Guide to Sneaker Care: How to Make Sneakers Last Longer

Sneakerhead or not, everybody owns a pair or two of kicks, and the urge to take care of them comes naturally as you want them to last for a long haul. Why make them last? Because copping a pair is undoubtedly quite an investment. To help you out, here are some suggestions to keep your shoes in tip-top condition:

Stuff Them When You Are Not Wearing Them

No one ever wants their shoes to start creasing and cracking. Stuffing them with socks or craft paper (think about the brown paper that comes with some sneakers) is a cheap but effective trick that will benefit your shoes in the long run. This easy method has several perks; not only does it help maintain the form of your shoes, but it also helps to prevent creasing. However, if you want to invest in a proper tool, a set of shoe treesare the way to go. Shoe trees are designed to maintain the shape of your shoes while also drawing out moisture and odors.

Get your Sneakers Cleaned by a Professional

Cleaning your kicks will surely save you some money. Unfortunately, we have seen a lot of examples of attempts to save money resulting in hundreds of dollars of damages in sneakers. A little investment will not only save you time and frustration but it will also add value back into your holy grails. Our experts already know what’s best for any type of shoe and what products to use. Proof Culture is a trusted company when it comes to sneaker cleaning services and we have a nationwide network of skilled sneaker restoration artists and cobblers, specializing in reviving your sneakers to their former glory. Bringing your well-loved kicks to us would be the best decision you can ever make. Also, if you want to personalize your sneakers, we have a talented team of Customizers who will sit down with you to discuss your idea and bring that idea to life!

Store them in a Safe Space

Wearing shoes is one thing, but preserving and storing them is an art that involves more than simply placing all of your shoes in a closet. You need to find ways to store shoes properly as it allows shoes to last longer, keeps them usable, and prevents mold from forming on them. If you notice a silica gel that comes with newly purchased shoes, they actually have their own function—this helps protect your shoes from the growth of mold. So, the next time you see a pack of silica gels, keep them and store them with your kicks if you know your sneakers are exposed to moisture when they are stored. We also recommend our dropfront sneaker storage cases. These storage cases not only allow you to keep your sneakers on display but they will be protected from elements and also visible in case there are any potential concerns that you need to be aware of and deal with.

Protect the Soles

The first indication that a shoe is overly worn would probably be through the soles. Rain, snow, and salt all have an impact on your sneakers over time and even the best looking uppers can’t compete with a busted pair of soles. Heel drag can also sneak up on you and cause a lot of damage or hurt your resale value. Keeping your sneakers in a good rotation or investing in heel drag protectors at the first sign of heel drag will go a long way in maintaining your collection and investment.

Managing Odors

Overuse, perspiration, skin shedding, filth, germs, fungus, and a lack of air are all factors that can lead to smelly shoes. Don’t worry though, there are actually ways to stop this from happening and reverse sneaker odor. One of the most effective methods for removing odors from shoes is to deal with the moisture problem and for this we recommend cedar shoe trees. Cedar shoe trees will absorb the moisture and odor while also leaving behind the fresh smell of cedar thus neutralizing foot odor.

Essentially, if you ignore shoe maintenance and cleaning it will only cost you in later frustration and money. We hope that these tips help you in keeping your sneakers in great condition. If you want to dive deeper into maintaining and restoring your sneakers, we recommend checking out our Sneaker Restoration Masterclass series. Our first class deals with how to restore sneaker yellowing.