Luxury Shoe Care Myths You Need to Stop Believing

Most people get scared when trusting professional cleaning services for their luxury shoes. Myths like brand quality deciding the shoe lifespan are rampant. If not addressed, how will one know which are true and which aren’t? Through this blog, we aim to address the most common luxury shoe care myths in complete detail. Some practical tips you can use to care for your luxury shoes are also addressed towards the end. Read carefully to prevent any mistakes from happening in the first place. 

7 Myths Stopping You from Buying Luxury Shoes

Myth 1: Luxury Shoes Don’t Require Regular Cleaning

Just because they are luxury shoes, that doesn’t mean they won’t require cleaning. In fact, some luxury shoes are more prone to dirt, dust, oil, and moisture. As luxury shoes are made from materials such as leather, suede, hand-dyed colours, natural fibres, and more, they might require more care. Your shoes being exposed to pollution, humidity and accidental spills is more common than you think. If left untreated, these can seep into your shoes and cause cracks, dullness, oil buildup and more. Read our blog on how to clean shoes, which includes a step-by-step process to improve the shine and longevity of your shoes.

Myth 2: Water-Based Cleaning Works for All Luxury Materials

While using water to clean might work for some shoes, it often results in more damage than care. The texture of luxury shoes made from velvet, suede and other exotic skins is easily affected if exposed to water. Suede in particular can become stiff if exposed to water. The plush appearance of velvet shoes can get ruined even with a small exposure to water. Meanwhile, for exotic skins, patterns of discolouration are quite common. For more information, you can read Vogue’s blog on how to clean suede shoes through 7 different ways. 

Myth 3: Household Cleaners Work Fine for Designer Shoes

One should not make the mistake of hoping that household cleaners can be used for designer shoes. Most household cleaners implement the use of harsh chemicals such as bleach, ammonia, alcohol and other strong surfactants. If used incorrectly, it can even lead to harsh reactions such as peeling, discolouration, or ruining of your custom finish. In order to avoid this, you should ideally make use of professional shoe laundry and cleaning services. Contact us if you’re looking for a luxury shoe cleaning service in Mumbai. 

Myth 4: Designer Sneakers Don’t Need the Same Care as Leather Shoes

Most people believe that only leather shoes require specialised care. We’re here to let you know that it’s completely false. Designer sneakers, just like leather shoes, require gentle cleaning techniques. Unlike leather shoes, designer shoes face troubles in relation to dirt and discolouration. The type of attention required will again vary based on various factors, such as the frequency of your use. Most cleaning services use methods such as fabric-safe cleaners, soft brushes and protective sprays that prolong the life of your designer sneakers. 

Myth 5: Professional Cleaning Services Are Only Required For Damaged Shoes

Most people only turn to professional cleaning services after they witness damage that is too hard to ignore. This damage is seen when the leather cracks, sneakers lose their shape, and soles turn yellow in colour. Caring for your shoes sometimes requires prevention instead of waiting until the last moment. When you treat your shoes for pollution and oxidation right in the beginning, it comparatively reduces the chances of damage. For more material-specific rejuvenation practices, it is better to rely on professional cleaning services like Fabricare.

Myth 6: Brand Quality Alone Decides Shoe Lifespan

When people buy luxury shoes, they often expect them to last forever based on the price and quality they offer. But a luxury label doesn’t automatically translate to a better shoe lifespan. How you care for your shoes matters more. Your designer leather shoes are more likely to last through regular cleaning. For shoes with suede or nubuck material, proper storage can also help to increase the lifespan of your shoes. Sometimes it’s better to leave it to professionals so that they can take care of all required treatments.

Myth 7: Professional Cleaning Services Can Harm Expensive Shoes

Due to a lack of awareness, some people fear using professional cleaning services for their luxury shoes. Unlike other methods, professional cleaning services rely on methods such as micro extraction, pH-balanced solutions, protective layering, and more. Professional cleaning services often rely on pre-assessments before deciding on the treatment option. Using material-specific treatment is a safe option to remove the embedded dirt and restore the damage caused to your shoe.

Some Practical Tips To Care For Luxury Shoes

A few practical tips to expand the lifespan of your luxury shoes:

• Rotate Your Shoe Pairs

It’s better to rotate your luxury shoes instead of sticking to the same pair every day. When you give your shoes some rest, it helps to release the trapped moisture. In certain cases, it can also lead to a foul odour. 

• Use Shoe Trees

A high-quality shoe tree will keep your shoes looking fresh for a long time. Cedar shoe trees are your best bet to extend the lifespan of your luxury shoes. Just make sure that the shoe trees are a proper fit. 

• Avoid Direct Sunlight & Heat

Avoid keeping your shoes in direct sunlight, as it can often evaporate oils, weaken the adhesive or even lead to discolouration. A best practice is to store it in a cool, shaded place. If required, you can also store them in boxes with a few silica gel packets.

• Avoid Wearing In Extreme Conditions

Most luxury shoes are not meant to be worn in extreme conditions. Both rain and snow can create water rings on your shoes. Even intense heat, as explained earlier, can easily damage your leather shoes. Instead of luxury shoes, use boots, sneakers, or loafers suitable for the location.

Conclusion

With these myths debunked, we’re sure you’re feeling more informed about how you could care for your luxury shoes. To sum up, the use of household cleaners, water-based methods and more should be avoided in general. Specialised treatment methods for luxury shoes made from materials such as suede, leather, nubuck, and more are encouraged. Use of professional cleaning services can be sought for this purpose. At Fabricare, we provide material-specific, safe formulations through our advanced treatment options that focus on preservation and not just cleaning. If you’re looking for dry cleaners in Vile Parle, we suggest trusting Fabricare. Contact us to know more about our services.