Thorough pre-cleaning Before you reach for the shoe polish, the shoes should be cleaned of coarse dirt with a brush. A rag helps to remove mud residues and damp soil, in the case of dried residues, the brush handle or a dull knife can be used. Also proven - for leathers that can tolerate it - leather soap. For shoes made of suede, suede or nubuck leather is best to take a special rough leather brush, as they should not be treated with cream or paste.

Cream or wax Not every care product is suitable for every shoe: fine women's shoes like cream, firmer and most men's shoes tolerate both: hard wax paste or cream. Square shoe polish cloths or special brushes are suitable for applying shoe polish. Shoe polish is applied thinly and evenly in the appropriate color with a rag. Once both shoes have been creamed, start polishing immediately, because dried-on cream is very difficult to polish out again.

Polishing
When polishing with the brush, the polish is driven into the leather pores and excess wax is removed at the same time. Under no circumstances should strong pressure be used in this process. Rather, it is important to brush gently yet quickly so that the fine layer of color on the shoe regains its original, deep-gloss finish. After polishing, polish residues are removed with a soft cloth and the shoes are brought to the very highest gloss.

Sole care and impregnation
From time to time you should treat your shoes to care for the entire sole, so that it does not dry out and become brittle. This is because untreated leather soles are sensitive after a misstep into the wet and are at the mercy of every little stone without protection. Impregnating the sole with care oil prevents this. You should impregnate your shoes not only before wearing them for the first time, but also after every cleaning. The impregnating agent forms a protective layer on the leather, making it less sensitive to moisture and wetness.

What shoe trees do.
Shoes belong on shoe trees or shoe lasts after wearing. These not only keep the shoes in shape, but also absorb the moisture that has formed inside the shoe during wear. You can only do the latter if they are made of unvarnished wood. While it is indisputable that shoe trees or shoe lasts belong in every pair of shoes, there are two opinions about when to use them: While some say that you should put the shoe tree or last into the shoe while it's still warm, others advise letting it air out first.

The shoe repair.
Good shoes are also characterized by the fact that they are repairable, because even the best shoe must eventually be resoled or repaired in one place or another. However, you should only leave the repair or resole of your welted or through-stitched ones to a professional, i.e. a good cobbler who still understands his trade and whose repair will raise the value of a shoe instead of lowering it.