How to make shoes last longer
Make shoes last longer by rotating pairs so each dries out between wears, using shoe trees or stuffing to hold the shape, replacing heel tips before you wear into the heel itself, and having good leather soles resoled by a cobbler. Brush suede when dry and spray it with a protector, condition leather a few times a year, and let wet shoes dry away from direct heat.
Why it matters: Heel tips and resoling cost far less than new shoes.
Steps
- Rotate so no pair is worn two days in a row.
- Put shoe trees or rolled paper in them after wearing.
- Check heel tips monthly and have them replaced before the heel block wears.
- Take good leather shoes to a cobbler for resoling when the sole thins.
- Brush suede when dry with a suede brush, and treat it with a protector spray.
- Clean and condition leather a few times a year.
- Dry wet shoes stuffed with paper, away from radiators and heaters.
Common mistakes
- Wearing heels down to the block, which is costly to repair.
- Drying shoes on a radiator, which cracks leather.
- Throwing out good shoes that only need a sole.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to make shoes last longer
What to say
Make shoes last longer by rotating pairs so each dries out between wears, using shoe trees or stuffing to hold the shape, replacing heel tips before you wear into the heel itself, and having good leather soles resoled by a cobbler. Brush suede when dry and spray it with a protector, condition leather a few times a year, and let wet shoes dry away from direct heat.
What to show
- Rotate so no pair is worn two days in a row.
- Put shoe trees or rolled paper in them after wearing.
- Check heel tips monthly and have them replaced before the heel block wears.
- Take good leather shoes to a cobbler for resoling when the sole thins.
- Brush suede when dry with a suede brush, and treat it with a protector spray.
- Clean and condition leather a few times a year.
- Dry wet shoes stuffed with paper, away from radiators and heaters.
Check question
When should heel tips be replaced?
Answer: Before the heel block wears. Early replacement is quick and inexpensive.
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Sources
This skill is general practice and draws on no single published source.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .