The Cleaners

Garment care tips

Winter Stains on shoes and boots (Part 2)

Last month we talked about the affects of foul weather on clothing. Shoes and boots can suffer similar damage:

• When shoes and boots get wet, let them air dry — at room temperature — and then insert shoetrees. Never put shoes next to a heater or fire to dry them!
• If the stains are fresh, you can wet a terry towel and “brush” the stained area with a small amount of warm water to break up the rings. Do not over wet the towel.
• If the area has become stiff because you neglected to clean the stains when they were fresh, wipe the area with a solution of vinegar and water (1 cup water and 1 tablespoon vinegar). Do not over use because you may have trouble flushing out the vinegar.

Preventive Care

Keep shoes supple and polished, especially if you’re going out in bad weather. In fact, polish your shoes before you go out in the rain or snow. Polishing is as much about preservation as it about aesthetics.

Next month: Storage for shoes and boots

This tip is © The Clothing Doctor and used with permission. May not be reproduced in any form without permission.