Your shoes are an essential part of your outfit. Just like washing your clothes, your shoes also need occasional maintenance. However, it sometimes remains difficult to determine how to keep the different types of shoes clean. In this article, we give tips and tricks to help you enjoy your Perlie’s for as long as possible.

(SMOOTH) LEATHER SHOES

Smooth leather shoes are the most popular dress shoes because they are suitable for any occasion. By taking good care of your smooth leather shoes, you can ensure that your shoes last a lot longer and have the right shine.

The less cream you use, the better. If you use too much cream, the shoe can no longer breathe. Make sure the cream you use is the same color as your shoes. No shoe polish in the exact color of the shoe? Then choose a cream that is slightly darker.

One of the most important parts to maintain is the edge between the sole and the upper of the shoe. If you do not do this, cracks can occur in the leather so that your shoes no longer remain waterproof.

Spray your new shoes with a water and dirt-repellent spray. It is then important to repeat this every once in a while to ensure that your shoes remain protected.

The ritual:

Before using the cream, brush any dirt off the shoes. Then remove the laces from the shoes so that you can clean all surfaces of your shoes including the parts usually covered. You can now apply the shoe polish with a brush. Polishing the cream is done as follows. Use the brush to polish the shoe polish in circles until you achieve the right shine. You can use a polishing cloth to add shine and remove excess shoe polish.

Tip: use conditioner about once a month. This conditioner ensures that the leather remains hydrated and supple.

SUEDE SHOES

The maintenance of your suede shoes requires a little more attention than the maintenance of smooth leather shoes, because of the structure of suede. Suede consists of many soft hairs that are very vulnerable.

As with smooth leather shoes, it is advisable to provide your new shoes with a protective layer. Since suede is more prone to damage than smooth leather, it is important that you spray your shoes regularly (about once a month).

Suede is extra sensitive to water and salt. Did your shoes get wet? Do not put them near the heater as this can cause cracks in the leather.

The ritual:

It is important that your suede shoes are dry when you clean them. A suede brush usually has two sides: the hard side serves to remove the dirt, and the soft side serves to make the suede beautiful again. Brush first with the rough side of the brush to remove the dirt. It’s very important that you brush one way so that the hairs get up. This makes the suede look a lot more beautiful. There will always be places with more wear and tear. In moderate wear spots, you can try to rub over the stain with the brush as that’s going to release the hairs. If the wear is a little worse, you can counter act the damage with an eraser. Start softly and slowly build the pressure on the stain to remove the more persistent stains.

Tip: wear is often the first to appear on the nose of the shoe.  Therefore you may want to give the nose of your shoes some extra TLC.

TIP 1: USE A SHOEHORN

Using a shoehorn is one of the easiest and most underestimated tools that can help you enjoy your shoes for as long as possible. That is why you get a shoehorn for free with every Perlie shoe you buy. Why is such a shoehorn so important? As you might often be in a hurry when putting on your shoes, you likely press the heel a little bit inwards to put them on. As you afterwards have to correct this with your fingers, over time traces and wrinkles will become visible. You can easily counteract this by using a shoehorn.

TIP 2: USE SHOE TREES

The material of your shoes will have a lot to endure during the day. Especially in the places where your shoe bends naturally, you will notice that usage traces will become visible over time. A good way to counter act this is by using shoe trees. A shoe tree ensures the correct tension of the leather and therefore maintains its fit. You have shoe trees in all shapes, sizes and materials. The best and often most expensive shoe trees are made of cedar wood, due to its moisture-tapping and odor neutralizing effect.

TIP 3: STORING YOUR SHOES

Where you store your shoes can have a big impact on the quality of your shoes. If you put your shoes in places with plenty of sunlight, cracks can occur in the leather and the colour can fade. Especially when your shoes have already gotten wet during the day, it is important not to store your shoes in a damp place. You can perfectly store your shoes in the shoe box and put them in the closet. Alternatively you can put them in a shoe bag. This ensures that the shoes can ‘rest’ and protects them from dirt. Wat if you don’t have the box anymore? Then preferably place the shoes on a shoe rack that doesn’t allow much sunlight or put your shoes in a closet with enough space between your shoes. Air can then easily ventilate your shoes.