Caring for your footwear is as important as getting the right fit. Properly maintained, boots and shoes will provide years of service and comfort. Leathers, suedes and synthetics have different care requirements. Following are a few tips on how to keep your footwear in optimum condition.

For all footwear - Avoid high temperatures when drying boots or shoes. Virtually all footwear materials are extremely sensitive to heat. Your best bet is to dry at room temperature, away from direct heat sources.

To speed up the drying process, stuff newspaper into your shoes or boots. Monitor the drying process carefully. Remove soaked newspaper immediately. If you don't, it will take longer for your footwear to dry.

Shoe trees, a common footwear accessory - usually made of wood - also help disperse moisture after wearing, and assist in returning footwear to its normal shape.

If wet footwear is a daily fact of life, you might want to consider purchasing a commercially made footwear dryer. There are several types on the market which dry boots and shoes slowly and carefully. In fact, most will dry even thoroughly soaked footwear in 8 to 12 hours without damaging them.

Resist the temptation to remove caked on dirt and mud with sharp, pointed implements. They can inadvertently penetrate seams or soles causing irreparable damage.

For leathers - Most dirt can be removed with a soft brush and a small amount of warm water. Dry slowly away from direct heat. It's vitally important to follow the individual manufacturer's care instructions.

There are numerous tanning and waterproofing methods used on leather. Manufacturer recommended conditioning oils and lotions are designed to be compatible with the tanning system used on individual footwear. If you use the wrong product type it will be ineffective. Even worse, you can do some harm, as improper treatment can soften leather, cause it to crack, or even make it absorb moisture rather than repel it.

For suedes and split leathers - For ordinary daily care, dry brush with a firm bristle brush. Stubborn or stuck-on dirt or dried mud requires more aggressive measures. In this case, brush while rinsing under running lukewarm water. Remember to dry slowly, away from direct heat.

For synthetics - Brush off any dirt, wash with soap and water, dry slowly.

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