How to Care for Shoes

Last Updated: February 6, 2023

Shoes have the hardest job of any apparel. They travel between your weight and the ground. Get the most out of your new pair of shoes or extend the life of old ones by taking good care of them. Here are some tips on how.

Steps

1
Organize your closet so that you have a place for your shoes, whether it's a shoe rack or just a place on the floor.
- Don't pile the shoes on top of each other, as that might leave dirt or marks on your shoes.
- Don't rest things on top of your shoes or rest shoes on their tops. This avoids crushing them.
- Create special storage for special shoes. If you have a pair of good dress shoes that you only wear with your good suit, keep them free of dust by storing them in a box or bag.
- Maintain the shape of the toe of softer shoes by packing them loosely with clean tissue. Or, use a cardboard, wood, or plastic shape designed for this purpose.
2
Clean or polish your shoes regularly. You can get the necessary supplies and do the job yourself or ask your nearest cleaners if they clean shoes.

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3
Avoid stepping in dirt. Keep your shoes away from mud, wet grass, and water puddles, as that might make your shoes dirtier and reduce their lives.
4
Don't wear shoes when you don't have to. Wear slippers around the house, and change into them when you can. This will make it so that your shoes don't wear out as fast and make them last much longer.
5
Try not to let people borrow your shoes. People tend not to be careful with other people's shoes, so try not to lend them out, no matter how cute they are.
6
Don't walk on the heels of your shoes. Untie lace-up shoes and put your feet all the way in. Untie them again to take them off. If you want to slip in and out, get slip-ons or clogs.
7
Apply waterproofing. If you know you will be out in your shoes in snow or rain, apply a suitable waterproofing agent periodically. A good shoe store can recommend an appropriate product.
8
Don't drag your feet. There's no sense wearing out the soles of your shoes any faster than necessary, so pick up your feet when you walk.
9
Use older shoes for dirty or damaging tasks. Keep last year's sneakers for this year's gardening, painting, or walking on rough surfaces or gravel. You'll get a little more use out of the older shoes and spare the newer shoes premature damage.