The “10 Commandments” of shoe care

As you all know, the basis of elegance starts on a good shoe. Without proper shoes , no matter the name of your tailor or the designer brand behind your shirt, without a proper pair the effect is never complete.

If there is an article in which it is worth making a financial investment this would be a good pair of shoes. Shoes are a vital part of the wardrobe of a smart person.

Quality and well made shoes can last with us too many years following the steps or commandments below exposed. Footwear care carries no great effort and that little work will extend considerably the life of your shoes, keeping its appearance in perfect condition:

1. Firstly it is important to always use a shoehorn. Its use prevents the deformation of shoes, especially in the heel area. The larger shoehorns help the heel of the foot from inside the shoe vertically rather than diagonally as with short length shoehorn.

2. It is very important not to wear the same shoes two days in a row. Leather needs to rest to return to its original position and thus not age before time. Continued use of a pair of shoes, do not leave skin to breathe and finally all the sweat is absorbed. In addition, the wrinkles that naturally occur even in the best shoes shall be laid before and in a more profound way, making it very difficult to remove afterwards.

3. When we go traveling, our shoes should rest at least a day. The pressures within the packed suitcase and exposure to low temperatures that are usually in the hold, forcing us to take the shoes out of the suitcase and give them some time to acclimatize and regain to its natural state.

4. One of the most important things to consider when caring for shoes is that when we do not use, we introduce either a wooden or resin last inside, these being your best ally. After a whole day with them, this piece absorbs sweat and prevents the leather to wrinkle and allow it to return to its original position.

5. On rainy days is highly recommended to dry wet shoes as soon as possible with a cloth soft, ensuring that no moisture remains on them. However, whenever possible, introduce them a wooden lasts to absorb the possible remaining moisture.

If we were away from home or do not have a wooden form, simply introduce a newspaper or paper towels. We must never dry them under a source of direct heat because harden the skin and shorten the life of it.

6. Contrary to what you may think abuse of cleaning products shortens the shoe life. Although the shoes must always be polished and hydrated for prevent the leather from drying and cracking of the excess wax finishes producing a number of layers in the shoe also modify the original tone, and avoids the leather breathing .

7. It is very important to choose appropriate and quality products to clean our shoes. One of the basic rules of cleaning is to use a brush and chamois for each shoe color.

8. After use, brush your shoes before putting them away that will prevent dirt from penetrating them. A bristle brush beef, horse or pig helps us with this task daily.

9.  In the case we have seasons where we will not use some of our shoes, let’s give them before storing them in the shoe a layer of cream so that the skin is kept in top condition. This operation should be performed always with shoes season.

10. Finally, it is important to store them in cotton bags that come with every good pair of shoes. These bags besides leaving skin perspire, prevent any dirt. In the event that our shoemaker permits, we put them in the box, once saved each shoe in his pouch and with his last.

The quality of the shoes and the respect to these simple rules allow much more time of comfort over the years that only the best shoes could offer to you.