Do you look at shoes as objects or as a representation of yourself? A shoe is neither an object or a representation of who you are; a shoe is a trophy that you wear every day. As such, one’s shoes should be meticulously cared for..

Waterproofer: When you buy a pair of shoes, the first thing you think of is “How am I going to keep these from getting dirty?” The answer is waterproofer. A few layers of waterproofer will help keep your shoes clean and protect them from any other dangers. A can of waterproofer will cost around seven to ten dollars. I would recommend Kiwi Camp Dry Heavy Duty Water Repellent.

Different Shoes: A shoe has feelings too, if you didn’t know. When you wear the same shoes over and over it tends to wear them out. The people around you also like to see a change in your style, because if you keep wearing the same thing people get kind of tired of seeing it. All shoes vary in price so go and choose your poison.

Clean the inside and out: A shoe deserves a pedicure just like you do. Your shoes should always be treated with the same hygiene as you. Every day I come home and clean the inside and outside of my shoes because it helps with the color and the smell. A good product for this is a shoe freshener and regular water. I recommend to use the little ball fresheners because they are small and easy to use.

Shoe Trees: Do you ever look at your shoe and wonder what happened to the form? If not, that’s okay because it’s not the biggest issue, but people will notice. Your shoe will naturally lose its form after time, but this shouldn’t stop you from wearing them. The solution to this problem is a shoe tree which will keep the form to the shoe while you’re not wearing it. I use plastic over wood just because of price.

Polish: A leather shoe is made to shine like a diamond. When you wear a leather shoe it shows class and style. But if your leather is scuffed then it makes it seem as if you just don’t care. A simple way to clean up those scuffs is to polish your shoe. Once you polish your shoes they will catch everyone’s eyes. I recommend Kiwi Liquid Shoe Polish because it’s small and portable.

Your shoes are not just objects. They are an extension of you, and they deserve your attention. The next time you look at your shoes, don’t just let them sit—treat them with respect.  

Author’s note:  Please don’t ever use bleach on a shoe, though, because that’s a guaranteed death sentence to any shoe.