How to care for your shoes in winter

Shoe care in winter: How to keep leather shoes beautiful

Leather shoes are the right choice for pleasantly warm feet and a good wearing comfort in winter. This is because the natural material leather has valuable properties: it protects against moisture and cold, regulates the heat and moisture balance and always adapts to the foot thanks to its natural elasticity. But leather makes shoe care in winter particularly time-consuming. Regular care is the only way to keep these high-quality shoes looking good in winter!

via Anna-Lisa

01/24/2019, 08:11

Mit der richtigen Pflege bleiben Lederschuhe auch im Herbst und Winter schön — With the right care, leather shoes stay beautiful even in fall and winter

Shoe care in winter: What leather shoes need

Waterproofing

An essential step for optimum shoe care in winter is to waterproof new shoes - whether made of suede or smooth leather - before wearing them for the first time. This protects against moisture and wetness as well as dirt. Waterproofing products are available as sprays, pump sprayers and in liquid form. It is essential to follow the safety instructions on the packaging: Waterproofing agent sprays or pump sprayers may only be used outdoors or with good ventilation, e.g. on the balcony. Impregnating foams that have to be allowed to dry or rubbed in are quite new.

Air out well

Shoe care in winter also includes airing shoes after every wear. This allows the shoe and leather to air-condition themselves and the moisture is released from the inside to the outside. Wooden shoe trees also help with this: after wearing shoes and boots, pull them onto shoe trees while they are still warm to the feet in order to maintain the shape of the shoes. The wood absorbs moisture well and later releases it back into the air. If the shoes have become really wet due to rain or slush, it is important to allow the leather to dry thoroughly. To do this, stuff the shoes with newspaper and dry them slowly at normal room temperature. To prevent the leather from cracking, shrinking and developing unsightly, brittle patches, make sure that the shoe is not exposed to excessive heat. Therefore: Never dry directly on a radiator.

Brushing suede leather

Shoe care in winter poses completely different challenges than in summer. In the cold and wet season, coarse dirt needs to be removed . You should do this very carefully using a suitable brush. Suede should also be brushed out occasionally to freshen it up. This also prevents greasy-looking shiny spots. Salt marks should always be removed as quickly as possible: dip a small sponge in lukewarm distilled water with a drop of washing-up liquid, wring it out and carefully rub the marks with it. Then wipe, rub dry and apply the correct leather care product.

The best care products for shoe care in winter

There are different care products for different types of leather that keep the natural product supple and guarantee long-lasting value. Hard-wearing shoes made of heavy leather can be cared for intensively with leather oils or greases, for well-covered smooth leather there is canned shoe polish, finer shoes made of smooth or suede leather require fine shoe care products.