4Real Forums: How Do You Take Care of Your Shoes?

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Topic: How Do You Take Care of Your Shoes?

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JennGM
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Posted: Oct 20 2007 at 2:31pm \| IP Logged

I'm working on organizing my closet and cleaning out craft supplies right now. I'm taking just a little breather.

I just posted about my new shoes I bought yesterday. I always go to The Walking Company so I can be fitted. I've learned that I have to sacrifice beauty for support and comfort.

So I just cleaned and polished and organized all my shoes (and purged). The Walking Company recommends taking care of the leather shoes by waterproofing with beeswax. Dh is so good about polishing and keeping up his shoes, but I found I wasn't finding time to get into the messy colored polish. But now the beeswax is periodic applications, gives a nice sheen and protects the shoes (and is chemical free).

Oiled leather or suede needs a different kind of protection, but one that allows breathing of the material. There is also a cork sealer that prolongs the life of cork bed shoes.

So what do you do to prolong the life of your shoes?

Any tips for cork beds? How about velcro that has worn out on shoes?

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Jennifer G. Miller
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Maryan
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Posted: Oct 22 2007 at 2:53am \| IP Logged

Wow I didn't know that there was an alternative to making your hands all black when shining shoes -- which is what keeps me from doing it as meticulously as my Dad did (he must be like your dh).

Where do you get this shoe beeswax, Jenn?

And this isn't very helpful, but I just keep pulling the lint out of the velcro until even that doesn't work. Then we pitch those shoes.

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Maryan
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Dawn
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Posted: Oct 22 2007 at 5:35am \| IP Logged

I would also like to hear more about the beeswax idea, Jenn.

My husband is really good about his shoes, too. Mine? Well, I just keep them out of the reach of my cat who likes to sharpen her claws on leather.

Do you have a cobbler near you who could take a look at your shoes and make recommendations?

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JennGM
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Posted: Oct 22 2007 at 7:32am \| IP Logged

Maryan wrote:

Dh is just like my dad, too. Shoes are an investment, preventative and daily care makes them last. My dad had a wood shoeshine box. One of my girlhood memories is hearing the shoe horn clatter on the dresser and the box lid shut and the brush on the shoes in the morning -- I would know Dad was up and about to leave for work.

The beeswax sealant I got from ">The Walking Company., but I also see it elsewhere, like Dansko and Sno Seal and I'm sure lots of other places.

Beeswax is a natural water sealer, and protects the leather. It seems to miminize my scuff marks on shoes I didn't seal beforehand, and prevent them on the ones I did seal before wearing. I originally got it for my boots last year and just use it for all my leather. It's a great lip balm, too.

Anyway, I just damp clean the shoes, use a cloth to apply a layer of wax on the shoes, getting the seams, let sit, then buff off. It's not a high shine. G doesn't have leather shoes right now to test on a kid shoe durability (he had suede for spring).

Seems I'm waxing too much about the benefits of beeswax.

No big deal about the velcro. It's a pair of shoes that are very old...I'm just loathe to get rid of them. They are a Mary Jane style and the velcro fuzzy side just won't hold anymore, though, so the shoes don't stay on.

My dh and Dad also use a cobbler very frequently, resoling and repairing shoes. Men's classic and long enduring wardrobe is so appealing to me.

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Jennifer G. Miller
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Maryan
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Posted: Oct 22 2007 at 7:48am \| IP Logged

Oh yay, thanks for all the tips!

And...um, Jenn, to share my ignorance: how do you know if you have oiled shoes that SHOULDN'T use the beeswax? Did it say it on the box? Is it certain kind of shoes? I definitely know how to recognize suede,

but the other I've never heard about.

And your memories of your dad echo mine. I do have a kit -- it just doesn't get used as often as it should.

JennGM wrote:

My dh and Dad also use a cobbler very frequently, resoling and repairing shoes. Men's classic and long enduring wardrobe is so appealing to me.

I totally agree! I was lamenting about how many clothes that I needed to purge and I still felt that we had too many. People may have done laundry by hand "back then," but I think they wore longer lasting shoes and clothes, repaired them well, and didn't have so many! My Dad always replaced his soles!! There is a good lesson in the simplicity.

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Maryan
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JennGM
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Posted: Oct 22 2007 at 11:55am \| IP Logged

Maryan wrote:

And...um, Jenn, to share my ignorance: how do you know if you have oiled shoes that SHOULDN'T use the beeswax? Did it say it on the box? Is it certain kind of shoes? I definitely know how to recognize suede,

but the other I've never heard about.[/url]

Maryan, I only know because I BOUGHT some oiled leather shoes, Dansko has a finish for some of their leather. It's like suede, but not as much nap (see definition 2

).

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Jennifer G. Miller
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Maryan
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Posted: Oct 22 2007 at 12:37pm \| IP Logged

Thanks Jenn -- that helps -- I don't think I have any of those shoes with that kind of nap... but I'm hoping to catch a definition number one in half an hour if everyone cooperates!

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Maryan
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JennGM
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Posted: Oct 22 2007 at 2:53pm \| IP Logged

Maryan wrote:

Thanks Jenn -- that helps -- I don't think I have any of those shoes with that kind of nap... but I'm hoping to catch a definition number one in half an hour if everyone cooperates!

And I caught one of those rarities of definition #1 today!

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Jennifer G. Miller
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SuzanneG
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Posted: Oct 22 2007 at 3:06pm \| IP Logged

JennGM wrote:

How about velcro that has worn out on shoes?

Jenn: A cobbler should be able to replace the velcro for about $10.

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nissag
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Posted: Oct 22 2007 at 3:14pm \| IP Logged

I second the cobbler recommendation. They're harder to find nowadays in this throw-away society. My mum worked in a shoe department when I was little. Shoes are always held in high regard and are well cared for. I love the beeswax idea also. It's much nicer and not at all toxic.

I like to make little shoe sachets to keep them smelling nice. And I also keep anti-fungal spray handy for keeping them nice. It's especially important for shoes that we wear tights or stockings with, or shoes that we wear barefooted.

I feel another tutorial coming on... I'm beginning to lose track...

Great topic!

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Dawn
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Posted: Oct 27 2007 at 7:01pm \| IP Logged

I couldn't find a link to the article online, but in the October issue of Martha Stewart Living there is a nice homekeeping article on "Footwear Care: How to Make your Shoes Last Longer with a Few Quick and Easy Steps."

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