1 The perfect time to spray those brand new boots or shoes, with a leather or suede protector, is before wearing them. Pay extra attention to fully spraying the heels, soles and, especially, the grooves.

2 If you’re wearing them in the snow and slush and get salt stains on them, make sure to clean them off as soon as you come in ? ideally with BootRescue or ShoeRescue wipes. Why? Salt can start damaging boots immediately, making the leather dry out and buckle.

3 For suede boots, once you’ve cleaned the salt stains off, brush them with a stiff suede brush to keep the suede looking its best. For really stubborn stains, you can use something hard to rub them off, like a nail file.

4 The key to keeping your footwear looking great is maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. So always resole or re-heel those shoes or boots before theyre beyond repair.

5 From time to time, its a good idea to re-apply protector spray to keep your footwear as well protected as possible.

6 If your boots or shoes get wet, newspaper is what you need. Simply stuff your wet footwear with it and put them somewhere away from direct heat to dry.

7 To keep the shape of your boots, you can buy wooden boot stuffers, but stuffing them with newspaper or wine bottles works just as well (and saves you money).

8 Before storing your boots after the winter, make sure to clean them thoroughly, again ideally with BootRescue wipes, so the salt wont cause permanent damage.

9 Store your boots out of direct sunlight in a temperature-controlled environment, as sunlight or extreme heat can cause leather to dry out, fade or crack.