Leather shoes are a popular and timeless choice for footwear, but it is important to know how to properly care for them to keep them looking their best and lasting as long as possible. Here are 9 tips for taking care of your leather shoes:

1. Start with Immediate Maintenance

New shoes should be maintained immediately after purchase. The surface of new leather shoes is full of capillaries, making them more vulnerable to damage. Coating the shoes with shoe polish can fill the capillaries and protect the shoes. Regular maintenance is easier if you start with this step.

2. Use Walrus Leather Care Hand Film

Daily maintenance can be done using walrus leather care hand film. If the nature of the shoe polish and cleaning oil doesn't match, the shoes may become discolored. When rubbing a new pair of shoes for the first time, start with an inconspicuous area to test.

If you don't want to rub the shoe polish, you can use walrus hand film to wipe the shoes, which is simpler and can still have a nourishing, polishing effect.

3. Don't Use Water or Gasoline to Clean

Avoid using water or gasoline to clean leather shoes. Water can make the leather hard and gasoline can cause the leather to dry out and crack. Instead, start by using a soft cloth or brush to gently wipe away any dirt.

Apply a little petroleum jelly, and then use a soft cloth to repeatedly wipe the dirt away.

4. Dry Shoes Properly After Rain

If your leather shoes get wet, wipe them clean with a dry cloth as soon as possible. You can also use old newspapers to hold the shape of the shoes while they dry in a ventilated area.

5. Soften Shoes Before Wearing

To avoid footwear on new leather shoes, use a wet sponge to wrap around the worn area. After an hour, remove the wet sponge and use your hand to support the heel and make it soft. Then, put the shoes in a cool, ventilated place to dry.

After drying, apply animal fat or rub with walnuts to soften the leather, and finally coat with shoe polish before wearing to help them retain their natural shape.

6. Prevent Discoloration with Formaldehyde

If the upper leather shoes start to discolor, you can use a solution of 30% formaldehyde and water (at a 1:3 ratio) as a solvent and coat the uppers.

After they dry, use a solution of insect glue and alcohol (at a 1:10 ratio) to coat the leather shoes. After drying again, apply a layer of shoe polish to prevent further color loss.

7. Remove Stains with Eraser or Toothpaste

For white or light-colored leather shoes with stains, you can use an eraser to remove dirt, followed by a soft cloth to wipe away the rubber foam. Toothpaste can also be used to brush away stains, followed by a little milk to polish.

Banana peel and lemon juice are other effective natural remedies to remove stains. Finally, apply shoe polish in the same color as the original leather or use transparent, colorless shoe polish to finish.

8. Remove White Spots with Vinegar

White spots on leather shoes can occur due to salt precipitation from sweat or other substances. To remove the white spots, use alcohol or a leather decontaminant to scrub the area.

Brush on a coat of shoe polish, and then wipe the area back and forth with a brush or white cloth dipped in a few drops of edible vinegar until the white spot disappears.

9. Clean Moldy Spots with Alcohol

If mold appears on your leather shoes due to moisture, use alcohol to clean the moldy spots, and then wipe with a dry, soft cloth to remove the mold.