09/22/201602/14/2017 Maria Ivanova 0 comments
They say shoes make a woman a woman. And it’s true, because eyes can deceive, a smile can lie, and only shoes will tell the truth about you! Thus, Christian Dior noted that the real proof of a girl’s elegance is what she wears on her legs.
Of course, the shoes of famous designers on the catwalk are distinguished by their beauty and grace, but everyday life dictates its own rules to us: it is difficult to discern even a drop of elegance and luxury in shoes that have rushed along dusty roads, endured a trip on public transport and managed to get caught in the rain. But modern realities are not a reason to give up beautiful shoes, especially white shoes!
This raises a reasonable question: how to care for white shoes? How can you clean your shoes? And how to do this at home? Let's discuss!
Where to begin?
If you have a new pair of white leather shoes in your wardrobe, then you should immediately purchase special care products for them. After all, white leather undergoes additional processing during the bleaching process, which makes it more elastic and soft, as well as susceptible to contamination.
- New leather shoes should be immediately coated with wax in order to protect them from stains and excessive moisture permeability (if we are talking about suede shoes, then you need to use a special spray for suede).
- Light-colored shoes should be stored separately from colored and dark ones in order to protect the white color (store in the original packaging or in separate rag shoe bags).
- All minor dirt must be removed immediately with a damp cloth or napkin (dirt is removed from suede with a special brush).
Polishing
To ensure that white leather shoes always look new and attract attention, experts recommend polishing the products using castor oil, Vaseline or regular glycerin, which is sold in any pharmacy. The product is applied in a thin layer to the leather surface, rubbed, allowed to absorb, and polished using a soft cloth or brush.
Additional care: if the shoes are very dirty
To clean leather shoes at home, you need to stock up on the following materials:
- waste paper;
- protective gloves (either household or medical);
- dry cotton cloth;
- shoe brush with soft bristles and velvet;
- foaming detergent (you can use soap or washing powder);
- conditioner for leather products.
How to eliminate the smell of smoke
Natural or artificial leather has the ability to absorb odors, including tobacco smoke. The aroma of tobacco, mixing with the smell of leather, produces unpleasant, persistent fumes. There are several ways to get rid of them.
Vinegar and water
Vinegar dissolved in hot water can eliminate the unpleasant odor. The jacket is hung over a bathtub with hot water and vinegar dissolved in it (200-400 milliliters). After 3 hours, the item is transferred to a dry room and dried.
Special sheets
Tumble dry sheets are placed in a plastic bag with a leather jacket and sealed tightly. After 20 minutes, remove and hang on hangers.
Dry coffee grounds
Dried coffee grounds have a pleasant aroma. Sprinkle a thin layer of powder onto a laid out jacket and leave for 3 hours.
Clean shoes with special means
Method 1. Foaming detergent (shoe shampoo)
Step 1. Remove dirt. All dust and dirt from the surface of the skin can be removed using a cotton cloth.
Step 2: Clean your shoes. Leather shoes require careful cleaning. Apply shampoo to shoes in a small amount. Arm yourself with a shoe brush with soft bristles or an unnecessary sponge. Gently wipe the shoes inside and out until foam forms. Excess shampoo can be washed off with warm water or collected with a damp cloth. Then thoroughly wipe your shoes dry!
Another way: instead of shampoo, prepare a soap solution using laundry soap or washing powder.
Leather products do not like excessive moisture, so do not get them too wet. And after you've finished cleaning your shoes, be sure to dry them and dry them naturally!
Do not leave leather shoes in direct sunlight or near heat sources. In this case, the shoes may shrink or crack!
Advice! To prevent a leather product from losing its shape, dry and store it with paper placed inside. It is not recommended to use newsprint, as the ink may change the color of the shoes.
Step 3. Post-processing. Apply clear cream (or cream to match the shoes) to dry shoes, and then polish the shoes with a piece of velvet.
Method 2. Conditioner for leather shoes
Step 1. Clean up dirt. As in the first method, you should use cotton fabric.
Step 2: Apply conditioner. Before cleaning your shoes with conditioner, you need to protect your hands with household or medical gloves. It is better to apply the product itself using a piece of fabric. It is necessary to carefully distribute the substance over the surface of the skin and leave for several minutes. This product will cope well with dirt, dust, old creams and impregnations.
Step 3. Final stage. Remove any remaining conditioner with a dry cloth and cover your shoes with protective cream.
Advice! If you have difficulty purchasing white leather cream, you can use a regular nourishing hand cream: apply the cream to your shoes, wait until completely absorbed, then remove the remaining cream with a dry cloth.
Drying and storage rules
Before storing leather shoes for long-term storage, the pair must be cleaned, dried and treated with cream. You need to dry your boots or shoes naturally; if moisture gets inside, you can remove it with crumpled paper. When storing, the following rules must be observed:
- Store each pair in a separate box or fabric bag.
- Leather shoes should not be placed in a plastic bag for a long time; they may “suffocate” and mold and mildew may develop.
- To prevent the boots from losing their shape, special pads or crumpled paper are placed inside.
- It should not be stored near heating devices or on the balcony. Heating, cold, and temperature changes will negatively affect the properties of the material.
- Moth repellent is included in winter fur boots.
Leather shoes will never go out of fashion, because this natural material is beautiful, reliable and practical. But in order for your favorite pair to last for a long time without losing its impeccable appearance, it is necessary to regularly and properly care for it.
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Traditional methods
To clean shoes at home, it is enough to use available means, including:
- milk;
- toothpaste;
- petrolatum;
- vegetable oil;
- lemon acid;
- soap and alcohol;
- bleach and dishwashing detergent.
