Summer has arrived, which means wearing lighter, airier shoes that can handle sand, sea and summer strolls. But with beach days, festivals and holidays come wear and tear, so how do you keep your summer footwear clean, protected and looking like new? Whether you’re donning the slides, sandals or sneakers, here’s how to step into summer with confidence and style.
Flip-Flops and Slides
When you want a no-fuss, easy footwear option for lounging by the pool on holiday or walking to the shops on a nice day, flip-flops and slides are the go-to choice. Lightweight and easy to slip on, they’re ideal for relaxed summer days.
Care Tips: Rinse off sand, salt or chlorine after each use. Use Shoe Cleaner to clean footbeds and straps, working in with a clean, damp cloth or brush. Wipe away any residue and allow them to air dry away from direct sunlight to avoid warping or fading. For synthetic materials, Shoe Protector can help prevent stains and the build-up of grime.
Sandals
Sandals: the summer staple! When the sun comes out, the socks are off and the sandals are on (unless you’re a socks and sandals sympathiser… no judgement). There are so many different kinds of sandals, from leather strappy sandals and chunky trekking styles to gladiators and wedges. What’s more, they’re incredibly versatile; they go with everything and can be worn everywhere and at any occasion.
Care Tips: Sandals are made from a lot of different materials, so it’s important to provide the right shoe care for the right footwear upper. Leather sandals can be treated with Deluxe Leather Lotion to keep the leather supple and hydrated, and if scuffs or wear occur, our colourful range of Renovating Shoe Cream will help maintain their appearance. Fabric, suede or nubuck sandals will be a little harder to clean, requiring a thorough once-over with our Eco Ultra Cleaner to remove any pesky dirt. Once clean, give it a spritz of Eco Ultra Repel to repel the pesky dirt, along with rain and various summer-related spillages (sun lotion, ice cream, ketchup from your hot dog). A handy tip when storing sandals is to use shoe shapers or shoe trees to maintain their shape.
Sneakers
Classic, comfortable and casual, is there any introduction needed? The perfect all-rounder, suitable for travel, festivals, picnics and strolls to the pub for a summery pint. Though sturdy, supportive and adaptable, sneakers can be a pain to keep clean and fresh, especially in summer.
Care Tips: Always remove laces before cleaning. For comprehensive cleaning that works on all footwear upper materials, Cherry Blossom’s Sneaker Cleaning Kit has everything you need to say ‘sayonara’ to ingrained dirt and spruce up your kicks in no time. As trainers are closed-toe footwear, when wearing them all-day-long in the summer heat, things can get a little bit sweaty and a little bit smelly. To avoid an embarrassing, stinky sneaker situation, spray Sneaker Fresh into your trainers and all odours will disappear. Do your housemates a favour and pop a Sneaker Ball into each shoe for longer-lasting freshness between wears.
Boat Shoes
Classic and preppy, boat shoes are ideal for summer evenings, coastal getaways or smarter daytime looks.
Care Tips: Boat shoes can be made from a variety of different footwear uppers but are normally worn without socks, so comfort is key. For leather boat shoes that are just a bit too tight, Shoe Stretcher helps to – you guessed it – stretch the leather to provide a more comfortable fit. If your boat shoes aren’t leather but are still pinching at the backs of your heels, Heel Grips can be used as a buffer between your ankle and the shoe, protecting your feet from blisters. They are also primarily used to prevent shoes from slipping off the back of your feet by adding friction, helping to avoid an unfortunate slip-and-slide situation.
Mules and Clogs
These slip-on styles are all the rage right now, and they are both practical and chic – great for quick summer outfits or holiday lounging.
Care Tips: We mainly see suede and nubuck clogs and mules clip-clopping about, which is all fun and games until it rains, or they’re stained. When protecting suede and nubuck from the elements, the nap must be cared for too (the surface of the fabric that gives the soft, feathery appearance). After applying one of Cherry Blossom’s spray-on protection solutions and allowing it to dry, use the Suede & Nubuck Multi Brush to revive the nap and restore that fluffiness. Also, if your suede or nubuck clogs or mules are black and look a little worse for wear, Suede & Nubuck Renovator will reinstate the colour, helping them to look like new.
Extra Tips
Keep It Cushy: Insoles might not be at the top of your summer footwear care priority list, but maybe you should rethink that. Certain insoles can actually help to manage sweat and keep your feet cool. Cotton Comfort Insole is light and soft, perforated to encourage airflow around the shoe and keep your feet aired whilst supporting them. For extra freshness whilst wearing your summer shoes, Odour Control Insole absorbs odours using its in-built activated charcoal, alleviating moisture and reducing sweat.
Barefoot Bliss: A lot of us ditch our socks when the heat rises, which means going ‘toe-mando’ in our footwear. When braving our shoes sans socks, it can be uncomfortable, sticky and even slippery. To avoid this unpleasantness, we couldn’t recommend Silky Fresh Feet enough. This wonder-spray not only freshens and cools your feet, but it helps prevent sweating and provides friction inside your shoe, so you’re not Cha Cha Sliding about inside your footwear.
Whether you’re heading to the coast, abroad or simply enjoying the UK sunshine, make sure your summer footwear lasts long beyond the final heatwave. Using Cherry Blossom products and a few handy shoe care tips we’ve picked up over almost 120 years, your feet are in safe hands.
