Keeping Your Shoes Healthy

Shoes are often the most neglected part of anyone’s wardrobe, yet shoes are the one item that brings your whole look together! So what can you do to make sure your shoes add to your look instead of taking it down a notch? We asked the cobblers at Flair Cleaners for their tips on keeping your shoes healthy.

Healthy Shoe Tips

• Before purchasing shoes, wear them for at least five to 10 minutes to make sure they fit correctly. Sit, stand, and walk around. Our cobblers can stretch shoes a bit, but less than half a size. So, no matter how much you love them, leave tight fitting shoes in the store.
• Be careful on escalators, decks, and street grates to avoid heel damage. If you do have damaged heels, bring them to Flair and we’ll do our best to repair them.
• Inspect your shoes for wear, tear, and damage. Pay close attention to the heels and soles. Most dress shoes have thin coverings so soles and heels wear quickly. To prevent this type of damage, ask Flair’s cobblers to attach a thin layer of rubber called a dancer’s sole for added protection.
• Rubber and leather can dry out, disintegrate, and crack if shoes are not worn often. If you wear certain shoes only in certain seasons, “exercise” them by wearing them around the house to keep the leather and rubber conditioned.
• If you have light-colored patent leather shoes, store them away from dark colored shoes. Just like clothes leaching color in closets, darker shoes will leach their color onto lighter colored shoes.  Wrapping the lighter colored shoes in some tissue adds an extra layer of protection.
• If you want a new look for your shoes, try having Flair dye them! Remember, though, it’s easier to go from light to dark colors.
• Got dogs? Don’t leave your expensive shoes on the floor! Dogs have a natural attraction to leather and suede and really don’t care about price tags! While we can repair most damage, why take the chance?

There’s no better time to start caring for the health of your shoes.