Shoe Wipes Add Years to Life of your Shoes

Added: 11/22/2005

The invention of foot coverings entailed the development of various means for their polishing and shining. Shining is essential not only for appealing glossy look, it also helps preserve the quality of your shoes by moisturizing the leather. When treated properly the shoes will serve longer. While buying quality leather shoes make inquiries concerning their cleaning and polishing.

If worn regularly shoes should be polished once a month, which is necessary to preserve their life. When shoes are worn seldom, it is sufficient to clean them once a month with shoe wipes; shining and polishing is performed whenever it is needed. Cleaning is the first stage of shoe treatment. It helps remove dirt, scuffs and debris from shoes. Before cleaning shoes it is advisable to determine the type of leather. Shoe wipes for smooth leathers differ from those for suede and nubuck. If you happen to have salt stains on your shoes, the mixture of a cup hot water and one tablespoon white vinegar will remove them. Alongside with shoe wipes shoe brushes are used to help remove debris and dirt.

There exist four types of shoe polishes: pastes, liquids, creams and waxes.

Wax polishes are applied to shoes, which are exposed regularly to outdoor factors. Wax prevents water from seeping into leather. However if used frequently it can dry shoes, causing the leather crack.

Crèmes and pastes are applied to shiny and smooth leathers. They penetrate the surface of leather and cover scratches as well as other defects.

Liquid shoe polish should be used seldom, because of its poor conditioning and penetrating ability.

Suede shoes require special treatment. They can be conditioned, waterproofed and cleaned, but they should never be shined. Cleaning can be performed using common pencil eraser or fine grain sandpaper. After cleaning rub suede with a towel to remove damaged spots. There are also specialized nubuck and suede conditioners to help preserve the quality of shoes.

A great number of shoe-care products have appeared on sale of late. Among them are shine sponges, spray cleaners, shoe wipes and sneaker wipes. Shoe wipes are compact and easy-to-use and are perfect to clean shoes while you are on the go. However they cannot replace shining and cleaning. Shine sponges should be used between cleaning and polishing. They give a new glossy shine to old shoes. Spray cleaners are convenient and effective, but they cannot replace traditional cleaning, polishing and shining.

The following tips and tricks will be beneficial for prolonging the life of shoes and maintaining them in good fettle. Using shoe trees will help to preserve the form and shape of shoes. A soft cotton rag is good for wiping dirt from shoes between wearings. Don't be in a haste to perform polishing and shining just after cleaning, allow shoes to air dry. Before cleaning or polishing remove shoelaces from your shoes. Mildew can be removed with the help of an equal amount of alcohol and water. It is possible to treat shoe odor with baking soda or cedar blocks, which can be placed in leather shoes. Leather shoes should be cleaned with a damp cloth between polishings. Waterproofing is an essential part of shoe treatment, since it prevents moisture damage and protects against dirt and debris.

Special Shoe Shine Kits are designed to provide the complex shoe treatment. They include Lexol PH cleaner, polish, 100% Horse Hair shoe brush and a Premier Speed Shine to give shoes a high gloss shine.

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