Shoe Care

We take immense pride in the shoes we create. We choose materials that are designed to be cruelty free, environmentally friendly and long lasting. But as with all good products, care and maintenance plays a huge role in performance and longevity.

Here are a few tips and best practices to help you look after your shoes:

1. Avoid Daily Wear
All shoes, irrespective of what they are made from, will absorb moisture from the feet. Depending on the individual person varying degrees of odour may occur as with any garment worn. For this reason shoes should ideally not be worn on consecutive days. They should be allowed to air dry for a day. Vegan Wares shoes are no different in this regard.

2. Clean 
To clean microfiber shoes simply wipe with a damp sponge / soft cloth. For faux suede, pinatex and fabric like materials, use a soft brush to remove dirt and wipe gently with a damp cloth. Old toothbrushes are often good for cleaning groove in and around the soles.

3. Polish
Vegan Wares shoes generally do not require polishing to enhance their life as the microfibre uppers are extremely strong. However, polishing with a vegan shoe cream will enhance their appearance and may help minimize scuffing. Apply polish if desired. Wax-based polishes also make shoes more water resistant.

*Please do NOT use Coconut Oil or other plant-based oils to polish your shoes. Organic products tend to settle in pores and will fester over time creating unhygienic conditions for your feet. They can also damage microfiber and other materials.

4. Waterproofing
Most waterproofing blocks pore in most fabrics making then non-breathable. This may stop water from getting in but build up moisture in the shoes is equally bad for foot health as it is for the shoes. Vegan Wares shoes do not require waterproofing for normal variations in weather. If you live in extremely wet or snowy conditions, we recommend using breathable waterproofing products such as Nikwax waterproofing or NonAqua.

5. Keep Your Shoes Dry
While most enclosed shoes we stock are water resistant or waterproof, sometimes getting shoes wet is unavoidable. To dry out wet shoes, open lacing and tongue as wide as possible and allow them to stand in an airy position away from direct heat. If shoes have removable insoles, pull them out and lay separately. Never fast dry shoes close to a heater. Heat will activate the glues holding the shoes together & they may then start to come apart.

6. Treating Scuffs
Scuffs are best treated early and through using a water-based shoe paint. Shoe paints are normally stocked by shoe repair shops – but make sure you get the water-based variety. These tend to generally be free of animal products. Do not use spirit-based shoe care products. We are able to supply small bottles of shoe paint in Black but most shoe repairers will stock a larger variety of colours.

The procedure for treating scuffs is:

  1. Remove surface dirt & dust with a damp cloth. For remaining marks dip cloth in warm soapy water & gently rub. If marks still do not come off then EITHER apply a spot cleaner OR simply proceed to the next step (Use spot cleaner sparingly as it contains a stripping agent & will remove the top colour layer).
  2. Apply shoe paint to scuffed areas and other marks which cannot be removed. Two coats are normally required, more if shoes are badly scuffed. Allow the paint to dry completely, at room temperature, between coats.
  3. Apply a coat of vegan shoe cream to the whole boot / shoe. Use a matching coloured polish or clear polish. Shoe cream helps prevent marks & scuffs and improves water resistance. 

*Please Note: Shoe paint is for occasional use only, primarily for the treatment of scuffs. Do not use it as an alternative to polish – it contains chemicals which may damage the outer layer of the shoe at crease points if applied regularly over a long period of time.