How to clean synthetic shoes
Shoes faithfully accompany us on all our adventures. We wear them every day and in all sorts of conditions and often take them off in the evening – maybe covered with mud and dirt if, for example, we have just come back from a hike in the mountains – and put them back on the shoe rack without taking care of them. Yet herein lies the secret to making shoes last a long time: maintenance and cleaning operations are essential to maintaining their functional properties and quality intact over time. But what is the best way to do this?
First of all, we need to carry out some preparatory operations, which apply to all types of footwear. Let’s have a look at these together:
Stage 1: Preparation
Before starting to clean footwear, we must first carry out a number of important preparatory stages, which apply to all types of uppers:
Let the shoe dry naturally, avoiding direct exposure to sunlight, heaters and other sources of heat as these could dry out the leather and plastic parts and make the adhésives gluing the sole and uppers together become unstuck.
Remove the laces and insoles to encourage aeration of the linings, making sure that these are in good condition and have no tears or abrasions, and check that the laces are not worn out.
Stage 2: Cleaning
In recent years, synthetic materials have become highly popular and are widely used, especially for athletic shoes. Light weight, resistance to wear and tear and easy cleaning are their most valued features
But make no mistake, these shoes also require proper care and maintenance in order to maintain their original technical and aesthetic qualities.
The cleaning stage, fortunately, is very simple. We only need to use water, preferably running water, and a soft brush to remove even the most stubborn dirt.
To make our cleaning even more effective, we can use lightweight foams that have been specially designed for synthetic materials (read the insert carefully before using), or the water-based “Dolomite” spray to preserve the shoe’s waterproofing properties.
Before using the shoes again, it is a good idea to leave them to rest for a few hours to allow them to dry completely and any products used to be absorbed properly. Lastly, insert the laces and insoles again ensuring first that these are completely dry.
Stage 3: Maintenance
And last but not least, here are a few practical rules and tips that will help you make your shoes last longer. When buying footwear, it is important to remember that it is in our interest to make them last as long as possible, but it is also our duty towards the environment to ensure they don’t deteriorate before time, therefore we should look after them sustainably before and after use.
To keep our shoes in their best condition when we are not wearing them, remember to always remove the insoles and insert some screwed up newspaper – especially into the toe – so they maintain their original shape.
We also recommend storing shoes inside their original box, covered with the tissue paper inside, in a dark, dry place where the temperature remains fairly constant.
Do you know that...
Due to technological progress over the last few years, synthetic materials have closed the gap with respect to leather in the sports and outdoor sector, sometimes actually matching it in terms of quality and performance. The demand for lightweight, economical products that are easy to clean has spurred on leading companies in the industry to develop footwear made from synthetic materials. An example is Perspair® fabric technology, which features “Super Fibres” woven directly into the fabric, enabling one-piece uppers to be constructed that are lightweight and at the same time hard-wearing.