Finding the appropriate care for your shoes is an essential part of making them last as long as possible and it helps to stay smart too! If you take the time to keep your shoes healthy you will save money and ensure your safety in the workplace. Here are some handy tips in case the inevitable happens and your shoes get wet.
Damp shoes
Stepped in a puddle? Dropped a tray of drinks? The only safe way to dry your shoes is air drying. Drying your shoes by air rather than heat will help keep the shape of your shoe, and will keep any material healthier for longer.
It isn't always an accident that causes an issue. After a long day of being on your feet in thick socks, perspiring into your shoes, it’s inevitable that moisture, and slight odours will exist. Keeping both your feet and your shoes clean and dry will help lower the chances of bacteria thriving and reduce the risk of athlete’s foot while keeping those odours at bay. Alternatively choosing a more breathabe style of shoe can prevent the problem at the source.
To maintain the maximum performance of your work shoes, clean them regularly with a damp cloth to remove the excess firt and grease. Also clean the outsole of the shoe and remove build-up between the tread grooves
Suede shoes
As you probably already know, your suede shoes need some extra special care and attention to keep them healthy. You should make sure they’re both cleaned and waterproofed regularly. We suggest investing in a superhydrophpbic spray which will create a barrier of protection and if applied regularly should prevent almost all liquid from contacting the suede. We consider Liquiproof to be one of the best solutions available.
If your suede shoes do get wet, the same protocol for leather shoes applies, keep away from direct heat and stuff with newspaper. To remove any marking, suede shoes look their best when they’ve been brushed, you can get cleaning blocks and special brushes for this purpose.
Storage
Putting your shoes away for safe keeping is equally as important as the care options mentioned above. There’s no point in high quality maintenance if you’re going to throw them next to dirty wellies after a heavy day on your feet!
If you don’t have a locker, make sure you have a clean and sturdy shoe rack. It’s also fine to leave them in a closet but don’t leave them in a gym bag or else they could gather mould.
Other interesting tips & tricks
- To keep your shoes lasting longer, rotate with another pair
- When you buy a new pair of shoes, protect them before you wear them for the first time.
- If your shoes get wet, allow them to dry completely before wearing them again. Once dry, waterproof them again with a multi-purpose protector.
- Use a shoe horn to assist with putting on your shoes, to keep the heel from losing it's shape
- When you travel, always place your shoes inside a shoe bag or wrap your shoes in a soft material
Keep your sole clean!
Finally, every pair of Shoes For Crews comes with our SFC Sole Grid Cleaner, which can be used to keep the tread grids of your outsoles clean and in top gripping condition.
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If you have any tips on how to keep your shoes healthy please share them with us below in the comments.