A pair of leather shoes is considered as the symbol of man’s power and position. With leather footwear, they will appear with a smart look as well as can gain more confidence in front of other people. It is very silly to think that expensive leather shoes are never ruined by water or stains since they were made by qualified materials and strict procedures. I assure that nothing can last long if there is a lack of maintenance. As a result, knowing some tips of how to make leather shoes waterproof can help your footwear last for a long period of time. There may be some tricks that give you such a surprise since you have never heard and imagined before. Let’s check it out!
Any brand new shoes are weatherproofing, but this is just a short-time protection. Hence, your own footwear can maintain their age and also their texture based on your frequent care.
Many years ago, I wondered how water could destroy my leather shoes. Therefore, after researching on the Internet as well as asking a number of people, I realized that raining and snowing will result in water spots and stains, both of which will stay permanent on the leather and cannot be erased by any ways. Moreover, water will have bad influence on the color of leather and make your shoes gradually stretch out. All of these effects will destroy your desirable leather shoes although this item is known for its durability and high quality.
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How to make leather shoes waterproof
Leather shoes are originally made of skin of cattle or horses, so that it will be easy to crack if they are not treated with care. Thus, the first step is to choose a proper waterproofing product for your leather shoes according to the list below:
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Waxed based polishes
Now I would like to tell you how to make leather shoes waterproof by using waxed based polishes. This one will not only help your leather shoes shine brighter but also provide a superior barrier towards water. Many people may mistake this polish with some pastes and creams. However, pastes and creams are just able to nourish the leather. When using waxed based polish, make sure to apply this compound every year for best treatment. However, if you live in wet area, you are recommended to use waxed based polish more frequently so as to avoid water damage for your footwear.
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Specialty waterproof compound
Specialty waterproof compound has the same protection effect as waxed based polishes. However, the difference between them is that specialty waterproof compound does not create a shine for leather. Instead, as an industrial product, the period of time they can stick to leather shoes is longer than waxed based polishes.
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Water-repellent spray
Some people may argue that this compound is not good for leather since it does not allow the leather to breathe. Moreover, if silicone is contained in the liquid, it will make the leather dry out. However, ignoring these concerns, many people think that knowing how to make leather shoes waterproof by using sprays is the easiest method. These days, some sprays are designed to protect leather shoes from both water and stains. Moreover, it can be dry after half an hour for several times of spraying. Nevertheless, it will certainly lose effect after a few years, so that you need to treat your footwear again with sprays.
After choosing a suitable waterproofing product for your leather shoes, the next step is to test the product. Since there can be some unexpected counter-effects for your footwear, trying to apply a small amount of waterproofing compound into small area of your shoes is recommended. By doing this, you can reduce the probability of fading the original color as well as damaging the appearance of your valuable shoes.
After testing at least twice with your shoes and nothing bad happens, you can apply your chosen waterproofing product into the leather shoes. However, before applying the compound, you should remove all of the laces and clean your shoes with a brush in one direction, so that no dirt or stains will be stuck to the compound after applying.
In case your leather shoes really have water stains, there are some possible solutions to this issue. Firstly, vinegar and lemon juice is suggested for water stain treatment by using a soft cloth. You need to dip the cloth into vinegar or lemon juice, and then massage it into the stains for a couple of minutes. After removing the stains, you can clean your leather shoes by a dry and clean cloth. With this method, you will not only eliminate the stains but also make your shoes shine more brightly.
Secondly, mixture of water and soap is also useful for water stains. You will conduct the same process as vinegar and lemon juice. However, make sure to clean the shoes carefully after the stains disappear in order to avoid smelling shoes. Apart from these two methods, we can use alcohol and leather oil. In terms of leather oil, it also helps leather of the shoes to nourish and become cleaner.
With all of the techniques and methods listed about how to make leather shoes waterproof, I am sure that you will not consider water stains or rainy season as a challenge when desiring to wear leather shoes. Leather shoes can last long if you have good treatment for them at the right time. Once your leather shoes get wet by rain or snow, you need to dry them immediately so as to avoid the appearance of mold and mildew, which makes the restoration more difficult. Therefore, let’s give these methods a try and also share your own way to waterproof footwear. If you are willing to share, your story may become valuable and helpful for more people in the world.
