How To Clean Vintage Designer Shoes

If you want to keep those special vintage shoes looking like you pulled them out of a time machine, you should learn how to clean vintage designer shoes. Because vintage designer shoes are so unique and fragile, you can't just throw them in the washing machine or attack them with a garden hose. Rather, you should put the same care into cleaning your shoes as put into finding them in the first place.

Things you'll need:

• Wash basin
• Gentle soap (if absolutely necessary)
• Vintage garment specialist

1. Seek professional help. If your shoes are stained or dirtied and you absolutely love them, look for a business in your area that specializes in vintage cleaning. You may be able to get your shoes cleaned by your dry cleaner, but it is best to look for a specialist if one is in your area.
2. If your vintage designer shoes are absolutely ruined, you can try to wash them by hand. Washing by hand allows you to use just the right amount of soap and water to get the stain out without ruining the pair of shoes. However, many shoes will not handle washing well so you may want to look for other alternatives.
3. If odor is your problem try airing out your shoes. If you wear vintage designer shoes for two days without airing them, your shoes may get quite stinky. Either air out your shoes every day or consider switching between your vintage designer shoes and another pair.
4. To avoid problems in the first place, keep your vintage designer shoes in a dry, dust-free place away from the sun. Moisture, dust and the sun can damage the fabric. However, you should also allow your shoes to get plenty of air, which means you should not store them in plastic boxes.
5. Keep up good maintenance practices. If you really love your vintage designer shoes, treat them as you would treat a loved one. Keep good care of them by letting them rest and giving them a good place to live. Fix any "boo boos" immediately so that the problems do not get worse. And if things get bad enough, take them to a professional rather than treating them yourself---you may love your vintage designer shoes, but that does not mean that you have the trained experience of a specialist.