Whether your go-to leather shoes are a pair of loafers, boots, or sneakers, knowing how to properly maintain and care for leather shoes is of the utmost importance if you want them to retain a clean and classic look. Being that leather is known for being a rather durable and long-lasting material, they are meant to maintain their quality for a long while, ensuring that you’re getting your money’s worth.

From getting scuffed to stained, there are several different ways that your leather shoes can find themselves blemished, meaning you need the best way in which to clean them up and repair them. In order to give you a helping hand, we’ve put together this step-by-step guide on how to clean leather shoes so that your footwear can remain spick and span no matter how often you take them for a spin. 

What You’ll Need

• Horseshoe Hairbrush – A horseshoe hairbrush is needed for buffing the shoe. The larger the brush, the more friction you will generate, making your cleaning job much easier and faster.
• Polishing Cloth – If you don’t have an actual polishing cloth or chamois, just use an old white cotton t-shirt. 
• Leather Conditioner – Though good conditioners can be a bit of a splurge, they are seriously worth it. In addition to assisting with the cleaning process, leather conditioners also add some hydration and shine.
• Shoe Cream Polish – If you need to add some pigment or fill in some small scratches, shoe cream provides a quick and easy fix.
• Spray Bottle Filled with Cold Water – Being able to lightly spray your shoes with cold water is the first step to a thorough cleaning. 
• Toothpaste – If you find that your leather shoes have gained a scuff, dab some non-gel toothpaste on the affected area and rub with a soft cloth. 
• Baking Soda – For grease stains, gently rub some baking soda into the stain and then leave overnight. The baking soda should absorb the grease.
• Rubbing Alcohol – If you’re dealing with an ink stain, dip a cotton swab in some rubbing alcohol and blot the stain. Make sure that you avoid rubbing since you could easily spread the ink to new places, which is the exact opposite of what you’re wanting to do.
• Lemon Juice & Cream of Tartar – Though this is a very specific and somewhat strange combo, using lemon juice and cream of tartar can have a mild bleaching effect, meaning it is only to be used on light-colored leathers. If you’ve got a weird stain that won’t seem to come out with any other solution, give this paste a try. 

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