Eliminate Creases & Scuff Marks - Bring Dress Shoes Back To Life In 5 Minutes
[0:00:00] We’ve all got a favorite pair of dress shoes,
your daily go-to. You’ve been through a lot together, but now, they’re starting
to show their age. The leather is creased, scuffed, and even has some cracks and cuts.
I’m going to show you how to bring back your leather dress shoes from the dead.
Creases form when the leather folds and flexes as you walk. Basically, the sweat from your
feet causes these creases to permanently set. Unfortunately, creases are inevitable. However,
light creasing, it does give your shoes a bit of character.
That being said, if your shoes become too creased, you need to take action. Character
is good and all, but you don’t want your shoes to look sloppy.
To get started. First, remove your shoelaces. Now, stuff your shoes with enough newspaper
to imitate the shape of your foot. Now, be careful not to stretch the leather too much.
You want to just put enough newspaper in there to gently push out the creases.
Now, take a damp washcloth and use it to cover the shoe. Now, take out your iron and put
it on the cotton setting. We’re going to use it to gently work out the creases.
So, as you’re going over the damp washcloth with the iron, the steam being produced, this
is going to soften and help stretch the leather. And, be careful not to leave the iron in one
place for too long as it can scorch the leather. Always keep the iron moving using gentle pressure.
Now, it may require several passes, so make sure to redampen the washcloth if it becomes
dry. So, going back and forth you’re going to keep working on the creases until you’re
satisfied with the result. Now, how to reduce the likelihood that creases
are going to return? Guys, you need to invest in a quality set of cedar shoetrees. What
shoetrees do is that they lightly stretch the shoes back to their original shape and
they help to absorb any sweat from the shoes. These shoes right here, they’re five years
old and I wear them all the time, but notice that we’ve got minimal creasing. That’s
because after every use, I use a shoetree. And, this is kind of embarrassing, but, yes,
these shoes over here are also five years old, and as you can tell, I did not use shoetrees.
So, gentlemen, remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Next up, cracked and cut leather. Cracks form in leather when leather dries out. That being
said, it’s important to condition your shoes regularly to prevent this from happening.
Cuts on the other hand are when something sharp slices into the upper of your leather
shoe. If you wear your shoes on a regular basis, most likely you’ve got at least a
few cuts on the upper. The reality of cuts and cracks is that you
can’t reverse the damage, but you can take steps to dramatically improve the appearance
of your shoes. So, like in the previous step, I want you
to stuff newspaper into the shoe, so it holds its shape during the repair process. I want
you to use a cleaning brush to remove as much dirt and debris from the shoe as possible.
Get rid of all of that sand, all that salt, anything that’s stuck to the outside of
the shoe. Next up, we’re going to use a saddle soap
to thoroughly clean the leather on the upper of the shoe. It’s important that the shoes
are dirt free to prevent additional damage. To do this, you’re going to wet a cloth
and create a lather. You’re going to apply the soap to the shoes, then wipe off any excess
soap with a rag. Let the shoes dry for ten minutes.
Now, the cleaning process would have dried out your leather shoes, so you want to use
a leather conditioner or moisturizer to rehydrate your footwear. When you’re applying the
conditioner or moisturizer, focus on the cracks, but ensure you cover the whole shoe.
You want to sand down the rough edges of the crack or cut with 220 grit sandpaper. Be very
gentle and scrub the crack until it better blends in with the surrounding leather. Wipe
clean and remove any dust. And, on a side note, anything coarser than
220 grit sandpaper will damage the leather, so be careful.
Now, you’re going to use a resin-based repair cream to fill in the crack. Be sure to get
it in a color that matches your shoe. Gently dab the repair cream into the cracks making
sure you leave a smooth even surface. Let it dry for fifteen minutes.
Next up, you want to apply cream polish to get a uniform color which I will cover in
the next step. If you wear your dress shoes, you’re going
to accumulate scuffs and marks over time. But, how to get rid of all of the scuffs and
annoying marks on your footwear? So, one option is to use saddle soap to clean
the shoes. This step will remove most superficial scuffs.
You don’t have saddle soap handy? You can actually use toothpaste to clean scuffs off
of the leather. Using a toothbrush preferably not the one you use in your mouth and a dab
of toothpaste, scrub the scuff marks. Apply a little bit of water to help the toothpaste
foam up and then scrub in circular movements. Wipe off and then let the shoe dry. Viola!
Scuff marks removed. Remember, after you clean your leather like
this, you want to condition the leather. You want to remoisturize it. After doing that,
apply a wax polish to protect the shoes. Now, what about for stubborn scuffs, marks,
and discoloration? The key here, gentlemen, is to use a cream polish. These are very effective
at restoring a uniform color to your shoes and providing valuable moisture to the leather.
[0:05:05] To get started. Take an applicator brush and
apply a layer of shoe cream to the entire shoe. Make sure to get even coverage over
the shoe upper. Let it sit for about five minutes, then buff your shoe with a horse
hairbrush. Now, you want to inspect your footwear. Examine
the shoe checking for any remaining scuffs or marks you might have missed. If you missed
any, then all you have to do is apply a second coat of shoe cream to get the job done.
And, of course, after this, don’t forget to apply a wax polish. Wax polishes are great
for not only giving a shine, but protecting your shoes from the elements.
[Music] So, what video to watch next? How about how
to spit-shine your shoes like a marine? Now, the tips and tricks in this video, I took
from my time in the Marine Corps, so hopefully you enjoy it, guys.
Go check it out. It’s a complete tutorial. I know that you’re going to love it.
[0:05:58] End of audio