Buying a nice pair of shoes is just the beginning, you have to take steps in maintaining your shoes in order to keep them looking their best for a very long time.

Here are a few tips to get you started, don’t worry they’re pretty easy.

1. Allow Shoes To Breathe, Then Insert Shoe tree

If you have time, allow your shoes to breath for 15 minutes after removing them. During the day, the inner lining and insole absorb a significant amount of foot perspiration. By allowing shoes to breathe after they are removed and shoe trees are inserted, the majority of this moisture can evaporate.

Shoe trees help restore the shape of the shoe and smooth the wrinkling that occurs as a result of wearing.

A pair of cedar shoe trees will also help eliminate odor and further wick away any residual moisture left in the shoes after a full day.

There’s no need to own a pair of shoe trees for each pair of shoes. The vital time for using them is the hour or two after you have removed the shoes from your feet.

After that, the shoes will have returned to their natural architecture and the trees can be removed.

2. Invest in Repair work

Invest as much care in choosing a cobbler to resole or reheel your shoes as you did in repurchasing them. And to prevent permanent damage (or, at least, the outrageous repair costs), have all work done before it’s absolutely necessary.

3.  Always Use Shoe Horns

Always, always, always use a shoehorn when slipping on your shoes.

There is never a case where a shoehorn should not be used (with the singular exception of boots, which do not generally require one).

A shoehorn allows a gentleman to easily slip on his shoes without damaging the shoe counter.

A man can never have too many shoehorns. You should have them everywhere – briefcase, office, closet, study, suitcase, downstairs couch – anywhere you might be putting on your shoes!

4. Suede Care

Suede shoes are in a category of their own, since you cannot polish away any scuff marks. Use a suede eraser (basically a brick of crumbly rubber) to rub away small blemishes. Then use a suede brush to restore the nap, or fuzz, of the leather.

5. Stuff Newspaper in Wet shoes

You were caught in a downpour on your way home from work. Act fast and do as follows.

Stuff your shoes with crumpled-up newspaper and dry slowly, away from direct heat.

Direct heat can dry the leather too fast, causing it to crack — and once that happens, nothing can save your shoes.

Before they’re entirely dry, insert cedar shoe trees to make sure they dry out evenly and maintain their shape

6. Polish Properly

How to Polish a Shoe

• Wipe your shoes down with a damp cloth to remove superficial dirt and stains.
• Apply polish, using a circular rubbing motion. You don’t need to slather it on. You don’t need to be gentle. And the more you rub, the better. Let the polish dry. It should take about five minutes.
• Buff the entire shoe with a polishing brush. For extra gleam, hold the shoe between your knees and buff the toe vigorously with a lint-free cloth.

In Conclusion, Invest in Quality Shoes

Cheap shoes are a false bargain.

Good shoes begin with great leather. Be prepared to pay for it. Of course, once you have invested your hard-earned cash in a quality pair, you’re going to want to hang on to them. Put a little time and effort into looking after them and they’ll last longer.

What other methods do you use in taking care of your shoe ? We would love to hear from you. Kindly leave a comment.