Most people occasionally find themselves in a downpour during the work week, especially in the spring. The man with the sense of style will probably have an umbrella. However, whether you have an umbrella or not, your expensive
shoes for riding bikes will still get wet. Do you know how to keep the rain out of your leather shoes?
You’re probably right if you’re thinking whether having so much water on your expensive leather shoes is a negative thing. Simply put, water damage is an authentic result of not properly caring for and protecting leather shoes. You may
buy bike accessories online, but they will last less time. This will eventually end up costing you money.
The Problem
Although leather shoes are fantastic for many things, they aren’t ideal for wet weather. Water can penetrate the leather, eventually causing it to fracture, and the dreaded salt-mark ridges can permanently alter them.
Although leather is still exceptionally water-resistant, rain can destroy its appearance. This is all the more evident compared to many trainers and canvas shoes. Their appearance is a large part of why people wear them.
Depending on how bad the soak was, there are different ways to handle this. These options will affect the leather shoes you buy and how you care for them.
Getting Dry
How you dry them out might minimise damage to leather shoes. Shoe trees assist in keeping the shape of the shoe and prevent harsh wrinkles from forming on the vamp. This is where the shoe bends, which may later shatter.
To allow air and speed up drying, it’s better to leave the shoe trees outside for a few hours. Alternately, shove some newspaper inside to help pull the water out.
The soles of the leather shoes typically absorb a lot of water due to their thickness. Therefore, they can also benefit if you lay them on their side to dry off. However, as with most natural materials, avoid drying shoes near artificial heat sources. This is since this will cause them to dry out too rapidly.
Repair of the Leather
Give shoes a good brush once completely dry (it is ideal for giving them a full day). This will clear out the dirt and debris that got into the folds of the leather shoes when they were wet.
Apply some shoe cream after that. The oils in the skin rise to the surface when leather dries out. And their lack of leather is what causes it to split. Apply cream or an intense conditioner if the area seems particularly dry.
However, like with most natural materials, keep leather shoes away from any artificial heat source when drying them. This is because this will hasten their drying time.
In contrast to many materials, it does imply that the shoe is recoverable. Unlike plastic-coated shoes or the cheap split leather used on trainers, leather is a living material. You can work on extending its lifetime.
Removing Salt Stains
The most significant threat from rain is by far salt stains, which may permanently scar the leather, potentially rendering it unbearable.
You can find salt rising to the surface as leather shoes dry and is present everywhere. This is not particular only when you add salt to the streets to melt snow. The leather will expand in those tide marks, forming a ridge along its edge. It is most challenging to remove this ridge or this distortion of the leather.
The experts believe trying to remove these salt stains as soon as possible is preferable. Look for any ridges or marks when you remove your shoes after they have rained. You can find the ridges on either side of the shoe’s bent vamp, just above the welt.
Replenishing Suede
Experts often find Suede as a fragile fabric unsuitable for humid conditions. It is undoubtedly simple for the nap to peel off when you clean it by scraping or rubbing. However, Suede has one significant advantage: salt stains rarely appear on it.
Most of the time, you must brush the nap back up once it has dried. A specialised suede brush might be helpful for dirt, but rain is simple.
If the Suede does acquire salt stains, you can apply a delicate variation of the vinegar treatment, but exercise caution. Instead of rubbing the surface, start by dabbing and attempting to blot it. Scraping off that nap is always a risk when using Suede.
Taking Care of Oil
Although it has little to do with the wet weather, greasy stains on shoes are frequently the most difficult to remove. They are one stain that the vinegar mixture rarely removes.
Parting Thought
Think about where you generally keep your leather shoes after wearing them in the rain for a moment. Put your boots somewhere cool and dry—not too humid, nor too dry—that is climate-friendly.
Also Read: What Maintenance Is Needed for Custom-Made Homes?
