Storing Your Shoes
Before we get to daily wear and tear, let's talk storage. Shoes should be kept in a cool, dry place. For small-space dwellings, hang a shoe bag with many pockets on the back of a door or put shoe racks or shelves on the floor of the closet. If you keep shoes in their original boxes, label them for easy identification.
Before you place them in their respective spots, remember to wipe your shoes clean of dirt so it doesn't dry and stain the material. Stuffing the shoes with tissue paper or shoe trees will keep them from sagging or losing their shape over time.
Preventative Care
Although well-made shoes with stitched soles and structured uppers can be repaired over and over again, you can prevent urgent trips to the cobbler by adding a little protection when the shoes are still new. Rail says professionally installed sole protectors, rubber taps for pointed toes, and waterproof leather soles prevent your favorite shoes from wearing out too quickly.
Waterproofing sprays or conditioning creams will help protect them from snow, ice, salt, or rain—all of which can easily ruin the material. Test an inconspicuous spot before applying and, as always, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Shoe-Care Kit
Before you place shoes into their proper storage containers, make sure they are clean. There are a few must-have supplies: a suede soap or leather cleaner for cleaning shoes; shoe creams and polish in the most common colors of your leather shoes plus a neutral for hard-to-match colors; a suede brush and suede shampoo or cleaning liquid; a small application brush for every different color of polish or cream; two horsehair buffing brushes (one for dark colors, one for light); and several soft flannel or cotton cloths for the final buffing.
How to Rejuvenate Leather
The first step is to work shoe cream into the surface. Make sure the shoes are completely clean and dry before applying cream. Use cream the color of the shoe, and apply it with a soft cloth or an applicator brush. After applying the cream with a brush, allow it to soak into the surface overnight. This will condition the leather.
Next, lightly apply a wax polish with a cotton cloth or an application brush, using a circular motion. Allow the wax to air-dry (never place leather shoes in front of a radiator or other heat source to dry). The wax will protect the shoes.
Use a horsehair brush to buff shoes to a shine. For a high shine, or "spit shine," mist a clean cloth lightly with water and buff the shoe: Hold the cloth from both ends and pull it rapidly back and forth over the shoe.