5 Ways to Keep Your Shoes Lasting Longer

Out of all the articles of clothing we wear, our shoes have the most wear and tear to them. They are exposed to physical activity, dirt, water, concrete, just about anything that is on the ground, our shoes get it all.

This causes the shoes not to last as long as they should, or is that our fault? Should we be taking extra steps to care for our shoes better? We know we should because having to buy a new pair of tennis shoes or sandals every six months is not ideal.

To solve this problem, these are five ways to help make your shoes last longer.

• Protect the Soles: This part of the shoe takes most of the abuse throughout the day! If you are in a profession where you are constantly on your feet, or you walk everywhere, consider giving your sole some protection with sole protectors! You can find them for any shoe, and they are made to be comforting for you to wear.

• Spray with Water Repellent: Waterproofing shoes can be beneficial for two reasons. One it allows you to be able to rinse off any salt residue that you might find which can result in an impossible stain to get out. Two it keeps the material the shoe is made of clean and intact. This is especially crucial with suede shoes which are prone to water stains.

• Don’t Use Washing Machines: It may be tempting, efficient, and easier just to throw your dirty sneakers into the washer and dryer to give a clean. However, this damages the rubber and structure of the shoe. Putting it through a rough turbine in the washer followed by intense heat and tumbling in the dryer is doing more harm than good. Simply use an old toothbrush to scrub away stains, then put them in the sun to dry.

• Use a Shoe Horn: When putting on a pair of shoes with any heel collar, it will most likely suffer extreme crunching. Having to wiggle your fingers between your foot and the collar to get fully into the shoe and unfold the collar to its shape is damaging and wears on the shoe. Using a shoe horn to slide your foot effortlessly into the shoe while maintaining the heel collar is easy and keeps the shoe in good condition.

• Moisturize: We know it sounds funny, but trust us, this will save any leather shoe you have. Leather shoes have the tendency to dry out. This is how creases and cracks are created in this type of material. If you notice your expensive leather boots or dress shoes are becoming cracked or creased, go to the shoe store and pick up some leather moisturizer to keep your leather shoes looking fresh and young!