Shoe Care

Shoes can be fun. They reflect your style and help you vary your outfits. And shoes have so many purposes. Some are for dancing, some for running, and some are attractive. No matter what the use your shoe may have, you want them to last so you can wear them over and over. Although you should replace shoes when they are worn out, you can get a little extra mileage out of them. Keep in mind that shoes which do not offer the appropriate support may be harmful to your foot health. But here are some tips for keeping your shoes in good shape just a little bit longer.

1. Always unlace your shoes. When you leave your shoes tied and slip them on and off, you most likely are bending the support around the ankle. The rigidity in this part of the shoe is important to support your ankle and heel. Bending it outwards when taking the shoe off, or smashing it down when sliding into shoes makes the shoes lose this support faster. This is especially important in athletic shoes which are supporting your feet during activity.

2. Add new insoles. Insoles sometimes wear out before the outside of a shoe does. When this happens, you can extend the life of your shoe by adding new ones. For some people, this is a matter of comfort as they want more padding in an already supportive shoe which has lost its original padding. For others, adding an insole is a matter of support, as they need orthotics to correct misalignments in their feet.

3. Clean your shoes. There are many products for cleaning all kinds of shoes, from leather dress shoes, to mesh athletic shoes, or even hiking or snow boots. If your shoes still have good support but are looking a little dingy, cleaning them restores that new look to your shoes. You can unlace the shoes and wash dirty shoelaces, or just replace them with new ones. If a shoestring breaks, replace it promptly. Don't just clean the outside of your shoes, but the inside as well. Spraying your shoes weekly with a disinfectant spray (like Lysol) helps kill bacteria, viruses and fungi in your shoes which cause infections (like toenail fungus and athlete's foot). You can dry your shoes with a hair dryer after spraying them.

4. Polish your shoes. Dress shoes make an impression. When your shoes are getting scuffed and worn, you can restore them to their original look with a little shoe polish. Match the polish and your shoe color and take your time to follow the instructions for the polish. Your shoes will not only have the support you require, but will start looking good again. You can even get your shoes polished by someone else as a way to relax in the middle of your day, you just need to know where to look. Machine shoe polishers are also available in certain locations.

5. Treat your shoes. There are many products available to seal shoes against weather. This will not only benefit outdoor shoes like hiking boots, but athletic, casual, and dress shoes as well. You will inevitably get caught in the rain in Italian leather dress oxfords or your favorite pair of designer pumps. Being prepared for this with a pretreatment can save your shoes from damage (and you some money if they are expensive shoes).

6. Rotate shoes. Wearing one pair of shoes every day has a lot of disadvantages. First of all, your shoes need time to air out and dry between wears. alternate shoes at least every other day. This alternation will also spread wear amongst many pairs of shoes, making them all last longer. You should also match your shoes to their activity. Your dress shoes aren't built to withstand muddy hikes or shoveling snow. Keep in mind that picking the appropriate shoe is not only good for you, but your shoes as well.

7. Store your shoes correctly. Keep them on a rack or other storage system. If your shoes get covered in heavy objects, they can lose their structure and become weakened. You should store off-season shoes in a plastic bin with a lid to avoid moisture getting to your shoes while they are in store and ruining them.