Method 1. Milk. You can even clean leather shoes with a product such as milk.
To do this, just wipe the surface of the skin with a cotton pad soaked in milk. Improved method: If you mix milk with whipped chicken white, your skin care will be more effective. Method 2: Toothpaste. Apply a little paste to a special shoe brush and rub it into the surface of the leather. Leave the product to dry and remove it with a damp cloth.
Method 3. Vaseline. At home, Vaseline works well for cleaning shoes. Simply spread it over the surface, leave until completely absorbed, and remove any remaining residue with a clean, dry cloth.
In addition to cleaning, Vaseline will provide significant care to the leather product, softening it and protecting it from subsequent contamination. Therefore, Vaseline can be used in the post-processing of shoes, replacing special shoe polish.
Method 4. Vegetable oil. The oil works in exactly the same way as Vaseline. Accordingly, there is no difference in handling oil and Vaseline: spread the oil, wait until it is completely absorbed, and remove the residue with a dry cloth. Whatever oil you use, try applying it to an inconspicuous area of the shoe first to test for possible color changes.
Improved method: If you add vinegar to oil, you will get an excellent cleanser that will keep your skin elastic. To do this, mix vinegar and oil in a ratio of 1 to 2. Apply to shoes, leave for eight hours, and then remove the remaining substance with a soft cloth.
Method 5. Citric acid. Citric acid is an excellent stain remover for white leather shoes. It is enough to apply acid (or lemon juice) to the stain and leave for several hours. Remove the product with a soft, dry cloth.
Method 6. Soap and alcohol. If you add a drop of ammonia to a solution of laundry (or baby) soap, you will get a good skin cleanser. It is necessary to treat the surface of the shoes with the resulting solution, leave for a quarter of an hour, and then wipe with a dry cloth.
This method is perfect for both smooth leather and suede.
Advice! Since alcohol “dries out” the skin, there is a need for mandatory (!) treatment of the leather product with a protective cream. Instead of the latter, you can use hand cream, oil or glycerin.
Method 7: Bleach + dishwashing detergent. Difficult leather stains can be easily removed with a mixture of bleach, dishwashing detergent and water (1:1:2 ratio). It is enough to lightly wipe the surface of the product with the resulting cleaning agent and remove the residue with a damp cloth.
Required Tools
There are various tools that you can use to remove dirt from your shoes.
Polishing cloth
Some people want to not only clean their leather, but also polish it. To do this, you can use special polishing cloths, which are used to rub the shoes after cleaning them from stains and dirt.
Impregnation sponge
An impregnation sponge is a product that is often used for the rapid care of shoes. It, like a polishing cloth, is used to add shine to the surface. Experts advise wiping your skin with such a sponge every three days.
Washing sponge and washcloth
Sometimes washcloths and sponges are used to remove dirt from shoes.
They must be used very carefully, especially if they are made of silicone. If you wipe your skin with silicone sponges too often, the surface will quickly deteriorate.
Soft rags
Many experts advise wiping leather products with fabric materials. The best choice is considered to be soft rags, which have many useful properties. It perfectly absorbs moisture and quickly removes dirt.
Toothbrush
If you don't clean your boots or shoes for a long time, they become covered with old stains that are difficult to wipe off. To remove old stains, an unnecessary toothbrush with elastic bristles is suitable, with which you can clean even hard-to-reach places.
On a note!
- Before washing your shoes, remove all removable parts: laces, etc. They need to be cleaned and dried separately.
- If stains from soapy water have formed on the skin, then you need to apply Vaseline, wait six hours and remove the remaining product by rubbing the shoes until they shine.
- Furniture polish will help renew leather shoes. Simply spray the product over the cleaned item.
- If none of the presented remedies help with old stains, then you should use (your choice) gasoline, tire cleaner, or WD40. These substances are chemically active, so they must be removed immediately after application.
The soiling of white leather shoes is not a reason to refuse such elegant and luxurious shoes!
Don’t be afraid of the possibility of dirt and stains, because the methods presented will quickly eliminate such troubles. Give a girl a pair of white shoes and she will conquer the whole world!
How to clean white leather boots?
If you are the happy owner of white boots, then use the above methods, methods and tips to care for the material from which they are made. Use products specifically designed for a specific material:
- If the shoes are made of white polished leather, then to care for them use a sponge and eraser that are specially designed for this material.
- For sanded leather, use a combination brush to preserve the texture of the material.
- Treat boots made of crocodile or snake skin with special products and sponges that allow you to care for the textured surface. You cannot clean such shoes with ordinary brushes.
How to properly care for white leather shoes?
For cleaning, the use of industrial and natural products is allowed. In the first case, a quick effect is ensured with a minimum of energy costs; in the second, the approach is economical and safe. In addition, you need to polish your shoes at least once a month and condition the material a little less often.
Polishing white leather looks like this:
- First, we choose the optimal remedy. Wax products are spread over the leather surface, providing protection to the material. Liquid ones also remain in the upper layers of the material, but they are easier to apply. Creams and pastes not only protect raw materials, but also restore their structure.
- We apply a small amount of the composition to a small area, making sure that the color of the product matches the background.
- Then spread the mixture over the entire surface of the product in a circular motion, using a soft sponge or lint-free cloth.
Conditioning allows you to care for your leather, preventing the formation of cracks, abrasions and scratches. It should be used in the same way as polish - applied in an even layer over the entire surface, after which it is recommended to rub the object with a soft cloth.
