Ellen Allen's
Quick Tip Co-op

Shoe Care

The average temperature inside your
shoes is 106 degrees (F). (Tousles,
and other sources)

Did you know that in an average day you take around 8,000 steps!  
That's a lot of wear and tear on your shoes!  

Polish shoes on a regular basis.  First remove any dirt with a cloth or
an old toothbrush.  Secondly remove the laces as colored shoe polish
contains a dye which can permanently stain your laces another color!
Next apply the polish with a soft cloth like an old t-shirt.  Lastly polish
to a beautiful shine with a natural bristle brush.  Designate a separate
bristle brush to each color of polish you use.  Again the polishes have
dye in them and if you polish a pair of black shoes and then try to
polish a natural color pair of shoes with the same brush the black dye
left on the brush may ruin your natural colored shoes.  So one color,
one brush.

Gum on shoes - Put your shoe in a gallon plastic bag and let it set in
the freezer for about 15 minutes or until the gum freezes.  Remove
the shoe and scrape the gum off with a plastic knife into the plastic
bag.  When finished, toss the plastic knife into the bag and throw the
mess away.  

New leather shoes too tight - While wearing your shoes, pour rubbing
alcohol over the shoes, especially the part that is too tight.  You will
feel the shoe relax.  And as it is alcohol, the shoe will dry fairly
quickly.  So you make the choice, days of wearing a tight shoe or a
few minutes in wet shoes.

Storing shoes on shoes trees will help the shoe keep it's original
shape.  

Rotate your shoes on an every other day basis.