Shoes are one of those accessories that we love the most and hate when they get dirty. I dream a shoe closet with about 500 shoes and also wish if someone invented a shoe cleaning machine (or I don’t know if something like that already existed). I love to collect shoes and sometimes when they get dirty, I do every possible thing in the world to get it back to normal. Shoe fetish is what I suffer from (like many others around). Two kinds of shoes that attract dirt and get spoilt very often are suede and leather shoes. If you also own a pair or two of those, you might want to read this.

Cleaning Suede Shoes

• Brush off all dirt with a suede cleaning brush. Gently brush off the shoe when the shoe is dry. Always brush in the same direction. Brushing in a different direction can hamper the texture of the shoe.
• If the shoe has excess dirt and you wish to wash the shoe with water, fill the shoe with paper first and then wash it with water mildly. Filling the shoe with paper will ensure the shoe to dry out fast and also to be in its proper shape on drying. Do not fill the shoe with a newspaper as the ink would spill and spoil your suede.
• If you shoe has caught some hard stains or the salt lines, use a soft towel and some vinegar to wipe it off gently.
• Always remember than water can cause discoloration of the suede, so if you need to use to remove off any stain, then make the entire shoe wet. This will ensure that the entire shoe remains of a single color only.

Cleaning Leather Shoes

• Clean your shoes on a regular basis. In fact, the best practice would be to wipe off the dirt daily. Cleaning your shoes on a regular basis prevents the leather from wearing down, cracking, and losing its shape.
• When you have leather shoes, you should try to not wear the shoe every day. Rotate your shoes and wear them. If not that wear your shoes alternatively. Wearing your shoes every day will cause the soles to wear out faster.
• Brush off dirt before polishing the shoes.
• Do not make the entire shoe wet and leave it for long. If there is some hard stain, wipe it off with a wet towel