If you have finally found the perfect pair of shoes after long trials, you often think about your first outing. Stop! Before anything else, you must take care of your shoes before their first use. Maintenance products are ephemeral, so it is important to read the instructions and spray or wipe your shoe before its first use.
Even more importantly, it is essential to take care of your shoes after each use. We, human beings, take care of our skin: we protect it from the sun, we clean it, and we moisturize it. Leather is also skin. It is tanned and thus completely retains its structure. Leather needs care!
We advise you, when purchasing your pair of shoes, to equip yourself with maintenance products. You will save time and money, as you won't have to worry about buying a new pair. Well-maintained shoes last longer! To go further in maintaining the exterior of your shoes, consider consulting our dedicated guide on leather products.

The treatment of your shoes has 3 objectives:

  • WATER: All components of the shoes are water-repellent from the start, but this hydrophilization decreases over time. It must therefore be renewed.
  • CLIMATE: Today's shoes are breathable to water vapor to ensure good foot ventilation. This function must be preserved.
  • MATERIAL: Shoes are mostly made of leather. It regularly needs "material" to last and keep its shape.

Our tips for properly maintaining your pairs of shoes:

PREPARATION

You can wash your shoes, but take the time to remove the laces to access certain areas more easily, like the tongue. Meindl shoes should never be machine washed. This could damage the materials and destroy the adhesives used. Remove the cleaning insole.

BASIC CLEANING: After each outing, remove dirt with a brush dipped in hot water. The soles also need to be cleaned to remove dirt and pebbles.

HYGIENE: You can clean the inside of your shoe with hot water. This will not damage the lining.

DRYING: Never dry your shoes in the sun, on a hot surface, or near heat sources (fire, radiator). Wet leather is very sensitive to heat and can "burn". This means it becomes brittle, hard, and can crack. To dry shoes with a wet lining, fill them with newspaper, but remember to remove it after a few hours!

WATERPROOFING: It is better to waterproof your shoes when they are still slightly damp. The pores of the leather are still open, and the waterproofing agent can penetrate deeper. You can use Meindl's WaterProof®. Waterproofing generally takes about 24 hours to be truly effective. Shoes should be regularly waterproofed so that water and dirt are constantly repelled.

POLISHING: Leather needs to be regularly nourished. Meindl's Sportwax® is perfect for this. It can also be applied to Gore-Tex® shoes and fabric edges. Apply the polish with a sponge or cloth. Be careful not to heat the wax, otherwise it will penetrate too deeply and damage breathability and comfort. The appearance of the leather will change after application. Do not apply oil or grease, as this will damage the shoe, and it will lose strength and stability.

METAL HOOKS AND EYELETS: The hooks and eyelets also need to be maintained. Sportwax can also be used to protect the metal parts from corrosion.


Once clean, dry, and maintained, your shoes should be stored in a dry place at room temperature. If you plan not to use them for a while, do not hesitate to fill them with newspaper or wooden shoe trees to keep their original shape. Maintaining your pair of shoes is an opportunity for a thorough inspection. This will allow you to anticipate and avoid the unpleasant surprise of a sole that comes off. Check the seams, the condition of the inner and outer soles, as well as the laces. A repair done while the damage is minor will hold up much better over time.

Find all our MEINDL men's shoes and all our women's models, to have incredible moments this summer. Equip yourself with MEINDL insoles for even more comfort and then the MEINDL waterproofing agent, to take care of your shoes!