An Essential Guide on Taking Care of Winter Shoes

Winter’s coming, and things can get pretty tough. It’s dark, bleak and before you know it, your favorite pair of winter boots are ankle-deep in semi-frozen sludge.

In this blog, we’ve compiled a list of tips that will help you take good care of your winter shoes.

Salt Stains

Salt rings prove to be problematic as they can mar your winter shoes just as the season’s first snow begins to appear. Apart from giving a hideous look, if left unchecked, these stains cause the leather to dry out giving the shoes a dull appearance and eventually cause splits and cracks to appear over time.

To combat such a problem, use white vinegar which proves very effective for leather. Use 1 to 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and add the same amount of water to it. Dab the solution onto a soft cloth such as an old sock or t-shirt. Apply enough vinegar solution to make the cloth wet and proceed to buff the salt stains. Keep doing this until the stains disappear. Use a dry cloth to wash away the solution.

Once you’ve gotten rid of the salt stains, apply a leather conditioner to the shoes with a soft cloth. Usually, both the stain removing solution and salt dry out the leather, but by applying a thin layer of conditioner you can bring the moisture back.

Suede in the Snow

Suede shoes are notorious for being difficult to maintain and despite that reputation, many people forget to apply protective winter coating before wearing them and going out into the slushy snow. Fortunately, damage caused by grime, water, and salt is easy to repair using a suede brush and eraser which typically costs around 7 to 10 dollars.

Rub gently on the soiled area of the shoe and with the eraser just as you would use a pencil eraser. Proceed to brush lightly which will do away with all the dirt and grit.

Soggy Sneakers

Here is a cost-effective way to clean your sneakers: Ball up a couple of newspaper sheets and insert them inside your wet pair. The paper will absorb both smell and moisture. You can also place them near a radiator or fireplace to speed up the process.

Filthy Rubber Boots

In this case, a paper towel or damp rag is all you need. Using glass cleaner and dish soap also works like a charm. White patches (also known as bloom) can also appear on your rubber boots and are part of its natural aging process. They can easily be removed by dampening a soft cloth with olive oil and using it to buff away the bloom.

Cold and snowy conditions require you to take a different approach when it comes to cleaning your shoes and laundry. Contact our laundry pickup and delivery in DC today to save yourself the hassle and have your clean clothes and shoes delivered right to your doorstep!