The bugatti guide to shoe and leather care

Proper care for leather shoes

Leather shoes in particular require more extensive care than shoes made of other materials, as leather is more susceptible to scratches, water stains or discoloration. The right care products maintain the typical leather properties and original appearance.

Leather is generally a very absorbent material and must therefore be protected from moisture. Various environmental influences reduce the natural wax and grease content, which is extremely important for the flexibility and suppleness of leather shoes. A large selection of waxes, oils and greases support you in leather care. The special requirements of the respective type of leather must be taken into account when choosing the care product and the appropriate products must be selected carefully.

Choosing the right care accessories also plays an important role! In addition to a classic shoe brush, a cotton cloth, shoe eraser and polishing cloth are helpful components of thorough shoe care.

Important measure after using care products: Allow the shoe to dry thoroughly and then polish it with a cloth. For optimum leather care, shoes should be cleaned again at regular intervals. We describe how to care for the different types of leather correctly in our care tips below.

TIP NO.1: YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BREAK IN NEW SHOES BEFORE WEARING THEM FOR THE FIRST TIME!

Suede care tips

When caring for suede shoes, you should generally avoid using shoe polish! Carefully treat suede shoes with a rubber or brass wire bristle against the grain of the leather. This usually removes stains and coarse dirt. If stubborn stains on suede cause problems, they can be carefully removed with fine sandpaper. It is helpful to use a very fine steel brush to remove stuck-on stains. In this case too, remove the stuck-on stains with great sensitivity. After cleaning, you can spray - open-pored suede can be optimally protected by using a special waterproofing spray.

Care tips for smooth leather

In general, the use of a horsehair brush is recommended when cleaning smooth leather. Fine types of leather should be treated with a soft brush or cloth. Smooth leather shoes are best protected with a tube of shoe polish or leather lotion, which should be applied every eight to ten weeks. Shoe polish and lotion contain waxes and oils which, once the water has evaporated, penetrate the leather evenly and prevent possible soiling. If you're in a hurry, smooth leather shoes can also be cleaned with self-polishing care products. You can then do without polishing afterwards.

Nubuck leather care tips

Leather shoes made from nubuck leather have a high proportion of natural waxes and fats. Sponges and crepe or rubber brushes are suitable for cleaning these shoes. Nubuck leather should not be rubbed, but lightly brushed over the leather. The use of special waxes is recommended to keep the surface in optimum condition. These provide particularly gentle care and can also impregnate the leather. Finally, you can polish the leather shoes with a soft cloth.

Putting on and taking off

Put on and take off as gently as possible! Your shoe will thank you if you loosen the laces or buckles before each change.

After taking off your shoes, you should put a wooden shoe tree directly on the warm and usually slightly damp shoes. A wooden or foam shoe tree promotes the drying process and can also absorb some odors. The tension helps the shoe to keep its shape and also reduces creases in the leather.

Please never step on the heel or heel cap and pull your foot out. Otherwise the heel cap could be damaged or, in the worst case, the heel could break off. If necessary, you can also use a boot jack to help you remove your boots if it is too difficult to do by hand.

Shoes are exposed to particular stresses and therefore require appropriate care.

Regular care

Regular cleaning is essential if you want to enjoy your bugatti shoes for a long time! You should always include soles and heels in the cleaning process. When caring for your shoes, it is important to first remove any dust and dirt from the surface with a brush or soft cloth to keep them shiny. The rule is: don't clean shoes that aren't clean! Then apply shoe polish, waxes or oils with a cloth for more shine and finally the waterproofing spray. You can easily remove minor scratches with a suitable shoe wax.

Then use a fine brush to polish the shoe treated with shoe polish to a high gloss. All care products and the waterproofing spray should be left to work according to the manufacturer's instructions. As there are many types of leather, special care instructions must be observed. Shoe polishes and the like as well as waterproofing sprays protect against dirt and moisture. However, the right care products only make regular care easier, they do not replace it. We present all our tips under "Leather care".

TIP NO.2: YOU SHOULD GIVE YOUR SHOES A BREAK AFTER WEARING THEM - ONE-DAY BREAKS TO AIR THEM OUT ARE ADVISABLE.

After wearing

After taking off your shoes, you should put a wooden shoe tree on them while they are still warm and usually slightly damp. A wooden shoe tree promotes the natural drying process - and can also partially absorb odors. The tension helps the shoe to keep its shape and also reduces creases in the leather.

TIPS & TRICKS NO.1

Pressing shoes?

Pressing or hard heel caps go under the hammer.

You will need a small hammer, a soft cloth and something round to stuff the heels. A filled plastic bottle is suitable for padding, which you can press into the heel cap to hold it in place. Once you have stuffed the heel from the inside, place the cloth over the pressure point from the outside. The cloth protects the leather from scratches. Do you have a firm grip? Then you can now work the leather with very light tapping. Check regularly whether the heel cap is sufficiently soft and no longer pinches.

TIPS & TRICKS NO.2

Road salt & water stains?

Milk can help here

Stubborn road salt stains can be removed from genuine leather shoes with milk or buttermilk. This is because the lactic acid it contains neutralizes the salt crystals. To do this, moisten a cotton cloth with a little milk and carefully rub the affected areas. Synthetic leather shoes can be rubbed with a cloth moistened with water.

Snow and water marks can be gently rubbed off with a freshly cut onion half, a peeled potato or halved lemon.

On suede or suede shoes, the annoying stains can be removed with a leather eraser. After treatment, it is important to treat leather shoes with a suitable shoe polish or waterproofing spray.

TIPS & TRICKS NO.3

Wet & slippery shoes?

Wet shoes must dry slowly.

Rule number one for wet shoes: Never blow-dry a wet shoe, place it on a radiator or in direct sunlight! Carefully pad the wet shoes with newspaper so that it can absorb the moisture stored in the leather. Repeat the application if necessary. Be aware that wet leather is malleable and too much newspaper can cause unsightly dents. Then remove the paper and leave the shoes to dry with wooden shoe trees.

Slippery shoe soles have a huge impact on wearing comfort. To reduce the risk of slipping, you can roughen the sole a little with sandpaper. This is particularly recommended for leather soles.