I admit it, I love shoes. Once I buy a pair - I want them to last and continue to look new. So I was happy to learn these cool tips to extend the life of my favorite shoes and I think you'll like these easy tips, too.
Sissy Harris of upscale boutique Peter Kate in Delaware knows when a woman buys a shoe or handbag, she's often spending a pretty penny so she has a variety of ways you can protect your investment.
First, right after buying and before even wearing, put a silicon spray on your shoes to protect them from the elements. Also, have the bottoms of your shoes rubberized.
"This means a thin piece of rubber is applied to the bottom of the sole of the shoe," Harris said.
If you get your shoes wet - stuff them with paper as soon as possible.
"This can be newspaper or any kind of acid free tissue paper. Stick it all the way down into the toe of the shoe to make sure everything gets the moisture wicked away from it as much as possible. Any type of shoe, any type of tissue, but you have to make sure it's really stuffed deep in there. Make sure that it's all stuffed up the toe of the shoe so the moisture can be wicked away and the paper can start absorbing that."
Also don't put them next to your heater or radiator because that can really crack the material of the shoe.
During the snowy season, use white vinegar to blot away salt stains.
"You just put a little bit on a paper towel - a couple drops is good - and then you're just going to pat your shoe."
Finally - Sissy's trick when it comes to keeping handbags looking new and free of marks?
"You've got a handbag that's a couple years old - it has some spots on it, we like to use baby wipes."
To protect your handbag from dust - put it in a pillowcase before putting it away.
