Shoe care tips

All About You online 06.03.2008

We asked the experts at Kurt Geiger how best to look after shoes

Kurt Geiger sandal
Kurt Geiger's Sapphire sandal Shoe repairs

Timely repairs are extremely important if you want to prolong the life of your footwear and prevent damage to the shoe construction, particularly the heels and soles.

Stiletto heels need to be regularly checked as the heel tip has a much smaller surface area than a block heel and will wear down faster.

Narrow pointed shoes need special attention as the toe area is more inclined to wear quickly.

Although leather soles are more comfortable, flexible and kind to your feet, their porous nature means that they will require repair sooner than synthetic material. It is advisable to have leather-soled shoes resoled (with new rubber soles) and protected as soon as you buy them.

Kurt Geiger offers customers a special shoe repair service. Damaged shoes can be taken to any store or concession where they'll be forwarded to an independent repair company. Customers are charged for the cost of the repair only.

Shoe maintenance

Expensive shoes will last longer if you clean them regularly - and remember, different materials require different treatments...

Suede and Nubuck Red suede platform shoe from KG
KG's Capulet shoe, £95

Suede shoes must be protected with a suitable spray, and any marks can be removed with a suede block. Remember to be very gentle to avoid any loss of colour or damage to the fabric. If the suede is slightly flattened, brush the pile with a specialist suede brush to revive.

Sheepskin

The fur side of sheepskin can be lightly brushed to revive appearance and cleaned with mild soapy water. Be sure not to soak or saturate sheepskin, as this causes staining and will matt the fur. The reverse side can be treated as suede.

Satin, silk and other delicate fabrics

Always protect with a suitable spray before each wear. Although there are specialist products on the market, cleaning delicate fabrics can be very difficult. Read instructions carefully before spraying and where possible, do a patch test on the shoe.

Ponyskin

Cleaning products are not recommended for ponyskin but a protective spray is extremely advisable. If the ponyskin does become slightly dirty, then brush very lightly with a soft brush.