The Cleaners

Garment care tips

Shoes and Boots: Storage (Part 3)

Last month we talked about cleaning and preventive care. Proper storage will help extend the longevity.

• It’s perfectly fine to insert packing tissue, newspaper — or preferably cedar shoetrees — when shoes are moist. This step will help to absorb moisture and control shrinkage and distortion. Just watch out for the ink on the newsprint!
• Once shoes and boots are dry, it’s time to think about protecting them from dust and fading and keeping the soil and debris from dirtying your closet floor.
• You can use shoes boxes, putting a picture of the shoes on the outside of the box for easy identification. You can also use breathable storage bags, which are preferable to boxes because they breathe and keep the shoes from scuffing against each other. The bags are also great for travel.
• Lastly, it is recommended that you rotate shoes by not wearing them for at least two days, even if they never got wet.

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