Important advice on how to clean your shoes
What is the best way to clean your shoes? In this short article we’ll be explaining how exactly to remove dirt from your shoes. This way, the next time you put them on they will be looking as good as new. With the right maintenance a pair of shoes can stay neat for a considerable amount of time. Depending on the brand and the durability of the materials used to make them, you could even keep them in a mint condition for years on end. We’ll share some practical tips on how to clean your shoes of any type of material, so you can find the right tools and products to do so. Moreover, it prevents you from being too aggressive, which would do your shoes more harm than good.
What kind of dirt are you dealing with?
You want to get your sneakers or other shoes nice and clean again: how do you go about it? It is important to start off with determining exactly what kind of dirtiness you want to tackle. For example: are you dealing with fresh stains from this afternoon or discoloration that’s taken over months’ time? The type of stain influences how it should be treated, as well as the material that it is found on.
This cleaning agent is safe to clean your shoes with
With the use of a little green soap, also known as soft soap, most regular stains can be removed easily. This type of soap is perfect for usage on a wide variety of materials, as it doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals that could potentially damage it. It can be safely used on different types of fabric, but also on leather shoes. Of course it can also be used to remove dirt that has accumulated over time. It is wise not to immediately opt for overly aggressive agents or use too much soap. Oftentimes you will find that you won’t need to use as much as you might initially think.
Make use of these 5 tips while cleaning your sneakers
Below, we will note down 5 useful tips that you can use when cleaning your shoes. By following these tips you will surely be able to remove any dirt or stains and get the best result possible.
- Remove the laces
- Treat according to the material
- Air dry them
- Avoid excessive use of water
- Treat your shoes to prevent stains
1: Remove the laces
The first step before starting the process of cleaning your shoes, is to take the laces out. Removing the laces will give you much better access to all areas of the shoes. Moreover, you’ll want to treat the laces separately from the other materials that are part of your shoes. For example, leather shoes will need to be cleaned using a different approach compared to how to tackle fabric laces. That’s why it’s necessary to take the laces out completely. If they look dirty as well, you can put them in the washing machine by putting them in a laundry bag. You can use the time it takes for the washing program to finish to clean the rest of your shoes in the meantime.
2: Choose the right cleaning method based on the material
Next, look closely at the material to clean it appropriately. For example, you can polish and clean leather shoes. You treat leather differently from, say, suede, which is a fragile material where you want to avoid brushing back and forth, for example. Instead, you do it in one direction to keep it neat.
3: Air-dry them
Once you have cleaned your shoes, it is wise to simply air-dry them. Preferably do so in a cool place an avoid leaving your shoes in the sun during summer or near the heating. When too much heat is in order to dry your shoes, the way the material will look and feel could be affected. Do you need a way to ensure your shoes will be dry in a short amount of time? You can put a few crumbled up balls of kitchen paper inside the shoes to speed up the initial drying process. This will absorb the moisture, preventing them from staying damp or even wet for too long. Make sure to remove these after a while. If you don’t, adding them will have the opposite effect and keep your shoes damp.
4: Avoid excessive use of water
Be careful with too much water anyway when cleaning your shoes. In most cases, it is wiser to use as little water as possible. Especially when cleaning suede. Of course, sometimes it helps to dampen the shoes a little. At the same time, too much water can also cause the shoes to get too wet, causing the material to take a much longer time to dry or even become permanently damaged.
5: Treat your shoes to prevent stains
Preventing your shoes from getting stained is the best way to keep them clean. Use a nano spray, which is especially suitable for leather, suede or another material, for example. It will then be harder for dirt to be able to stick to the shoes. Moreover, they will be able to repel water more easily. This will make cleaning them a lot easier to do when necessary.
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