Caring For Your Shoes, Etc
Top shoe care Tips
Spray your shoes before wearing them – Waterproofing sprays and protective creams will help protect your shoes from dirt and rain. We recommend the Collonil products specific to the type of leather on your shoe. Also regularly keep the spraying up!
Store them well – shoes should be kept in a cool dry and dark place. If you are able to keep them in their original shoe box and in protective dust bags even better!
Never put two different coloured shoes next to patent shoes with the leather touching – they will absorb each others colour !
Stuff them well – stuffing your shoes with tissue paper when not in use will help maintain their shape. Shoe trees are also great!
Remove dirt – wipe your shoes clean of dirt so it does not stain the material. Use a nubuck block to remove stains from nubuck or suede, and a two sided rubber / copper brush to help maintain the finish on nubuck or suede shoes.
Dry shoes naturally – if your boots or shoes have become wet, never dry them directly in front of a heat source. And not directly in the sun either. Even with shoes like Bogs or Westlands (which are all weather boots) they need to dry in a warm area inside. But never directly in front of heat which could make them crack.
Repair as needed – take your shoes to a bookmaker to get new soles adhered before yours get to the stage that they wear out. If you lose a heel tip do not continue to wear the shoes until you have replaced that heel tip.
Alternate your shoes – sweat builds up in shoes and can degrade them over time. Allow them to dry out before packing them away and if you can, avoid wearing the same pair of shoes two days in a row.
How to look after suede or nubuck?
Suede is the blanket term for all types of leather with a buffed surface. Nubuck is a buffed leather as well, but is leather that has been buffed on the grain side.
The first step in looking after suede or nubuck is waterproofing. This prevents stains from adhering to that gorgeous velvety surface, making it water repellent. We recommend the Collonil Nubuck and Velour spray which also has a UV protector in it to prevent colour fade.
Before waterproofing, if the shoes have already been worn, remove any dirt gently from the surface using a two sided rubber / copper brush. The rubber side is better for nubuck and the copper side will pick up the fibrousness of the suede.
Nubuck also benefits from a Nubuck Block which acts like an “eraser”. Again, never too aggressively!
I have Arche shoes in nubuck leather. Do I look after these differently?
For Arche nubuck shoes, use a soft cloth or brush to remove dust. Apply soapy water – preferably a vegetable Marseilles soap – to the affected area and then rinse clean water over the stain. Do not submerge the whole shoe in water. Please note that you may lose some colour, so please only do one colour at any one time, and be cognisant of this!
How do I look after smooth leather shoes?
Before first use, spray with the Collonil Waterstop Classic Spray to create a formidable barrier between the leather and the outside world. The more you wear your shoes, the more regularly you should spray.
To clean, it is essential to remove any large pieces of dirt or dust with a soft brush first. Also the shoes must be dry. Never dry directly in front of a heat source or directly in the sun. After testing for colour fastness on an inconspicuous part of the shoe, apply the Collonil Shoe Cream with a soft white cloth to care for and refresh the colours of your leather.
How do I look after patent leather shoes?
The luscious high gloss finish of patent leather is just gorgeous, and is best maintained with a clean soft microfibre cloth and a solution of one drop of gentle soap in water. Never immerse patent shoes in water of course!
All patent shoes should never touch each other, or another product either on your shelves or in their shoe boxes. Take care !
We recommend Collonil Lack Mousse Classic to protect and nourish smooth and crushed patent leather. it preserves the shine and the elasticity of the leather.
And always stuff tissue paper in patent leather shoes to help them maintain their shape and reduce crinkles.
How do I look after shoes with a metallic finish?
Before first use, spray with the Collonil Vario Spray to create a formidable barrier between the leather and the outside world. The more you wear your shoes, the more regularly you should spray.
This spray is also great for synthetic shoes and combination leather shoes.
How do I clean my sneakers?
To clean your sneakers without water, pump foam of the Sneaker Doctor Waterless Foam Cleaner onto the affected areas, then use a soft bristle brush to work in the foam in a circular motion. Wipe clean using a clean microfibre cloth.
If your sneakers have suede or nubuck or smooth leathers on them, after the above let the surface dry completely and then re-invigorate the suede/nubuck with two sided rubber / copper brush.
How do I keep my sneakers white?
No one likes dirt on white sneakers! There are two products that help you keep your sneakers in tip top shape. Sneaker Doctor Whitener can be used to whiten your white smooth leather.
You can clean the soles of your sneakers with the Sneaker Doctor Waterless Foam Cleaner and say goodbye to yellowing soles with the Sneaker Doctor Sole-Brite. The Sole-Brite removes oxidisation such as yellowing on rubber soles.
How do I look after my Bags?
- The best tip is to store them in their protective dust bags to keep them looking their best
- Protect your bags from objects and surfaces that may scratch or mark the finish
- Never store patent or patent looking bags next to each other without a dust bag !
- When handling satin bags ensure your hands are clean, and keep away from surfaces that will catch them
- Be aware that sunscreen, makeup and hand cream may leave marks on bags
How do I look after my Hats and Fascinators ?
- Make sure your hands are clean when you touch your headwear
- Always pick up with two hands
- Store in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight
- Acid free tissue paper is a wonderful option to stuff your headwear with when not in use
How do I look after my Helen Kamisnki Raffia hats?
- Store in their protective bag if provided, else store free of impact from any other object
- Reshape raffia with a little steam. This helps to reactivate the natural resins and allows you to re-mould / shape. Stuff first and keep any steam 10+ cms away from the raffia. Then re-form with your hands to your desired shape. Allow to cool and dry naturally in a well ventilated area out of direct sunlight
- Spot clean raffia using a soft white cloth, cold water and mild detergent. Then allow it to dry naturally
