorize the shoes, and straighten them out after daily wear.
Cure: Change your insoles, or better, take your shoes to a
cobbler to have the insoles replaced. Beyond that, contact your local exorcist.
How to Polish a Shoe:
1. Wipe your
shoes down with a damp cloth to remove superficial dirt and stains.
2. Wet the
welt brush and scrub out the entire welt strip.
3. If the
shoes need it, apply sole-edge dressing — carefully. If you get it on the
uppers, it will stain them permanently. Let edge dressing dry before going any
further.
4. Apply
polish, using a circular rubbing motion. You don't need to slather it on. You
don't need to be gentle. And the more you rub, the better. Let the polish dry.
It should take about five minutes.
5. Buff the
entire shoe with a polishing brush. For extra gleam, hold the shoe between your
knees and buff the toe vigorously with a lint-free cloth.
Polishing: The Materials:
You'll
need the right tools — just a few, but each with a crucial purpose.
Shoe polish: Kiwi
wax-based polish is as good a brand as any other. (Cream polishes, applied with
a brush, may be easier to use, but they won't give you the same shine.) And you
don't need every color under the sun. Black, of course; a chestnut or darker
brown; and something middling or neutral for light-colored shoes.
Welt brush: Looks
like a toothbrush (and you can use one in its place). It's designed to get the
grit out of the welt, the seam where the shoe's upper joins the sole. You'd be
amazed how much dirt gets in there.
Polishing cloth: In
lint-free cotton or linen. Use the same one for putting on the polish that you
use for buffing, regardless of the color you're using. And hang on to it: The
longer you use the same cloth, the more it becomes suffused with rich oils and
dyes.
Polishing brush: To get
the high shine out of the shoe once you've got all that wax into the leather.
Horsehair is recommended.
Sole dressing: The edge
of the sole takes a scuffing from doorjambs and sidewalks. Restore the pristine
look of your shoes with an edge dressing, applied with a small craft brush or a
cotton swab.
How to Whiten Your Shoes:
Leather sneaker:
For scuff
marks, try swabbing with nail-polish remover and then wiping clean. If the
whole shoe starts yellowing or darkening, spray with a 50/50 mixture of water
and lemon juice and let sit in the sun for a full day.
Canvas sneaker:
The 50/50
mixture of water and lemon juice works for canvas, too, but for more serious
stains, mix a tablespoon of baking soda with a touch of water and rub the
sticky paste onto the offending spots. Wipe dry. Or try a whitening polish like
Hollywood Sani-White.
Leather shoe:
For
lighter scuff marks, lightly rub a pencil eraser against the area. Still dirty?
Hollywood Sani-White and similar polishes work, too. But if the shoes were
never white to begin with, try slapping on a fresh coat of matte white latex
paint.
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