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How to protect shoes in winter from salt and sand-salt mixture
Janitors generously scattered reagents across the streets. New boots and ankle boots were not ready for such tests.
White Day. White snow. White stains on boots, which even very expensive products cannot cope with. Woman’s Day found out from a shoe repairman how to cope with an adversity. Igor Kovalev knows his business, even though he has been working in one place for 37 years.
Remove dirt immediately, do not wait for it to be deeply absorbed
As with sleds in summer, shoes must be prepared for the winter season in advance. Snow tuning will take at least three days. Buy any product from the store that protects against moisture – for suede and smooth leather separately. It is better to refuse universal sprays.
Apply spray to the cleaned surface and let it dry completely. Ideally, do this on the first day of the evening. Repeat the procedure in the morning, do not wear shoes. Let dry again until evening. Apply the spray a third time, and the very next day you can go to work in your favorite boots or ankle boots. As you understand, you must apply the water-repellent spray three times, allowing the previous layer to dry.
This method works for new shoes as well as those that you have already worn.
This method was also used by our grandfathers and grandmothers. To prevent moisture from getting into the shoes, you need to gently grease the seams and the sole with castor or linseed oil with a brush or a small piece of cotton cloth.
If spots have already appeared on smooth skin, the procedure is as follows. We moisten a piece of flannel in water and remove traces of salt. Several washes are likely to be required. Next, we take another piece of flannel, this time dry, soak it with sunflower or castor oil and wipe the affected area. Let the oil completely absorb.
If the spots reappear, repeat the procedure until victorious.
Oil treatment is not suitable for suede shoes
3. Vinegar and alcohol will remove stubborn stains
If you haven’t removed the stains on your shoes in time, try a rather radical method. Wipe the affected area with a vinegar or alcohol solution. Mix one or the second ingredient with water. Based on two parts of water for one part of alcohol or vinegar. Moisten a cotton ball or cotton pad with the compound and treat the surface. Wipe the shoes with a dry cloth and let dry
4. We treat with petroleum jelly and hair conditioner
After walking along the snowy streets, your shoes will get wet anyway. To prevent wet, smooth leather boots from hardening after they dry, wipe them with Vaseline. Allow it to fully absorb, and then polish with a dry flannel cloth to a shine.
A similar effect can be achieved with hair conditioner. It is best to choose a high oil option that is suitable for dry hair.
Yes, this is not a very standard way. And, probably, any other master would twist his finger at his temple and send it to the store for a suitable tool. If I had not tested this option on my shoes, I would not recommend it. Boots and ankle boots made of dense leather can be greased with a piece of lard, only necessarily unsalted, we are fighting with salt, and not vice versa.
Let a thin layer of bacon soak in, then rub the surface until shiny with a cloth. The boots will not get wet, which means that salty stains will not appear.
6. The napkin should always be at hand
If you find yourself in a puddle of reagents on the way home, it’s not bad. You can always quickly clean your favorite pair, lubricate it, dry it. What if your shoes got damaged on the way to work? Be sure to keep regular wet wipes on hand. They do an excellent job with dirt and do not dry shoe leather.
I would not recommend sponges for SOS-help, they return shine, but I would doubt their cleansing effect.
Use sponges for shine only, not for cleaning
- Don’t wear fashion shoes in winter. If you need to show off beautiful boots in society, it is better to take them with you as a “shift”.
- Try to avoid roadsides as much as possible. The maximum amount of reagents accumulates there.
- Batteries, hair dryer, gas stove cannot be used to dry shoes. Stuff your shoes with newspapers and let them dry naturally.