Simple shoe care

For some people, buying shoes is a passion – almost an occupation; for others, a simple, practical necessity.

Whether your heart skips a beat at the sight of a shoe shop or the smell of new leather, or you rush in and grab something practical, new shoes can take a bit of time to wear in.

It’s important to buy shoes that are comfortable and fit well, as well as one which fit your budget. If you can’t find what you are looking for on a given day, try again another time – shop in haste, repent with sore feet at your leisure!

To make your new kicks comfortable and keep them looking good, you may like to try the following ideas.

If you have bought shoes which are rather narrow, you can gently ease them by filling a couple of ziplock bags with water, placing them in the shoes and popping them in the freezer overnight. As the water freezes, it will expand and stretch the shoes gently.

If your shoes feel a little tight around the heel, put on a pair of thick socks, then put on the shoes and heat the tight areas with a hair drier. Allow to cool on your feet to stretch them out gently. You can repeat this several times as necessary.

For shoes that you usually wear without socks, you can help prevent blisters by rubbing a stick deodorant on the areas of your feet which are rubbing – you’ll also have fresher smelling feet!

On the subject of stinky shoes, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of baking soda into offending footwear and leave them overnight – baking soda is fantastic at eliminating odours!

For sports shoes or casual shoes with white toes or soles, you can clean them using either toothpaste or a mixture of dish washing detergent and baking soda. Apply with an old toothbrush and wipe away with a soft cloth.

Long boots are fantastic in the winter to keep your feet and legs warm. To keep their shape in your wardrobe, roll an old magazine up and place it in each leg. If the zips get stuck, rub a graphite pencil along the teeth of the zip to ease it up.

If suede shoes or boots become scuffed, many marks can be removed by using an ordinary eraser and rubbing the mark gently.

So there you have it – easy ideas to make new shoes comfortable and keep them looking good. Please share any other great tips in the comments below.