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Sneakers are not only shoes it is a choice of lifestyle, an image maker and sometimes even collectible. You may be sporting some coveted pairs of limited edition Jordan 1s, some Nike running shoes that perform better than your running habits, or boots for working in some muddy Timberlands, but a proper care routine will extend the life of your sneakers and keep them fresh, in style, and functional to the end. This is a comprehensive list of tips and tricks on what you can do to take care of your sneakers and make them last longer.

Clean Your Sneakers Regularly

The easiest yet very important way to take care of your sneakers is by making sure that you keep them clean. Dust, dirt and grime tends to accumulate in a short period of time leaving damage to the material at hand. It is better to get into the habit of cleaning them once every week or two when you use them frequently. The first thing you need to do is take out the laces and insoles. A soft brush or toothbrush can be used to remove surface dust. Using a bit of mild detergent or sneaker cleaner, mixed with some warm water, get your brush wet and scrub the surface lightly. Hold a clean cloth against the soapy residue and allow it to air dry instead of blowing dry or being put in the dryer or the sun.

Use the Right Cleaning Products

Sneakers are made using different materials and this means various materials too need different cleaning methods Sneakers made of leather such as Porsche Design or some Jordan models can be used with leather conditioners and soft cloths. With knit or mesh sneakers such as the Adidas ultraboost, we do not want to scrub them hard such that we damage the knit therefore use soft brushes and not abrasive brush. Suede/nubuck or Timberlands have to be addressed with special suede brushes and in dry-cleaning methods. Do not get suede wet as it may leave marks. To make the process of cleaning your sneakers less daunting and effective, investing in a specialized cleaning kit will be a good choice where you get equipment to suit all types of materials.

Let Your Sneakers Breathe

Since it would be wearing the same pair of sneakers every single day, this also would wear the sneaker out fast and allow moisture and odor to build up. To prevent this, make your sneakers breathe. Then, once it is worn, bring out the insoles and expose them to a dry place. Fill the shoes with newspaper or put shoe trees in them to keep them at their form and also so up extraneous moisture. Good ventilation ensures that the materials are maintained well in a natural manner and also that such material is refreshed.

Apply Protective Spray

Preventive measures are better than cure, especially when it involves sneakers. Prior to first wear out, water- and stain-resistant repellant spray can be used that corresponds to the material of the shoe. This should particularly be done with light color suede or canvas sneakers that stain.  Reapply the spray every 2 or 3 weeks or after any cleaning. A decent spray will create an invisible waterproofing, mudproofing and stain-repelling layer, therefore making cleaning it off in the future a breeze.

Watch the Weather and Terrain

Wearing white mesh sneakers on a rainy day or suede boots on a muddy ground will certainly damage them. Make sure that you check on the weather before deciding on the pair to wear. Wear Timberland waterproof boots when it rains or when you are walking through rough terrain to avoid scuffing up your limited-edition or nice-looking pairs. Avoid walking in any puddles or walking on rocks or dusty construction areas, be aware of how you step, you really can wring a lot more out of your sneakers.

Store Sneakers the Right Way

The way you keep your sneakers is actually as important as wearing them. Store the sneakers in their boxes or cloth shoe bags. Avoid air-tight plastic bags that may cause a build up of humidity leading to mold. Keep them in a cool and dry place with no direct sunlight as this can fade their colours and crack the materials. In case of using more than one pair of glasses, stack or retain clear boxes with breathing holes to keep them fresh and neat.

Final Thoughts

Your sneakers are a form of investment not only financially but also in your level of comfort and fashion. A little attention and use of consistency will ensure that they can continue to look quite new and perform as good as they did on day one. Clean them regularly, protect them before wear and store them intelligently. These minor interventions can take you a long way in prolonging the life of your shoes. At Sneaker City, we ensure you get that ideal pair and now you are well informed on how to make it last.