Friday, April 24, 2009

....on looking after your shoes


Hey everyone! Look at what happened to me yesterday:



Yaiks!


This is the consequence of not giving my shoes TLC :-(. This used to be my fave flats but I don’t know…I just forgot about it. This pair has been hiding in my under-the-bed case for months (almost a year I think). It was still in perfect condition when I used it yesterday…and hours after, the gold color just started to peel off. Embarassing! Haha. I know no one's really paying attention to my feet but it's disgusting. This is when I realized that I don’t pay attention to my shoes very well. Makeup is what’s all in my mind nyeeehehe…

Now that I’m forced to use every penny I have wisely…I need to learn how to preserve what I currently have.

Here’s a good article I found at http://www.sofeminine.co.uk:



Looking after your shoes

Without good upkeep, shoes soon get ruined and won't see another season.


How to get more wear out of your shoes

The lifespan of your favourite heels, boots, ballet pumps and trainers will depend on how well you look after them. And it really doesn't take much effort to get more wear out of your shoes:

- Disinfect the insides with special spray (available in supermarkets and pharmacies) to stop you getting fungal infections.

- Don't wear the same pair of shoes two days running to give them a rest and allow them to get rid of moisture.

- Always get the right size. If your shoes are too small, your toes will get squashed against the ends of the shoe and your feet can get injured and deformed. If your shoes are too big, your feet will slip out while you're walking, your shoes won't last long and you could sprain an ankle.
- Don't buy insoles or half-soles that break down or deform your shoes.
- Give your shoes a second life by replacing their soles, preferably with anti-slip ones, every one to two years.


What to use on what type of material?

It's advised to use a waterproof spray on any new pair of shoes to nourish and protect them from damp.


- Leather:


Leather is a skin and needs to be hydrated and nourished just like our own! Clean your leather shoes with a soft rag to get rid of fine traces. To care for the leather, apply leather cleaner/conditioner with a cloth rag and leave to dry. There's no use in polishing leather shoes or boots too soon, so wait a few weeks until after you've bought them and then use a wax product. Remember to get one that's either colourless or the same colour as your shoes!


- Suede:
Suede is more fragile than ordinary leather and harder to take care of (like nubuck). Don't use wax polish; get hold of a suede cleaner to use on stubborn stains and always use a very soft cloth rag, a slightly dampened cloth or a gentle scrubber designed for use on suede.



- Synthetic material:


Synthetic materials are less fragile than natural leather. Clean your synthetic shoes with a damp cloth or a gentle brush, polish and waterproof.


- Patent leather:


Patent leather is super-shiny and easily gets marks on it. Clean yours with a sponge and soapy water and remove stains with a cloth dipped in non-acetone stain remover (nail varnish remover does the trick!).


Storing shoes

Keep your shoes well away from damp, in a dry, clean place. If you can, store them in their original boxes or tidy them away in a shoe organiser rack at the end of the season. To ensure your shoes retain their shape and don't get crushed, use wooden shoe trees (though these are quite costly), but don't buy them too big or they'll stretch your shoes. Or you can always stuff them with newspaper or silk paper to make them retain their shape.


How about you? How do you take care of your shoes? I need more tips =D

6 comments:

Anastacia said...

wow! It's just gorgeous fashion / shoes tips!
Great post, very helpful!

Chrissy said...

Thanks for the tip, this is really useful information! I know how it is to have shoes just break on you while you're wearing them...

I especially hate the 'oh no the strap's about to snap!!' feeling. XD If you know what I mean.

Tara Cabullo said...

I am sooo OC with my shoes, I actually wipe them after every use :) Don't know if that's a good thing, because I'm OA about it. Heehee. Also, at Mr. Quickie, you can have rubber soles attached to your shoes at Php 295. :) I had all my shoes undergo that because I'm queen of SLIPS! Lampa, for short :) Hehehehe.

Thanks for sharing this, dear :) I'm sure you'll be able to find a new pair of flats to love :)

noone said...

Thanks for the tips! Well now your shoes look... Vintage? hahaha. Now that one pair has died, you won't have to feel so guilty to shop for new shoes right? ;)

pankeke said...

Hey~~ Thanks for following my blog ^ ^ Your doggie is soooo cute.... How did that happen to your shoes?? That's amazing it started peeling like that .. but unlucky >.<

*KiM* said...

@Anastacia...thanks! but i'll throw it already.

@Chrissy...I know. Now I understand why some people invest on those expensive and high quality shoes.

@teeyah...really? I'm also lampa thanks for giving me an idea of having those rubber soles. =D I wish I'm OC like you when it comes to my shoes hehe.

@pop Champagne...haha yeah

@Pankeke...I dunno..maybe it just happens when it gets old or you placed it in a hot place for a long time.