General Advice

 

On the first few occasions, try to wear your new shoes in dry conditions as far as possible.
(Thankfully - we live in a desert country.)

Thereafter try to avoid wearing the same pair of shoes day in and day out. Shoes that have not dried out completely tend to wear out faster. Wearing a pair of shoes on alternate days prolongs its life and helps keep it looking smart and feeling comfortable.
Good cream or wax polish is essential to preserve the leather uppers and to keep shoes looking good.

Cleaning and Polishing

1. Good leather (typically used by all reputable manufacturers) deserves good treatment.  Remove all traces of dirt with a soft cloth.

2. Do not use "neutral" polish - choose the correct colour (eg brown or dark brown).  Do not use too much polish. The excess polish creates a layer of build-up which covers the natural beauty of the leather and leaves a grainy texture in the creases of the shoes.  This also attracts dust. 

3.  You should not polish your shoes frequently, and often all that is needed is to brush and cloth them in order to remove scuffs and restore the shine.  Polishing once a week is sufficient. This is all that is needed to restore the color and luster to your shoes.

4.  After the polish is applied, let it dry, then brush it off with your brush. Next, wipe the final film of polish away with a soft buffing cloth.

Suede Shoes

After removing all dirt while dry (with a suede brush or old toothbrush), brush up the nap (always in one direction, preferably front to back) and apply a suitably coloured suede dressing. Stains may be carefully removed with a solvent cleaner or suede shampoo. Try applying the suede dressing at night so that the shoes have time to dry out by morning. The nap has to be brushed up once again. Bald patches on suede can be restored using sandpaper or a stiff brass wire brush. Never use polish meant for normal leather on suede.

Nubuck shoes

Care tips are almost identical to that of suede shoes but they can be generally cleaned by wiping with a cloth dipped in slightly soapy warm water.

Patent Leather

Clean with a damp cloth and when completely dry, apply patent dressing. Ordinary polish cannot be used on patent leather. Shine off with a soft cloth.