Leather is skin. And like your skin – it requires protection and care because it is vulnerable in comparison to harsh surfaces while being robust.
Unlike your skin – the leather on your shoes only takes the nutrients you give it. It can easily dry out, over-absorb water, or be damaged in other ways but cannot repair itself.
When leather loses its moisture and natural oils, it becomes less flexible and the fibrous interweave begins to crack and finally disintegrates. Once this happens it is lost and needs to be replaced.
This is a thorough instruction manual on how to look after your CornBee's leather shoes:
Before Wearing
You should have toe taps placed before you put them on for the first time. Typically, these tiny metal plates are attached to the tip of your sole using nails.
The leather upper should next receive this routine's full conditioning and treatment, which should be done every few months.
Daily
These simple habits will minimize wear and tear on your leather shoes during and after wear.
Putting them on
When wearing your shoe, you should always make use of a shoehorn. These are thin pieces of plastic/metal/wood that guide your heel into a well-fitted shoe.
Taking them off
After taking your shoes off, always get a pair of shoe trees in as soon as possible. This is because the leather interior has been absorbing your sweat for an entire day and will start rotting if not dried quickly. Quality shoe trees will absorb this moisture and also fill your shoe to dry in the correct shape. This prevents lining rot and creases from destroying the leather upper.
Every Few Months
The short routine outlined here renews your leather and is essential to making it last a lifetime.
Clean
Before you proceed, you’ll want to remove the laces and insert the shoe trees into your shoes. The shoe trees are like the skeleton of the shoe, providing a firm surface so that you can apply the shoe care products more easily. The knob also helps you maneuver the shoe to target hard-to-reach places.
Using a clean brush, clean off the dust and dirt that has accumulated in the crevices of the shoe, as well as flaking layers of polish.
Strip
The goal of stripping is to get rid of the accumulated wax and shine on your shoe. You'll need a stripping agent to remove the polish layers since it dissolves all build-up on the leather allowing simple cleaning without harming the original sheen.
Just apply a little of the suspension onto a cotton pad or rag and clean your shoe, adding more as necessary. Whatever shine you've applied to the leather will start to immediately fall off. 15 minutes later, remove it with a clean wipe to expose the genuine polish of your shoes! You may provide a solid foundation for a dazzling shine by starting from scratch.
Alternatively, you might use rubbing alcohol, which is sold in many neighborhood pharmacies and is sometimes referred to as isopropyl alcohol.
Start by dabbing some alcohol onto a fresh, dry cotton cloth. Rub this cloth to the shoe in firm, circular motions, adding additional alcohol to the rag as necessary. The wax layer will start to take on a dull gloss, as you'll see. After this occurs, wipe off the glaze with a damp cloth and continue the procedure with the alcohol rag until the majority of the wax and shine have been removed.
Condition
By keeping the leather's fibers moisturized and flexible, an effective leather conditioner stops the deterioration from happening.
Since you will only be using the conditioner once or twice per few months, don't be afraid to use a lot of it. Would you rather shorten the lifespan of your expensive shoes by a few years or squander a few cents of conditioner?
Apply liberally to the tongue and outsole as well as the whole surface of the leather. Use an applicator brush for confined spaces. Before moving on to the following stage, leave your shoes out all night so the conditioner may absorb into the leather. The next morning, remove any extra conditioner with a cotton towel.
Cream Polish
Cream polish, which is pigment-rich, gives your shoe leather color again. Moreover, the cream polish has vitamins and oils that are wonderful for the leather of shoes. Cream polishes don't offer your shoe a glossy sheen as wax polishes do. Instead, when rubbed, it will provide a matte finish like satin.
Using a cloth or applicator brush, liberally apply cream polish. Work it into every nook and cranny, just like with the conditioner, and then let it air dry. It will initially appear duller, but don't worry! Because of the minimal quantity of waxes it contains, after three hours when you use a buffing brush to brush at the shoe, you will obtain a beautiful matte sheen.
Cream polish will never give you a mirror shine as it does not build a smooth layer on top of the leather.
Water resistance
Leather loses a considerable amount of its essential oils as water seeps through it and then evaporates, carrying the oils along with it. To ensure that the leather in your shoes lasts, it must be difficult for water to penetrate.
A great option to provide your leather shoes substantial water protection is wax polish. They also serve as a great foundation for a mirror shine by covering scratches and scuffs on the shoe.
As with cream polish, pick a color that is similar to your shoe and use an applicator brush or cloth to apply a thick coat of wax all over the shoe. You may spin the shoe while holding it by the shoe tree's knob to correct the weird angles. For a slightly glossier finish than cream polish, buff it with a buffing brush after letting it set for about an hour.
Generally, going by these guidelines, make your shoes look good for longer. You can also give your shoes a new life by switching out the laces every six months.