Tips from a pro: The biggest mistakes when cleaning shoes

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Shoes complete every outfit and accompany us at every step of our daily lives. In order for you to use it for as long as possible, you must properly care for the material. It will also be useful to know the correct technique for cleaning shoes, both from a financial and sustainability perspective.

Dominik Risch (55) from Zurich is the founder and owner of Risch Shoes and knows what’s important when it comes to shoe care. In addition to the right technology and appropriate care products, it is also important to change them every day: “Shoes literally need to breathe. After a day of use, you should be able to breathe and release moisture. Therefore, you should have at least three pairs to be able to maintain them from time to time. In his interview with Blick, the shoe expert gives tips on how to avoid the most common mistakes when cleaning shoes.

If you take good care of your shoes and clean them too often, you can damage the material. Risch explains how often you should clean them: “Optimal shoe care for leather shoes involves cleaning the shoe of dust with a slightly damp cloth after each use, polishing once a week, and applying cream only once every two weeks.” This can significantly increase the lifespan of the shoe.

Other care measures can also be taken for white sneakers, which are trending lately and should always look clean. “The easiest way is to brush them occasionally with a toothbrush and some soap. Of course, such shoes will lose their whiteness over time. But that’s okay, sneakers can look a bit like sophisticated rock ‘n’ roll,” says the shoe entrepreneur.

Shoelaces, on the other hand, should always be white and replaced occasionally, says Risch: “Shoes can be marked with life and show character, while worn shoelaces are a sign of apathy.” To clean shoelaces, you can wash them in the washing machine or by hand.

The principle that less is often more also applies here: The expert recommends using only small amounts of care products and always using high-quality care products. “If you get too much care product on the leather, it will become oversaturated, dry out, and may crack,” warns Risch. You also need less shoe maintenance, making it more efficient.

When caring for shoes, many people do not follow the correct sequence of individual measures, which means that they cannot show their true effect. “When using creams and waterproofers, the shoe always needs to be cleaned, conditioned and dried before waterproofing,” says Risch Shoes CEO.

Basically, according to the expert, you should only waterproof if the weather or season requires it. “Shoes shouldn’t be ‘safety only’ or too waterproof,” he explains. They can also be protected from moisture without the use of aggressive waterproofing agents, for example, a high-quality polish for the upper leather and a base oil for leather soles. Risch says overshoes can also be an effective alternative to protection from rain.

Sponges, often used in leather shoes and called quick-shine sponges, make the shoes look well-groomed. The expert knows their effects: “They give the skin a quick glow, but they do not nourish the skin.” Therefore, it is better to use other care products for this material, such as shoe polish.

If you do not use shoe trees after wearing the shoes, the shoes may lose their shape over time. You should be careful when choosing a shoe tree. “High-quality shoe trees made of cedar wood should be in your shoes after wearing them, because they not only retain their shape, but also absorb moisture and even eliminate wrinkles,” says Risch.

• dirt brush to remove coarse dirt
• a slightly damp cloth to dust the shoes
• Cleansing milk for gentle cleaning and care of shoes (cleansing agents containing chemicals damage the leather and should therefore be avoided)
• a brush to apply and shoe polish to brush over the epidermis and into any crevices
• a polishing brush and a polishing glove to polish the shoe to a high shine
• suede brush for suede and suede care

Source : Blick