1. Stretch shoes with suitable shoe trees.

Suitable shoe trees always give the shoes their shape (when they cool down and solidify after taking them off) and thus considerably prolong their life and good looks!  Wooden shoe trees are preferable to plastic ones. They gently absorb the foot moisture stored in the leather while keeping the shoe in shape. Wooden shoe trees are therefore recommended, especially for feet that sweat more.

2. Regular cleaning and material care

Leather is a natural product, even if it has special finishes in the form of patent leather. The durability and beauty of this natural material is enhanced by regular cleaning and material-specific care. In the case of patent leather, it is sufficient to wipe it damp at intervals and to care for it at longer intervals with fitting products to restore the leathers softness.

Suede and other napped leathers are dyed through and can normally be cleaned simply by brushing. The prerequisite is that they are always sufficiently impregnated to prevent damp dirt from penetrating the leather. Special brushes are available for roughening.

3. let shoes dry slowly

If shoes have become damp or have been made damp, they should be allowed to dry slowly and never in the direct vicinity of heat sources. Quick drying makes the leather brittle. It is best to stuff the shoes with absorbent material (newspaper) beforehand.

4. change shoes frequently

Shoes made of leather have the special property that they absorb and store moisture from the feet and "grow with the foot" as they warm up during the day. After 24 hours, however, leather must be given the chance to slowly release the stored moisture by resting for 24 hours; therefore, closed shoes should only be worn one day over the other. Otherwise, the formation of athletes foot is promoted and white "sweat marks" can stain the upper material.

5. „wash“ (damp clean) and restore shoes

If edges have formed due to heavy perspiration or snow marks, immediate washing with lukewarm water will help. Always wet the whole shoe (only from the outside) with lukewarm water and wash it off preferably with the help of leather soap. (For drying, see tip 3). Afterwards, they should be treated intensively with an appropriate care product.

The option of cleaning shoes completely damp applies to leather, suede, linen or combinations thereof. The entire shoe (upper from the outside) must always be moistened with lukewarm water. For leather, it is best to use leather soap. Be careful not to wet the shoe seams and glued areas on soles and heels too much.

6. suede

There are special copper wire brushes for suede to roughen the material again after brushing or after damp cleaning. There are also special erasers for suede to erase localised scuffs. These erasers can also be used for light summer soles.

7. store shoes

To store summer shoes over winter or winter shoes over summer, they should be cleaned, cared for and stretched. Where there is not enough closet space, shoes can be stored in a cardboard box or a shoe bag made of breathable material in a dry place. If shoe trees are saved, you must wait at least one day for the shoes to dry out after wearing them.