Austin Chelsea

Keep your shoes looking great...

Taking care of your shoes will not only keep them looking great but will also help your shoes to last longer. Regular shoe care will give your shoes added resistance to water, grime and dirt.

We stock a range of shoe care products designed to care for leather, nubuck, suede and fabrics on our website and in our store.

Our staff are always on hand to give advice on which shoe care products are best suited to help your shoes look as good as they feel and vice versa. Follow these tips to keep your shoes looking great...

Leather

Clean
With a soft slightly damp cloth.

Restore Colour and Nourish
Leather shoes should be polished regularly with a suitable cream or polish. This helps keep your shoes soft and restores colour. We stock various colours and a neutral for those hard to match shades.

Shine
Leather shoes will need to be buffed after allowing time for the cream or cleaner to take effect. This restores the original colour and shine. Plus, you don’t want excess polish to come off on your light coloured trousers, carpets or furniture!

Suede & Nubuck

How do I tell the difference?
Suede is the other side of normal leather so it has a rougher ‘furry’ texture to it. Nubuck has a finer smoother appearance.

Clean
Brushing off any loose dust and dirt with a good brush may sound obvious but it will help keep your shoes looking good without too much effort. Nubuck will be damaged by the traditional wire brushes so please only use a soft brush. Stubborn stains and watermarks can be removed with a deep cleaning foam or spray or using a gum velour block.

Restore
Colour Nubuck and Suede can be revitalised with a restorer. You’ll find that dirt and grime will clean easier because it won’t have embedded itself deeply into the surface.

Protect
Shield your shoes from dirt, grease and water with a spray-on protector. We have an excellent range, in our shops, of protective sprays and foams to suit your shoes. Also give this a try if your old shoes don’t keep your feet as dry as they used to - after all it’s no use carrying an umbrella if your shoes are leaking! We recommend giving your shoes 2 or 3 coats before you wear them and then every 2/3 weeks depending on how often you wear them.

Drying

Drying shoes
If you are unlucky enough to get caught in the rain and your shoes are soaked though, it is a good idea to stuff them with paper as this will help dry them out. Replace paper as necessary. Do not dry on direct heat as this may shrink or warp your shoes.

Shape

Shoe trees
Keeping shoe trees in your shoes will help them maintain their shape. Pop them in while your shoes are still warm and supple to mould them back to their best shape. Think of them like you would a good clothes hanger, you wouldn’t put a silk blouse on the floor! Also use shoe trees when you are cleaning your shoes so that the care product can get into the creases caused by walking.

Insoles

Insoles
Insoles can assist with shoe fitting. A simple leather insole will take up room in a shoe that is slightly too big or an anatomically shaped insole can help tired feet. Insoles help to keep your feet healthy. It is a good idea to take the insoles out of your shoes at night - you loose a lot of moisture through your feet and this will help your shoes to dry out.