How to care for leather shoes?

Leather is like your own skin. If you do not care for it, it can dry out and tear. We recommend that you take care of your shoes at least once a month. Our tips will help you prolong the life of your shoes and, above all, keep them as beautiful as they were the first day.

⁰¹ Our 5 step guide to leather shoe care

1. Preparing shoes

Take your laces out of the leather shoes, make sure the laces are still in a perfect state. If not, prepare new laces to put in the shoes after you've polished them. Put cedar wood shoe trees inside the shoes and tighten the leather. Make sure that you have enough space to work on and put your products around you.

2. Leather brushing

Before even thinking about creams, wax and others, you will need to make sure there is no dirt or dust left on your shoes, otherwise this may leave stains. To obtain the best result, you should use a cleaning brush Ross 1 for both smooth and grained or perforated leather, and thoroughly but softly clean your shoes. Don't forget all the linings, the brogues or tassels, if you have those, as well as the lining between the leather and the sole.

3. Deep cleaning

Once your shoes are dust and dirt free, they are ready to get deeply cleaned! Therefore, you should use a clean dry cloth and our nourishing cream to apply the cream in circular motions. This leather cleansing milk helps to remove all traces of old cleaning products, just like a make-up remover, so that the leather will be in a perfect state to receive new care! It also helps to nourish the leather.

4. Caring

Pick out the right colour of shoe cream for your leather. For multicoloured leather shoes we recommend you to use the neutral incolore cream. The shoe cream we offer on our site are perfect creams to nourish and moisturise the leather.

Take the Ross 4 welt brush to apply the shoe cream in delicate areas and creases, but avoid using it on the soles. Then, with the Ross 2 round cream brush, apply the shoe cream in circular motions all over the shoe. Don't forget to apply it to the tongue as well. Once the entire leather surface is covered with shoe cream, leave them to allow the leather to absorb the cream.

5. Polishing

After the cream has completely dried and it's ready for more care, you can use the cream brush Ross 1, always in circular motions, for a light shiny shoe.

For the ultimate shine you should use our polishing glove, available in the colour you'd want, for a perfect shine to make your shoes as good as new!

⁰² How to clean and care for suede or nubuck shoes

For your suede, velvet or nubuck shoes, use the Ross 3 cleaning brush especially designed for these types of leather. The rubber part is useful for more delicate leathers. Rub in all directions to remove the dirt between the hairs. Gently press on the folds and edges of the shoe.

⁰³ Keep your shoes in a perfect state

To keep your shoes looking great for as long as possible, use a shoe horn when you put them on, this will avoid any scratches, tears and creases.
When you put your shoes away at the end of the day or because you'll be wearing other shoes the next day, make sure to use cedar wood shoe trees to keep the leather in perfect shape and avoid any wrinkles. Also note that leather, as well as leather soles, do not like rain. If you walk with your shoes through the rain, it might damage them irreparably.
Finally, we advise you to avoid waterproofing your shoes with chemical sprays, which can damage the leather. In case of stains or marks on the leather, the cleaning milk will allow you to remove them and keep your shoes in good condition.

Discover our short video tutorial:

The range of shoe care products by Melvin & Hamilton allows you to extend the lifespan of your favourite shoes made of high quality leather. It's a wise investment that will help you enjoy your shoes for as long time as possible! If you have any questions regarding the right treatment of your shoes, please do not hesitate to contact our customer service!