Quality mens leather dress shoes are an investment in your wardrobe. If you take good care of your mens leather dress shoes, they will last you for years to come. Conversely, if you neglect the care of your dress shoes, you could end up spending quite a lot of money on replacing your mens leather dress shoes year in and year out.

Taking care of mens leather dress shoes is not a time consuming task, nor does it take a lot of knowledge and skill, and the rewards are obvious: dress shoes that always look sharp and that last years beyond their expected lifespan.  Proper maintenance of mens leather dress shoes involves cleaning, conditioning, polishing, and waterproofing.

Cleaning Mens Leather Dress Shoes

The first step in maintaining a pair of mens leather dress shoes is cleaning away the dust and grime that collects on dress shoes during the normal course of wearing them and even while sitting stored in your closet. Begin by brushing away dirt with a soft bristled shoe brush. Soft brushes should be used to prevent scratching your mens leather dress shoes. Follow that with more thorough cleaning using leather cleaning solution made specifically for leather dress shoes or saddle soap, applied with a soft cotton rag or applicator, if such was provided with the cleaner.

Conditioning Mens Leather Dress Shoes

Conditioning mens leather dress shoes helps to keep the leather soft, moist, and supple. This protects your mens leather dress shoes from cracking and is an especially important part of maintain dress shoes in an arid climate. Apply a coating of conditioner over the leather surface of the dress shoes, using a separate cotton cloth. Allow the conditioner to sit for a few minutes then wipe away the excess with a dry cloth. Note that some men's leather dress shoe cleaning solutions also condition; if you are using one of these products on your dress shoes, then you can skip this step, having already conditioned in the previous step.

Polishing Mens Leather Dress Shoes

When applying shoe polish to your mens leather dress shoes, always use disposable latex gloves, dish gloves, or comparable hand protection. Many shoe polishes contain toxic substances that can be absorbed through the skin. Be sure to read, understand, and follow any other warnings on the container of shoe polish. Always use a polish that is appropriately colored for your dress shoes.

If this is your first time polishing a pair of mens leather dress shoes, first test to ensure that the polish will not discolor the dress shoes. Do this by applying a small amount of polish to an area of the shoe that will not easily shoe. Buff in the polish with a rage and check that the color is alright. If so, use a rag to apply polish over the entire surface of the shoe, using a circular rubbing motion. Allow the polish to dry, and then buff the polish by making broad swipes across the surface of the shoe with the cloth.

Weatherproofing Mens Leather Dress Shoes

The final step in caring for <a rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', '/outgoing/article_exit_link/4827715']);" href="http://www.oclargedressshoes.com/">mens leather dress shoes</a> is to weatherproof the shoes using a spray sealant intended for dress shoes. Beeswax can also be used, but may alter the color and shine of the dress shoes. Waterproofing mens leather dress shoes will prevent the leather from buckling due to water damage.

By following these four simple steps, you can keep your expensive mens leather dress shoes looking as good as the day you bought them; some mens leather dress shoes even look better after repeated polishing. More than just keeping your shoes looking sharp, though, you are protecting them and ensuring that they will be complementing your wardrobe for years to come. Quality dress shoes are an investment and should be treated as such. The shoes make the man, so be good to your mens leather dress shoes.