Want to make your shoes last longer? We’ve put together these simple tips so you can get the most out of your footwear.

Think tree or stuffing
A wooden shoe tree (cedar is particularly good for moisture) or just stuffing footwear with newspaper not only helps with keeping shape and preventing creases but also absorbs moisture created in wear. This allows your footwear to dry whilst maintaining it’s original shape. Make sure the tree or newspaper is pushed all the way into the box and to do this every time after wear. Using newspaper can also help if your shoes are wet as it can prevent smells that can occur with air drying and can be replaced if it gets too wet. Giving shoes a break can also help make sure they have enough time to dry properly.

Take care how you store them
Storing shoes near heat or in sunlight can shrink the materials and cause cracks, hardening or impact the glue meaning they come apart. Keeping them in their box or dust bag stops exposure to further dirt, sunlight and moisture. It’s worth being aware of weight from other shoes when stacked too as it can damage the uppers.

Get them cleaned/polished
Either clean/polish your footwear yourself or get it done professionally. Polishing materials like leather can help with avoiding cracks which often can’t be repaired. Taking off lingering stains, marks or built up dirt can also prevent long term damage. Baby wipes or a little soap on a dish brush can be a good way to do some cleaning at home.

Protect your soles
One of the first parts that shows wear and tear is the soles. You can protect them in a number of ways from plastic ‘taps’ on the toes and heels to a thin rubber protectors that cover the whole sole.

Take care how you take off your shoes
Not loosening the laces and pushing your shoes off puts a lot of strain on the heel and laces which can cause the fit to change over time. Taking the extra few seconds to loosen the laces enough means avoiding the extra strain.