Shoe care - How do I extend the life of shoes?

The first rule of proper shoe care to extend the life of shoes is to give them a day of rest after wearing. This allows the shoe to dry well. During drying, the material can be kept in shape with the help of shoe stretchers, so that, for example, annoying wrinkles disappear, which have arisen in the upper material during walking. This is especially important for leather shoes if you want the leather to remain smooth for a long time.

Another important point to increase the life span is of course the right shoe care. Even if they don't look really dirty yet, it is recommended to clean your favorite kicks about every 2 weeks and then treat them with suitable care products. If the dirt is already getting out of hand, you can simply use a light soapy water solution or a damp cloth to loosen the dirt. Sometimes a brush is also sufficient for this purpose, which can be used to remove the coarse dirt in any case.

Contrary to the widespread home remedy of cleaning fabric shoes in the washing machine, it is advisable not to put shoes (and this does not only mean fabric shoes) in the washing machine. Otherwise, in the washing machine, individual parts on the shoe can come loose and so you shorten the life. If deep cleaning is necessary, it is better to clean the shoes with a brush under running water or in a container filled with water. A shoe can usually withstand so much, but the spinning in the washing machine it does not last long. At first glance, the shoe may not look damaged, but the individual fibers and materials, especially in the outer area, often suffer during a wash cycle. So it's better to leave it alone!

If you have cleaned the shoes with water or soapy water, it is best to let the shoes dry slowly outdoors or at room temperature. Please do not put them on the heater or in the blazing sun, because otherwise the upper material will quickly become porous or cracked, this applies especially to leather shoes. To speed up the drying process, you can simply stuff newspaper into the shoes. After drying, you should grease your leather shoes so that the leather remains supple and resistant. But you can also care for fabric shoes by impregnating them after drying. This way they are less susceptible to dirt and withstand moisture longer.

Furthermore, it is advantageous to have several pairs of sports shoes if you do sports regularly. So you can change the shoes and make sure that one pair can dry properly after wearing. This has the following advantage: the individual midsoles remain elastic longer, so that the shoe is not so quickly "worn out". This, of course, also protects your feet and prevents damage to your health.

Finally, it is also worth mentioning to use replaceable insoles in shoes that you wear barefoot. Of course, if the insole is removed after wearing, the shoe can dry better. And for the female readers, the heels of your heeled shoes should be checked regularly to avoid damage to your health. Furthermore, if possible, boots should be stored hanging to smooth or avoid wrinkles in the ankle area. To take off your boots, you can use a boot jack, as this protects the material.