SHOE CARE

Prolong the life of your shoes

At Begg Shoes we don’t only want to help you find a great pair of shoes, we want you to enjoy them to the full and this can be achieved by caring properly for your shoes after you take them home. Different types of materials require different methods and products in order to keep them looking good. Proper shoe care will help them to look their best and can also extend the life of the shoe.

CARBON PRO PROTECTOR SPRAY

The best thing is to start by protecting the shoes before you even start wearing them. A protector spray will provide a water-resistant barrier and will help prevent staining from dirt. All staff were very excited about the addition of Collonil’s Carbon Pure protector spray to the range of shoe care products stocked by Begg Shoes. This spray will make anything water-resistant, by creating a breathable net-like structure over the material so it flexes with the shoe as you move. A single application can last 2-3 months, so depending on how many shoes you own a can could easily last a year – not bad for £11.95!

CARING FOR LEATHER SHOES

Plain, Nubuck, Suede, Patent or Synthetic

PLAIN LEATHER

Plain leather, arguably the most common material for shoes, is often the one that people think they know how to care for best. The regular application of shoe cream will help the leather retain its colour and suppleness. To learn how to polish shoes check out our online video with director Donald Begg.

BLACK LEATHER SCHOOL SHOES

Inevitably black leather work shoes and children’s school shoes tend to take quite a battering resulting in scuff marks. The easiest way to deal with the marks is to use a scuff cover product such as Pedag’s Intensiv Crème. This product has a much higher density of dye than an ordinary shoe cream resulting in better coverage of scuff marks.

SYNTHETIC LEATHERS

Synthetic leathers are notorious for drying out, cracking and losing their colour, but no more. Leading shoe care brand Pedag have teamed up with Rieker to create Trend Care, a product that cares for all materials including synthetics. Suitable for all colours and you can buff the material to a shine if desired. The product nourishes the material helping to keep it supple and protecting the colour. An additional benefit of this product is that it provides waterproofing as well.

PATENT LEATHER

Patent has been a big trend this season and is always a customer favourite over the winter as there’s nothing dressier than a smart pair of patent shoes with your party dress or with a great pair of trousers. However, over time the shine can fade and needs a bit of rejuvenation. Woly’s Lack Liquid can be used on all colours and your shoes will be shining again in no time.

SUEDE OR NUBUCK LEATHERS

Suede and nubuck are often seen as difficult materials to care for but it can be very simple. As both these materials are porous and have no water resistance like smooth grained leather does, it is imperative you have protected the shoe in advance of wearing it with a protector spray. A suede brush will usually solve any issues from bringing back the nap to cleaning off the dirt. However, if you have a suborn stain then a Suede Velours Gum block is a handy item to have at your disposal as you can use it to really target the stain. For tired-looking black and navy coloured shoes we would recommend Collonil’s Nubuk + Textile which will add colour back to the material while providing waterproofing.

RUGGED LEATHERS

Many of our more rugged styles of shoes and boots are made of oiled and textured leather which dries out over time resulting in colour fading. You can draw the oils in the leather back to the surface of the material with heat by rubbing the shoe with your hand – just make sure they are clean first! Alternatively, you can use an oil spray such as Collonil’s Rustical Spray which will lightly coat the shoe to bring back the colour. As always, we like to make things easy for our customers and this is a multi-purpose product that will also help to waterproof the shoe.

WALKING BOOTS SHOES

When looking for walking shoes or boots people often assume a Gore-Tex and other water-resistant linings will mean the material of shoe will care for itself. However, this is not the case as the lining means that your foot stays dry but only in the same way as if you wore a plastic bag inside your shoes (Gore-tex and other linings are breathable so are much better than using a plastic bag!). The outer materials of the shoe still get wet and therefore need to be protected just the same as shoes without one of these linings.

Make sure you use a waterproofing protector spray before you go out, Collonil’s Protector dries in fifteen seconds so you can use it right before you go. When returning from a day out in the hills you need to brush off any mud and leave to dry in a warm place but away from a direct source of heat. If the shoes are made from smooth leather you can clean and nourish the material with a shoe cream. If the shoes are made from a synthetic you can use a shoe cleaner such a Woly Combi Cleaner. Once your shoes are clean reapply the waterproofing spray and you’re ready for your next walking adventure!