Why is it so important and necessary to protect and maintain leather shoes? If you have the awareness that leather is skin, you may take care of the leather shoes as careful and lovingly as you care about your own skin.
Without appropriate conditioning and care, leather would dry out and even crack and fall apart.
You will never want to have it on your feet.
Though many people are pleased to invest in shoe polishing products when their shoes look dim and shabby, it is still necessary to give some specific instructions on how to apply these polish products properly and what should do to condition your shoes with these products.
Qualified shoes should be cleaned and polished regularly, at least once a month.
As for those you wear often, clean and polish them whenever necessary.
So as to clean the shoes, soapy water and a soft cotton cloth should be used for wiping away the excess.
Then a leather cleaner made specifically for smooth leathers, such as saddle soap or a smooth leather shoe cleaner, can be applied all over the shoes, both inside and outside.
Then clear away the excess again.
This will enable you to clear scuffs and other minor stains out of your shoes.
After cleaning, according to the package directions, keep the shoes sit for a few minutes so as to let it dry.
And then, you can gently wipe the shoes by using another dry and soft cotton cloth.
When your shoes are clean, you should keep a good condition for them to help the leather pliable, soft and moisturized.
Choose a proper conditioning product specially made for leather shoes, and take small amounts of it into the shoes till it covers the entire surface of the shoes.
It would take some time for the conditioner to soak into the leather.
After that, clear out the excess conditioner left on the shoes since the leather can only absorb what it can.
Before polishing the shoes, you should take a good choice of shoe polishes.
Most polishes contain four essential premixed elements: wax, pastes, creams and liquids.
They may make the leather glossy and protect it from moisture which can seep into the leather and damage it deeply.
You'd better use a leather conditioner before applying shoe polishes in order to maintain the quality of the leather.
In this phase, you should pay attention to apply shoe polishes in a well-ventilated area so as to avoid overexposure to chemical fumes.
After applying shoe polishes, let the shoes dry, and then you should apply a waterproofing product to protect the shoes.
Finally, bush the shoes with a soft and dry cotton cloth.
Only if you take these efforts to care for leather shoes regularly and properly, can they maintain their best look and last for a long time.