How to Make Shoes Last Longer (10 Shoe Care Tips)

how to make shoes last longer

In this article I want to talk about how to care for your shoes, how to make your shoes last longer.

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These are the ten tips I take to ensure that my shoes last as long as possible and look as nice as possible for many years, so you can get the most out of your investment.

Buy High-Quality

Purchase the highest-quality shoes that you can afford.

I talk a lot about budgeting your wardrobe and paying attention to quality craftsmanship and the details that go into each piece.

You’ll be better educated and informed, and you’ll be able to acquire something that will last.

It’s especially useful when it comes to shoes, because you can tell the difference. The overall wear on a low-quality pair of shoes will be much worse.

Learn about what goes into them so you can stock your closet with items that are meant to last.

That way, if you also take care of them in the methods I’ll discuss, you’ll have shoes in your closet for many years and they’ll look great for much longer.

Weather Protectant

I recommend spraying your shoes with a weather protectant once you’ve purchased them, especially if they’re suede or sneakers.

As a result, they will be a little more water resistant. Then give you a fighting chance right from the start.

It’s a good idea to approach each shoe purchase with the intention of caring for them, as this will establish a healthy habit. I know that if I start off taking good care of something, I’m more likely to stick with it and want to invest the time and effort.

Add Toe Taps & Rubber Soles

Have taps added to the toes and rubber soles or half rubber soles added to your shoes when you first buy them, especially if the shoes have leather soles.

That will help to safeguard them so that they don’t wear out as rapidly as they would otherwise.

Soles, particularly when they wear all the way through, can be quite expensive and difficult to replace, depending on the sort of shoes you have.

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It’s preferable to safeguard them from the start.

This is especially beneficial if you live in an area where you walk a lot, or if your lifestyle necessitates commuting and you walk a significant chunk of it, or if you walk on concrete or uneven terrain. All of these things can wreak havoc on your footwear.

It’s possible to keep things looking excellent for a long time by putting in taps or a small half-sole, even on the heel.

Air Out

After each wear, make sure to properly air out your shoes. If your shoes get wet, for sure.

This is crucial since it will help to reduce odors. It’s not a good idea to have things growing in your shoes. It also contributes to the overall form and longevity.

It’s not a good idea to wet your shoes and then leave them damp. Make sure they’re entirely dry before you put them away.

If they’re particularly wet, keep them away from a heat source. Do not place them near a heater or radiator. Avoid putting them near a fire because this will over-dry them and cause the leather to crack.

Alternatively, the materials used to make your shoes can wear out and become crusty and wrinkly, making them unattractive.

Give Your Shoes a Break

Similarly, it is critical that you do not over-wear your shoes. Especially if you’re trying to limit your closet to a minimum and want to keep your numbers low.

It’s critical to rotate your shoes and avoid wearing them every day. Because this causes them to wear out and does not allow them to dry completely, deodorize, and perform all of the other things that are required.

They’ll lose their shape and, more importantly, their appearance will deteriorate rapidly.

Shoes, contrary to popular opinion, are not made to be worn vigorously. Keep that in mind and have a pair on hand for each season so you may switch up. So that one pair isn’t completely neglected while another is completely abused.

Wipe Them Down

It’s also a good idea to use rubbing alcohol or a small amount of tea tree oil to clean the insides of your shoes.

This will assist to deodorize it as well as eradicate bacteria, ensuring that the shoes look, feel, and smell great for a long time.

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It’s also critical not to get alcohol or tea tree oil on the leather or the outsides of your shoes if you do this. Because this will remove the finish, wear them out rapidly, and cause the materials to dry out.

How to Make Your Shoes Last Longer - Shoe Care Tips

Stuff Your Shoes

It’s also a good idea to stuff your shoes after you’ve used them, in addition to cleaning them off and making sure that all of the moisture has evaporated.

You can do this using a shoe tree; anything made of cedar is very wonderful for deodorizing, absorbing excess moisture, and smoothing out all of the contour in the shoe, particularly around the toe box. It will aid in the removal of some of the creases.

If you don’t have a shoe tree, or if you’re like me and are constantly reading reviews to find the perfect shoe tree and don’t want to commit too early, you can use rolled up socks, newspaper, or tissue paper as a placeholder.

That’s what I’m doing right now, and it’s worked out well for me. The important thing is to make sure you’re putting something in your shoes to keep them in shape and looking beautiful for a long time.

It’s a good idea to have a boot shaper to put inside tall boots to keep them from falling over.

That’s crucial since if your boots stay folded, they’ll develop creases and wear out rapidly, not to mention not look as good.

These are fairly affordable and easy to get by.

Deal With Accidents Immediately

In order to avoid long-term damage, you’ll want to deal with any incidents right away, or as soon as possible.

Because you’ll be wearing your shoes in real life, and real life is dirty, you’ll almost certainly have a time when you spilled food or drink on them, walked in something, or been caught in terrible weather.

Make sure you take care of them as quickly as possible, or your shoes can suffer irreversible harm.

Basic Shoe Care Routine

Check to see if you’re following a basic shoe care routine.

Essentially, it entails brushing away any dirt, dust, or grime. If you’re doing this with something that’s wet and solid, make sure it’s completely dry first. You’ll force it into the shoe if you don’t.

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After that, you’ll want to clean your shoes as needed. Shoe shampoos are available for a variety of materials. Make certain you receive the correct one.

Once they’re completely dry, you’ll want to moisturize and condition them to keep the leather or suede looking great.

After that, you’ll want to finish it off with something that will make it appear fantastic.

That’s either a wax or a polish, or a combination of the two, depending on what your shoes require.

Shoe Horns

Another thing I propose is using a shoe horn to get your shoes on. This is something I don’t do but should start doing.

Particularly if the shoes are a little tighter around your foot.

A shoe horn is used to prevent the back of your shoe from being misshapen as you put it on.

That’s something I need to include into my own shoe routine, as mine are constantly creased at the rear.

It’s something I’d like to avoid, and using it correctly can help you achieve just that.

Go To The Cobbler

My bonus recommendation is to visit a cobbler or a reputable professional.

This is something I strongly support. It’s similar to going to the tailor.

There are professionals who specialize in these areas. We’ve stopped going to the cobbler because of the growth of incredibly cheap shoes that don’t last.

The cobbler can be more advantageous if you invest more in your footwear and buy high-quality shoes.

They can fix problems, resole your shoes, and replace things on your shoes that you may not even realize are broken.

That is all there is to it.

That is how to care for your shoes, and they are the things I like to do or am trying to do more of in my own shoe wardrobe to keep it looking as nice as possible for as long as possible.

shoes care tips

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