GIVE WINTER GRIME THE BOOT

Follow these quick spiff-up tips for
stained or scuffed footwear now,
and be a step ahead next season.

BIGGEST CHALLENGES:
Telltale road-salt staines on leather
Black scuff on leather or rubber
Dirty, flattened suede.

FAST FIXES

1. Banish salt lines : If your town fights icy
streets with road salt, you've surely had
"ring around the shoe," a white salt line that
appears when leather dries. Desalting products,
available at shoe-repair shops, are one option,
but it's just as easy to mix an at-home cleaner of
equal parts white vinegar and water. Soak a micro-
fiber cloth in the solution and dab the shoe. Rinse with a
water dampened micro-fiber cloth, and wipe with a dry
towel. Let the shoes dry, away from radiators or
other heat sources, which can make leather
brittle. Finally, buff with a soft micro-fiber cloth.

2. Erase scuffs: You might be tempted to scrub
at ugly black marks on leather, but they
need a lighter touch: Dip a micro-fiber cloth in water,
then baking soda, and rub the spots gently. For
rubber boots, follow the same process. Once spots are
gone, wipe the footwear with a clean, damp micro-
fiber cloth and buff dry.
3. Be suede smart: The wet cleaning remedies
that work for smooth leather aren't good for suede,
which needs to stay dry so it doesn't lose its
texture. Instead, quickly rub off overall dirt with
a kneadable eraser. (grab one from your kid's
art box), or just lightly sand away obvious stains with
an emery board. To raise the nap of suede that's flattened,
scrub briskly with a clean toothbrush or micro-fiber cloth.
If it's really matted, hold the shoe a few inches above
the spout of a steaming tea kettle for a few seconds,
then brush up the nap.

MAKE IT EASIER NEXT TIME

To keep pesky salt lines from forming, take
action as soon as possible once indoors: Before
your shoes dry off, dampen the entire leather
upper with a wet sponge, then stuff the shoe
with newspaper to help hold the shape.
Before you wear shoes and boots in messy
weather for the first time, spray them with a
water-repellent coating, which works on
both suede and leather. Spray again during
the season, after cleaning.