Leather shoes are not just footwear; they're an investment. Whether you own a classic pair of leather boots, stylish pumps, or durable sneakers, knowing how to properly clean and care for them is essential to maintain their beauty and longevity. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about cleaning, conditioning, and protecting your leather shoes to ensure they stand the test of time.
Cleaning your leather shoes regularly is key to keeping them looking their best. Follow these simple steps:
Getting caught in the rain doesn't have to spell disaster for your leather shoes. Follow these steps to properly care for wet leather:
If you want to avoid water damage to your leather shoes in the future, you can waterproof them using a leather cream or leather spray.
By following these simple steps and tips, you can ensure that your leather shoes and boots remain in top condition for years to come. Remember, proper care and maintenance are the keys to preserving the beauty and longevity of your favorite footwear.
]]>ABOUT ELLIOTT: Elliott is a creative director. He spends his time working with brands and musicians developing rollout campaigns and unique assets. He also runs Capsul, which is an art gallery studio that supports local emerging creators.
What's your favourite pair of shoes and why?
Fave shoe is the Clarke Wallabee. Most comfortable and goes with any outfit at anytime. Very rare for a brother indeed.
What's your favourite Walter's product?
The leather cleaner works like a charm. I even use it on my rare furniture pieces.
What's the most you've ever spent on a pair of shoes?
I’ve spent $1200 on a pair of YSL boots that I wore once. I’m desperately trying to sell them on grailed but no one will take them! Why! Why I say!
High top or low?
Low top. Just swaggier.
First pair of shoes you bought with your own money?
First pair of shoes I bought with my own money would have to be the Nike shox. I was in Italy and trying to impress the raggazze’s. It didn’t work unfortunately.
Ever had a pair of shoes suffer a premature death?
Never wear nice shoes skateboarding. Once kickflip = explosion party.
How did your passion for shoes start?
I love fashion overall. Shoes can make or break a fit. Attention to detail is most important.
ABOUT CHI: Originally a co-founder and managing director of 56 INC., a digital design studio based in Toronto, Chi recently sold his equity to his partners to create more time for his other passions. He is currently investing in a couple new ventures as well as working on a few personal projects aligned with his passions including 3D design, furniture design and architecture.
What's your favourite pair of shoes and why?
This is a tough question because that can change depending on the season and fit. I use to practically sleep in my Rick Owens Ramones and they’re so worn down that the soles need to be replaced soon. That’s the look I like for them anyways. However, I love my Nike x Sacai Waffles as well. The design is so clean and not flashy at all. To the regular observer they may just be another pair of Nikes but true sneaker heads will appreciate them.
What's your favourite Walter's product?
I really like Eco-Protect since it's the only eco-friendly protector I've come across, and the Clean Wipes are essential.
What's the most you've ever spent on a pair of shoes?
I’d rather not say but over $1k.
High top or low?
High top Jordans, Low top dunks.
First pair of shoes you bought with your own money?
I had these old And 1 joints I bought in Grade 7 for the basketball team. They were white with small baby blue writing and even had Chinese writing on it I think. If anybody can find those, send me a link.
Ever had a pair of shoes suffer a premature death?
All the time
How did your passion for shoes start?
Definitely started from playing basketball and the culture of basketball teams. Then later on in high school, I started working at Athlete's World so we always got employee discounts for all the new shoes. Except Jordans, you could only use your allotted work uniform discount to get those once every few months for yourself.
ABOUT LO: Lorena a.k.a 'Lo' is the owner and head cobbler of Sole Survivor - an all-female shoe and leather repair shop located in Parkdale. Since 2013, she has been cementing the business into a go-to establishment for anyone facing footwear dilemmas. Sole Survivor offers traditional techniques and unmatched attention to detail, transforming all types of shoes, boots, handbags and leather goods while upholding a commitment to exceptional workmanship. Lo educates on the step-by-step repair process and offers helpful tips to assist with the upkeep and protection of any item you bring through her doors. Her and her skilled staff treat each repair with the utmost care and ultimately their respect and passion for well-made footwear and leather goods is reflected in the work. We took a look inside her studio and asked her some footwear questions (and also peeped some Walter's products hanging around...)
It wasn't necessarily shoes I fell in love with at first, I just wanted to be creative and work with my hands and hopefully create something that I would enjoy. Shoes specifically were just a happy accident. I made myself a leather pair of house moccasins and fell in love with the fact that I made something I could wear and walk on, and it started from there...
Tell us a little about how you got into the world of shoe repair.
What's your favourite part of what you do?
What's your favourite pair of shoes and why?
What's your favourite Walter's product?
What's the most you've ever spent on a pair of shoes?
High top or low?
ABOUT CASEY: Casey is a multidisciplinary designer. She is Walter's Brand Manager and co-founder of Crown Mas @crownmasto and Mitsu @mitsu.ikebaby.
How did your passion for shoes start?
I’ve always been a creature of comfort and preferred sneakers. I was always very interested in sneaker design. In University I studied Environmental Design which is the study of space.
My Thesis project focused on the hidden function in architecture and sneaker design, and how they relate. Also, my grandfather’s family were cobblers in the Açores, Portugal - but that could just be a coincidence.
What's your favourite pair of shoes and why?
Yikes. This can’t be a short answer. A classic Nike Cortez is my go to. I love my Nike Shox right now. My Ricardo Tisci AF1 Boots are a favorite collaboration.
I also love my Adidas Zx 8000 'Goodfoot' - I got a pair while working at Goodfoot Calgary before they closed. They are still one of my favourite sneakers.
Gotta support a Canadian collaboration and they were made with recycled materials; which wasn’t as common in 2008.
