Caring For Leather Shoes in Wet/Rainy Weather/Season

Rain some consider it a blessing and others really don’t. Why? Because you can’t dress as you please under rainy conditions.

Clothes designers have come up with fashionable apparel that is suitable for rainy seasons, shoe designers are yet to conclusively come up with a shoe that serves both utility and fashion during wet season (except the rubber shoes which aren’t all that fashionable). This leaves majority of shoe wearers in a dilemma as to whether to go for a chic looking shoe to match their attire or a weather appropriate shoe that does no justice to their overall look. In most cases, they choose the former.

Wearing your regular leather, suede or fabric shoes during rainy seasons has quite a number of challenges. It’s impossible to avoid mud and water during rainy season, of course with the exception of those who own vehicles (but it still possible you get in contact with water and mud). In as much as regular cleaning through polishing or using water resistant sprays will help the shoes to remain in good condition for a while, when trudging through the rain water and mud, one always runs the risk of ruining good footwear. Repeated contact with rain water spoils your shoes.

Remedy:

If you have to wear your shoes in the rain, below are a number of precautions that must be taken in order to ensure that your shoes serve you satisfactorily under such circumstances.

• Ensure you have multiple pairs of shoes: This will give the wet shoes ample time to dry properly before storage and subsequently, the next wear. Damp leather is sensitive to heat, which will harden the shoes and form cracks when flexed.
• How to dry the shoes: Leather should never be dried directly under sunlight as they will become as dry as sandpaper thus form cracks. As a means of artificially drying the shoes, you can either stuff them with newspaper crumpled into balls or even stuffed with tissue papers, as they absorb the water from the inside part of the shoes.
• The problem of moisture: The glue that firmly holds the upper sole is weakened by moisture. In addition, if the shoes are not used for a long time, moisture may even cause cracks in the soles. A small packet of baking soda or charcoal will prevent moisture, odour and bacteria from accumulating in the shoes.
• Socks are a must: Even if they get wet, socks act as a barrier between the skin and the leather. Direct skin contact with leather footwear especially when wet can cause bacterial growth.
  
• Regular polishing: Wax polish is always good on shoes, as they repel water and prevent shoe damage. This however, is limited depending on amount of water the shoes are externally exposed to.

• Be suede smart: The wet cleaning remedies that work for smooth leather aren’t good for suede, which needs to stay dry so it doesn’t lose its texture. Instead, quickly rub off overall dirt with a kneadable eraser (grab one from your kid’s art box), or just lightly remove obvious stains with an emery board. To raise the nap of suede that’s flattened, scrub briskly with a clean toothbrush or terry cloth towel. If it’s really matted, hold the shoe a few inches above the spout of a steaming teakettle for a few seconds, then brush up the nap. Please note, use appropriate suede spray for your suede shoes. Black suede spray for black suede shoe, brown suede spray for brown suede shoe. If you can’t get suede spray in colours like green, red and others, use a neutral spray. When using coloured spray, ensure you cover your hands with rubber gloves (or nylon if you can’t get rubber gloves). Also make sure you protect area so it doesn’t get stained because its very difficult to remove such stains)

Whereas these remedies will provide simple solutions to the challenges encountered when wearing your favourite leather or suede shoes during rainy seasons, it is still highly recommended that you avoid exposing your shoes to such wet conditions if you want to maximise their durability.

Rain is a gift from God, so enjoy it fashionably *wink*