Shoe maintenance – Superb by Valentina

Shoe maintenance

The technical condition of your shoes depends on their proper care. This process must be started from the moment of purchasing the footwear. We recommend that new shoes, before wearing, undergo a thorough impregnation. For this purpose, you must apply an even layer of product suitable for the respective leather type on each shoe. Before application please make sure that the shoes are not wet or damp. After the first application of the impregnating agent, you must wait until the skin absorbs it, and then repeat the procedure once or twice. Impregnation must be repeated once in a while and after each wet cleaning or washing. At the same time, please avoid polishing shoes that are still wet or spraying them excessively. Regardless of the meticulousness and regularity of cleaning the shoes, over time, as a result of mechanical wear of the shoes or atmospheric influences, the effect of partial impregnation decreases. It is a natural process, which inevitably leads to a decrease in the quality of the shoes, and to a large extent independent even of their quality. However, it is worth taking care that the protective means of your shoes are of the highest quality; to contain properly selected fatty substances and oils, which in contact with appropriate dyes refresh your shoes. The cleaning technique and the substances used depend on the type of leather.

Leather types and maintenance methods

In footwear terminology, the word "leather" represents animal skin from animals such as: cow, sheep, goat, leather that retains its fiber structure during the tanning process. The material thus determined is the oldest type of material in the history of fashion, used in the production of footwear. The unique properties of leather, such as: breathability, permeability, moisture accumulation, tear resistance, elongation and return to original shape, determine the fact that to this day leather is the most popular and valuable element in the footwear industry.
Leather is a fairly flexible material, so over time, different tanning and coating techniques have been developed. Classifying skin in this sense, we distinguish at least more than 10 types of skin. In our instructions we want to present you with the most important tips so that you can choose the appropriate cleaning products, thanks to which you will be able to preserve the characteristics and original appearance of the shoes. We recommend that you also visit our website, where in the "Accessories" section, you will find the entire range of shoe cleaners.
Smooth skin
The smooth leather is processed starting from the outer part. The texture of this type of leather can be not only perfectly smooth, but also with different structures, grainy, glossy or matte. Unfortunately, leather is not a very resistant material to the influence of external factors and easily allows water to pass through. That is why it is worth taking care of increasing the degree of resistance to absorption, by using special creams. During rainy weather, leather soles also wear out faster. Wet shoes must first be very well dried. After drying, it is necessary to impregnate the shoes, and then apply a layer of suitable cream, to increase the duration of wearing the shoes. An important aspect is to insert the shoe liners inside the shoes while they are drying, which will prevent the shoes from deforming. After applying the appropriate cream, it is recommended to polish the shoes with a soft cloth to achieve the desired shine.
Nubuck and velor
Nubuck and velor leather is a sanded or grained leather. Nubuck is characterized by the outer face with short, delicate, velvety fibers that recall the texture of peach skin. The velor, in turn, on the inner side has few, soft and flexible fibers; it is most often associated in everyday language with buckskin or antelope skin. In the case of this type of skin, we suggest purchasing a special brush made of rubber or hair and a soft wire, which cleans perfectly and prevents the collection of dust and other impurities. Just as important as cleaning velor and nubuck is the impregnation process. Various sprays can be bought on the market for cleaning and protection against water infiltration.
Patent leather
Patent leather is leather or synthetic materials that have a special layer of varnish. This time material shows different textures. It can be: smooth, embossed, wrinkled, with a metallic sheen or with a layer of varnish. With this type of leather, maintenance products that preserve the flexibility of the shoes are very important. We recommend cleaning the patent leather shoes with a damp cloth. We do not recommend impregnation, as this process can reduce the effect of the varnish and the shine of the shoes. For cleaning, we recommend using special creams for patent leather and a flannel cloth.
Nappa leather
It is a processed skin from the outer part of the face. In the manufacturing process, the brushing technique is used, which gives a very glossy appearance to the shoe. This leather is smooth and very soft. Shoes, due to their very delicate structure, need special maintenance, using the same technique as in the case of smooth leather. We recommend paying extra attention to this type of shoes, as they need regular cleaning and impregnation.
Synthetic materials
These shoes are produced from synthetic materials that imitate natural leather or from materials that create new and fancy fabrics. In the case of these shoes, leather creams do not fulfill their role, and the simplest cleaning technique recommends using a damp and soft sponge with a little delicate cleaning liquid.
Textiles
They are textile materials, which are increasingly used not only in the production of clothes but also in the production of footwear; they are used in the manufacture of summer shoes, house slippers, but also, lately, they are also found in evening or everyday footwear. To care for these shoes we suggest you dry brush them and apply the appropriate sprays for the material. We recommend, among others, the foam spray, which cleans and refreshes the colors. Attention: Textile shoes are not washable! Other general principles of maintenance involve frequent replacement of this type of footwear with other shoes, especially during rainy weather. After taking off the shoes, it is necessary to insert the shoe covers, of the appropriate size, which prevent the deformation of the shoes. Another elementary rule involves the use of shoelaces while putting on shoes. Additionally, regarding the leather sole, in order to prevent its wear, it is recommended to fix another suitable element on this surface.
We hope the tips above help you, at least a little, in making your shopping decisions. If you have additional questions or comments please contact us by email or phone at the contact details specified on our website. We invite you to benefit from our services.

SC SUPERB by Valentina SRL cannot be held responsible for incidents resulting from non-compliance with the above instructions or for the discomfort caused by wearing shoes of the wrong size or model. Any defect caused by driving the car is not considered a manufacturing defect. After any shoe repair intervention, the guarantee will be lost.