shoe care

Since you’ve wisely invested in a fab new pair of shoes, here are some tips to help you extend their lifespan…

don’t wear the same pair every day – this allows them to “breathe” & retain their shape. (A bit like going to the spa!)
when you take your shoes off at the end of the day, only pack them away in the cupboard in the morning – this allows the moisture absorbed during the day to dry out properly overnight. (You can lose, on average, one cup of moisture from your feet daily!)
always let your shoes dry naturally – away from sunlight or a direct heat source.
don’t soak or submerge your shoes in water & definitely don’t pop them into the washing machine!
avoid contact with chemicals, solvents & oils.
regularly clean, polish & protect your shoes – they will last much longer with some love & attention.
shoes with polyurethane soles are made for walking – wear them often so that the soles last.

about PU…

PU stands for polyurethane – it’s a durable plastic, foam-like material used for soles. PU is lightweight, flexible & provides good resistance to slipping.

PU is considered to be a premium soling material used by top comfort brands.

Although a highly durable material, if stored for prolonged periods of time without wear, it can be prone to a process known as hydrolysis.

This chemical process can cause the material to disintegrate. This happens more frequently in humid coastal areas.

The action of walking causes moisture to be pushed out of the sole at a molecular level – you can’t see it but regular use keeps the soles from crumbling.

PU soled-shoes need to be worn regularly throughout the year – not stored, unworn in a cupboard.

With frequent wear, the PU soles will perform & last very well for their expected 4 -5 year life span.

full grain leather

Our premium brand, Paula Urban, use the softest, genuine leather – with all its beautiful colour variations & slight imperfections – the true hallmarks of a natural product.

If you’re like us & wear your Paula’s regularly, then caring for them is as easy as…

wipe off any dust with a soft, dry cloth after every outing.
wipe off caked-on dirt with a slightly damp, soft cloth but don’t soak the leather – allow to dry naturally away from sunlight & not near direct heat.
it’s also a good idea to give the footbed of your sandals a good wipe with a damp, soft, lint-free cloth.
about once a month, after a wipe-down, use our Tuxan Shoe Cream in “Neutral” – apply a small amount on a soft, lint-free cloth & rub gently into the leather in small circular motions.
allow to soak in for 10 min & then with a clean, soft, lint-free cloth, buff the leather to a soft sheen.
don’t forget to brush any dirt from the soles & give them a wipe with a damp cloth
for your boots, use our Tuxan Leather Balm, enriched with beeswax, to “feed” & protect the leather during the winter, but especially before packing them away for the summer.
using a soft clean, cloth – apply a finger-tip amount and rub gently, in a circular motion, over the whole boot and then buff with a soft, lint-free cloth – repeat application once every 4-6 weeks.

and…you’re done!

suede & nubuck

As show-stopping as your suede or nubuck Paula’s are, they are deceptively easy to care for, if you start out on the right footing…

before you wear them for the first time, use our Tuxan Protector spray – apply 6 very light coats, allowing 10 min dry time between coats (the leather will darken slightly but will dry back to its original colour) – trust us, this is the ONLY WAY to keep your nubuck & suede LOOKING FRESHER FOR LONGER, especially light colours!
to clean, first remove surface dirt with a soft, lint-free cloth or soft buffing brush.
some stains may be removed by using a suede eraser but be extra careful if using it on very fine nubuck.
for the best cleaning results, use our Tuxan Shoe Shampoo – but it needs to be applied to a slightly damp upper.
because suede & nubuck can dry quickly, it is best not to dampen a whole shoe at once.
first, take a soft, lint-free cloth that is clean & damp, and start by wiping a strap or a complete panel of your shoe.
now take your Tuxan Shoe Shampoo, shake it, depress the red button inside the applicator sponge to engage it & start to work up a lather on the damp part of the leather, using circular motions – keep this up for about 10 sec.
now take another damp, clean, lint-free cloth & wipe off the soap suds – you will have to wipe the same area a few times, rinsing the cloth between wipes, until the soap is eliminated.
repeat this, strap by strap or panel by panel, until your whole shoe is clean. It will be damp but set it aside to dry naturally – not in sunlight or near direct heat (No blow drying, ladies!)
once dry, just buff the suede or nubuck with a soft, lint-free cloth or suede brush to restore the nap.
if you have black nubuck that has faded, now is the stage when you can renew the colour by applying our Tuxan Suede & Nubuck Renovator in black.
be sure to mask off any surrounding areas on your sandal that you don’t want to dye black – a light spray as directed & colour restored!
now that your suede or nubuck Paula’s are as good as new again, you can re-apply another few coats of our Tuxan Protector spray.

It might look like a lot of info but it’s really quite easy…PROTECT, CLEAN, PROTECT!

Oh…almost forgot to mention – OIL and your nubuck & suedes are NOT besties! Don’t let them meet – there’s nothing that can repair the damage if they do!

metallic printed nubuck

A bit of bling is always special but also needs gentle care…

it’s best to use our Tuxan Protector spray on the metallic printed areas of your new, unworn shoes – see the “suede & nubuck” section for application tips & info.
do not use a brush or suede eraser – this will damage the metallic foil.
wipe with a damp, clean, lint-free cloth to remove any dirt.
allow to dry naturally – not in sunlight or near direct heat.
now re-apply a few coats of our Tuxan Protector spray – all done!

hair-on leather

Like stroking a cat, it’s important to keep the direction of the hair-on smooth & flat…

start out by using our Tuxan Protector spray on your new, unworn shoes – this keeps the dirt at bay for longer & makes cleaning easier.
remove dirt by wiping in the direction of the hair with a damp, clean, lint-free cloth.
spot clean using our Tuxan Shoe Shampoo & a damp, clean, lint-free cloth wrapped around your finger – rinse off soap in the same way. (see the “synthetics & textiles” section for application tips & info.)
allow to dry naturally – not in sunlight or near direct heat.
re-apply a few coats of our Tuxan Protector spray to increase the dirt-shrugging factor.

synthetics & textiles

With all the wonderful combinations Gioseppo plays with, the last thing we think about is how to clean our show-stoppers…

but it’s actually quite easy

start out by using our Tuxan Protector spray on your new, unworn shoes – this always makes cleaning them so much easier.
for sneakers, wash laces & removable footbeds separately, in mild detergent.
to clean, dust off the shoe with a dry, soft cloth.
use a damp, clean, lint-free cloth to wipe off any dirty marks.
for stubborn marks, spot clean, using our Tuxan Shoe Shampoo.
shake it, depress the red button inside the applicator sponge to engage it & using a damp cloth wrapped around your finger, press it into the sponge applicator so that it is saturated with the soapy solution.
now, using your cloth wrapped finger, gently rub the marks.
use a clean, damp, lint-free cloth to remove any soap.
allow to dry naturally – not in direct sunlight or near heat.
your stunners are ready to be protected again – re-apply a few coats of our Tuxan Protector spray & you’re good to go.

If we can be of help & answer any of your questions, just get hold of us on hello@stridefootwear.co.za