Shoe care guide

Just like ready-to-wear, shoe care differs according to the type of material used to make them.



Here are some basic tips you can apply to any type of footwear, from your pair of sneakers to your leather shoes to your canvas shoes.

First of all, you need to change your shoes every day (if you can). Perspiration is acidic, which can alter the quality of your shoes.
Alternate them, as this will allow perspiration to evaporate as well as preserve the soles and laces for as long as possible.
We tend to forget it, but before you wear them for the first time, remember to waterproof your shoes (except synthetic shoes, which don't waterproof). To do this, proceed in two stages. First, spray them with waterproofing spray, let them dry and then repeat the operation a second time.
Remember to clean your shoes regularly as soon as they become dirty, to prevent stains from becoming embedded. However, each material requires a different type of cleaning. You'll need Marseilles soap or products specially designed for each material. Depending on the type of material (canvas shoes, for example), you may want to scrub stains away with a toothbrush. Be sure to follow the advice on the products and test them in small quantities on a very small, inconspicuous part of your shoes.
Also, it's vital to let your shoes dry naturally in the open air and not expose them to direct heat sources that could deform or damage the material of your shoes. Be sure to place them in a ventilated, humidity-free area to avoid the proliferation of mold or unpleasant odors.
It's also very important to use shoe trees for all types of material (even for your pair of sneakers!): among other things, they help keep your shoes in shape, wick away perspiration and prevent wear creases (if any) from becoming too pronounced. Buy wooden shoe trees to absorb perspiration.
Nevertheless, in addition to the basic tips mentioned above, some materials require additional maintenance.



Let's start with leather shoes. 3 different actions are necessary to maintain its splendor, you need to: care for them, polish them and nourish them.
For frequent maintenance, remove the laces and wash them. A shoe scraper will be useful daily for dusting.
When it comes to shoe polishing, there are a number of steps to follow:
After dusting as usual with the shoe scraper, you'll need to clean the shoes with a damp brush or sponge. Then apply cleansing milk concentrically with a chamois cloth, paying particular attention to wear creases. Finally, apply cream with another chamois, again in circular movements.
You can then polish them using a sponge or shoe polish brush and a little shoe polish, which you apply in strong, circular movements to every nook and cranny of the shoe. Wait a few minutes, then polish them with a specialized brush (a polishing brush), which will make them shine like new.

It's also essential to feed your leather shoes at regular intervals. This provides in-depth care to prevent dullness, brittleness and dryness.
After cleaning your shoes as usual, you can nourish them in 3 different ways.
For example, you can nourish them with cream shoe polish, applied in small circular movements with a brush or an old T-shirt.
An essential cream for leather or a colorless grease for leather will also do the trick, applied respectively with a clean, soft cloth and a palot brush.
The use of a face milk or cream is also possible, but will give a less perfect finish.


Patent leather shoes are cared for slightly differently from classic leather shoes. In fact, it's not a question of treating the leather itself, but rather the patent applied to it so that it doesn't crack or tarnish.
The first step in shoe care is to clean the shoes with water and Marseille soap. Don't forget to place wooden shoe trees in the shoes to avoid deforming them, and to use a clean, soft cloth (or microfiber cloth) to avoid scratching the varnish. Leave to air dry.
In case of stains, don't panic! Depending on the severity of the stain, several products are recommended to help you get rid of it.
For superficial stains, a simple cleansing milk will do the trick .
For more stubborn stains, 70-degree alcohol will be your best ally.
For food stains, use white vinegar .
For tougher stains, don't be afraid to use nail polish remover or bicarbonate of soda, which will get rid of the most stubborn.
If you're worried about damaging them with all these products, dilute them in cleansing milk. Also, to avoid marks, apply the product or product mix to the entire shoe.
As for scratches, they'll never disappear completely. You can, however, try to camouflage them with a felt-tip pen or nail varnish of the same color.

Once clean, you can move on to care and maintenance.
To prevent varnish cracking, moisturize regularly with wax-based polishes. Cleansing milk, olive oil, castor oil or Vaseline are inexpensive solutions that work just as well to nourish and restore suppleness to your shoes.
Finally, the whole point of your shoes is to shine, right? So let's shine them!
Once they've been cleaned and nourished, you can use lemon juice or window spray to give them that extra shine. Don't forget your patent leather brush, chamois cloth and a little elbow grease!


Suede is a delicate material that requires a lot of attention. Suede shoes are extremely fragile and difficult to care for. So don't go about cleaning them any old way, or you risk damaging them.

To clean these shoes, start by dusting with a crepe brush. In the event of stains, treat them by gently rubbing a mixture of warm water, white vinegar and washing-up liquid into a clean cloth. To eliminate unpleasant odours, simply sprinkle abundantly with bicarbonate of soda, massage and leave for 12 hours. You'll need to brush again with the crepe brush.

As explained above, waterproofing shoes is essential. Even more so with suede shoes. The slightest drop can damage the texture of your shoes. It is therefore advisable to waterproof them with a suitable product, and to repeat the operation several times a year.

As with leather, before cleaning your suede shoes, you'll need to dust them with a scraper to facilitate cleaning and restore their fluffy appearance. Rub from front to back, then in the opposite direction.
You can also use this same technique to deluster your shoes (restore their original shape and thickness) with a crepe brush.
Then, to degrease them, three different options are available.
Sprinkle them with talcum powder or cornflour, leave overnight, then brush them off the next day. The second is to use terre de Sommières. Gently rub the stained areas with your fingers, leave overnight, then brush them off in the morning. Or mix white vinegar in hot water and dab your shoes with a sponge.

Finally, to get rid of stains and restore the appearance of your suede shoes, there are several effective methods:
Using steam: expose your shoes to steam for a few minutes. This will slightly dampen the suede, making it easier to work with. Then use a crepe brush to vigorously brush the shoes to remove stains.
Cleaning with white vinegar: For stubborn stains, white vinegar can help. You'll need to soak a brush in white vinegar and scrub gently with it. If they're very dirty, you can immerse them in a mixture of warm water, white vinegar and washing-up liquid.
The magic sponge: Its special rubber texture will grab the suede and remove stains without damaging it. All you need to do is lightly dampen the sponge and gently rub the dirty areas.
Ammonia water-white spirit: If even a bath of white vinegar fails to completely clean your suede shoes, you can gently rub stubborn areas with a cloth soaked in white spirit or ammonia water. Target only the areas concerned to avoid damaging the suede. After using these products, pad your shoes with newspaper to absorb the moisture inside.
Sandpaper: To remove shiny areas, you can rub them with sandpaper. But be sure to choose the finest grit so as not to strip your shoes.

To revive the colors of your suede shoes after cleaning them, you can spray a color renovator 30 cm from the shoe 1 to 3 times a month. Apply it twice, so that the product penetrates deep into the bristles. Then brush and alternate in the opposite direction. You can also use a suede reviver to restore suede to its original color.