Lastly, I just acquired a pair of purple Balenciaga, Knife over-the-knee boots. I think they will soon be on my favourites list.
What's your favourite Walter's product?
Clean Wipes and Gel Cleaner. I travel a lot and these are both great products to pack. I love that the Gel Cleaner is in an all-in-one bottle, and I find myself using the wipes not just on shoes.
Clean Wipes are also great for consistent everyday cleaning. I have a good rotation, but a quick wipe after every wear helps so much. These 2 products are eco-friendly too which is great!
What's the most you've ever spent on a pair of shoes?
I bought Isabel Marant Bekett high-top sneakers in Paris in like 2010. I think they were around $700. I was young at the time so it was definitely a splurge.
High top or low?
I generally find myself wearing more lows and running shoes but some Jordans and Blazers I prefer high tops.
Stiletto or chunky heel?
Its rare to catch me in heels, but I would lean towards a chunky heel.
First pair of shoes you bought with your own money?
2006 Jordan 4 Military Blue’s - I still have them, they aren’t doing too well haha
Ever had a pair of shoes suffer a premature death?
Any sneakers I've worn for J’Ouvert in Trinidad have not survived. J’Ouvert is a celebration that involves being covered in paint, powder, mud, oil etc.
]]>There’s nothing quite like a fresh pair of kicks.
A crisp white sneaker, a colourful new release, or a limited time drop from your favourite designer.
To keep your sneakers looking their best, regular maintenance and up-keep is required. But not to worry. If you consider yourself a sneakerhead, we’ve got you covered.
To make things easy, we’ve included everything you need to keep your sneakers looking their best, in one handy kit. Walter’s Sneaker Kit comes with the essential tools and products for sneaker cleaning.
The gel cleaner is specially formulated to scrub out the toughest stains, and will leave your sneakers looking like new again after every wear.
Walter’s Gel Cleaner comes in a 125ml (4.2 oz) bottle. Guaranteed to last for at least a dozen pairs of cleanings. For best use, we recommend purchasing a fresh bottle each season.
Our favourite ‘Dad’ shoe hails from England. Released in 1988, you can either love them or hate them, but one thing’s for sure: they’re still a practical and timeless classic, even in 2019.
Tennis superstar Andre Agassi catapulted the Air Tech Challenge II into the limelight in the early 90’s, changing not only the game of tennis, but the sneaker game off-the-court. Agassi notoriously referred to his signature colour as “hot lava”.
1. Air Jordan 1
There are dozens of Air Jordans, but the Air Jordan 1 was the one that started it all. Michael Jordan and Nike changed the landscape of footwear and basketball forever in 1985. To add to the shoe’s great history, the NBA famously banned the prototype Black and Red Air Jordan 1 for featuring non-regulation colours. Nike eventually came up with the “Chicago” Air Jordan 1, and a legacy was born.
]]>Learn the proper way to clean your shoes in this definitive guide to shoe cleaning.
Not sure which products you need? Or if it’s better to invest in a shoe care kit, or purchase individual items?
We’ll help you find the products you need, and teach you to shine your shoes like a pro, with tips from our roster of talented shoe shiners. Here are some quick tips.
Would you rather have a pro take care of it? Walter’s Shoe Shine Booths can be found in airports across Canada, serving millions of travellers each year. We’re also involved in various events and pop-ups throughout Toronto and Montreal. Follow us on Instagram for updates.
We’ve outlined the best way to care for your shoes, and categorized our care instructions by material type. You’ll find product recommendations to ensure the best results. If you’re unsure what material your shoes are made from, simply check the shoe box, or the interior of the shoe (on the tongue or on the inner side) for care information.
Leather is one of the most common shoe materials. It is flexible, durable, and forms to the foot like no other shoe material can. On the downside, untreated leather is vulnerable to water damage, so make sure you’re properly caring for your shoes.
What You Need: Leather Kit
Use It For: Men’s dress shoes, designer heels, cowboy boots
Rubber is a low maintenance material. Give your rubber boots a quick wipe and they’ll look just like new again.
What You Need: Clean Wipes
Use It For: Rubber boots, Hunter boots
Both suede and nubuck are delicate types of leather. Suede is a soft, thin and pliable leather with a napped finish, while nubuck is a buffed leather with a velvety-like feel. Nubuck is thicker and stronger than suede, making it a slightly more expensive material. Because these materials are so absorbent, they tend to get dirty quickly.
What You Need: Suede Kit
Use It For: Boots, dress shoes
Synthetic leather is a two-layer man-made composite. The top layer is an external surface material, which is adhered to a back layer of polyester fibres. Most common in sneakers, synthetics are affordable, however they break down more quickly compared to other materials.
What You Need: Sneaker Kit
Use It For: Running shoes
Cotton, polyester, wool, and nylon are the most common textiles. Variations include fibre type, fabric weight, weaves, and knits.
What You Need: Sneaker Kit
Use It For: Converse sneakers, tennis shoes
Oil-tanned leather is made with minimal finishing materials, which creates a distinctive perfectly worn-in look and feel.
This is a highly durable and versatile material that does not require much upkeep. In fact, one cleaning per month should do the trick. But regular maintenance is the most effective way to ensure your footwear maintains its integrity and longevity.
What Is Oil-Tanned Leather?
Also known as “boot leather”, oil-tanned leather is a strong, rugged, workable leather that can stand up in the outdoors, or look sleek and stylish in indoor settings. It is semi-soft, flexible, water and stain-resistant.
Oil-Tanned Leather Goods:
Walter’s Shoe Care products will ensure your oil-tanned leather continues to look good for years to come. Using a simple three-step process to clean, condition and protect.
Here’s how to care for your oil-tanned leather.
Products You’ll Need:
Step-by-Step Guide: