My poor neglected boots…
You thought I was talking about my 40-something skin? That’s okay. My skin is starting to resemble a potato, but it has to do with hormones and over-tanning in the 80s.
My leather boots have also seen better days—but due to harsh Canadian winters and dehydration. Like our skin, leather boots (and shoes, purses and belts for that matter) need cleaning and moisturizing.
My husband shakes his head at how much money I’m willing to spend on a pair of boots. Take the classic Frye boots I’m saving for—my family might have to eat baked beans for awhile, but these boots will be an integral part of my wardrobe for many years to come. So I need to protect them or my family will give me the boot. So to speak.
My current foot faves are these browny-grey Fossil boots. I’ve had them for three years and they’re starting to show their age.
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| Why yes, I AM aware these descriptors also describe the boot wearer. Ha, ha, sob. |
A little TLC up front would have helped to preserve them, but thankfully there are ways to bring them back to
life.
Following in his father’s footsteps (literally), Paul got his start in the shoe biz over thirty years ago. Manager at our local Walking On A Cloud store, he agreed to share some of his tried and true shoe care tips.
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| Hallelujah, I’m ‘heeled!’ Clearly Paul is some kind of shoe shaman. |
1. Clean Remove loose dirt with cloth or brush. Then apply a small amount of Tana Cleaning Lotion to a soft cloth and work into the leather. Allow to dry. *Use a solution of 1 tblsp white vinegar, 1 cup water, 2 drops dish soap to remove salt stains from your Uggs.
2. Polish Buff with the Tana Polishing Cloth. *Restore the luster (I love that word) to your shoes/boots simply by buffing.
3. Shine & Protect Squeeze a bit of Tana Self Shine Cream/Polish onto the built-in buff and apply evenly in a circular motion to revive the colour. The cream comes in several shades s including neutral, brown, and black. Paul used dark brown for my boot heels and I used neutral on the leather. This product is a three-in-one. It shines, colours and protects. *Spot test all products on an inconspicuous area before applying all over.
4. Protect Hold about 20 cm away from the clean, dry shoe/boot/purse. Apply regularly throughout the season—just like our skin, leather loses moisture. *Paul says a family should go through about two cans of Tana All Protector in a winter.
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Hey, I wonder what would happen if I sprayed my face with the Tana All Protector? Kidding. Do not use these products on your skin. However, Paul told me you can spray the cuffs of your pants in the winter to keep the salty slush from staining them. Told you he’s a Shoe Shaman.
I am taking part in the Tana Shoe Care Blog campaign. While I have received compensation as part of my affiliation with this program, the opinions shared are my own.
