Oops, she did it again. So many women are obsessed with shoes and, quite frankly, a girl can never have too many pairs. Which woman could resist a spontaneous splurge when there’s a true bargain to be made on high-quality leather?

Splashing out on a good pair of leather shoes should be a once-in-a-lifetime investment . All you need is the right treatment to keep your favourite footwear looking fabulous. Caring for your lovely leathers might seem like a boring, time-consuming process but it’s actually easier than you would have ever imagined if you follow our seven simple steps.

Before we even tackle the real issue at stake (maintenance), there’s one golden rule that shouldn’t be ignored. Leather shoes should not be worn two days in a row. Why? Perspiration from your feet is absorbed by the leather and needs at least one whole day to evaporate. The less you wear each pair, the longer they will last .Why not save your shoes from smelling sweaty by investing in a second pair? This might seem a bit excessive at first but your feet will actually thank you in the long run – as will your wallet.

Before you apply any products to your shoes, you must make sure that they are clean. Use a soft brush or slightly damp, clean cloth to remove any dirt. If you fail to do this, the dirt could stick to the shoe even more and you will have a difficult time removing it.

Just like our skin, leather shoes need to be moisturised in order to keep them looking their best.

Nowadays, there are countless different kinds of polish available and it can be difficult knowing which one to use. The most simple rule is probably to pick a polish which is the same colour as your shoes. This should enhance the colour, keeping them looking shiny . If you want to avoid having a whole shelf full of different kinds of shoe polish, choose a transparent one or apply some bees wax. As water is the number one enemy for leather shoes, invest in an additional waterproof spray.

Give your leather shoes the tender loving care they deserve with the best-quality fabrics and brushes. Most shops will sell the most important instruments together in one kit. There’s little point investing in good-quality polish if you don’t have the necessary tools to apply it with. Simply apply a small amount of wax or polish and use a clean cloth to gently rub the product into the shoe. If you own more than one colour shoe polish, use a separate brush for the different colours.

After applying shoe cream, your favourite footwear might appear a little worn .If so, simply polish them with a soft cotton cloth and they will be shining in no time.

Suede differs from leather in texture and therefore needs to be treated with special care. If you use your leather cleaning products on suede you run the risk of damaging the shoes altogether. For best results, test the product on a small section of the shoe before applying it all over.

These are the most important tips for maintaining your leather shoes. You could perhaps purchase a shoe tree to stop the leather from wrinkling. A final accessory worth investing in is a shoe horn, which will prevent any damage to the heel. One last tip is to remove your leather laces before applying any shoe care products, as they might get damaged.

Now that you know how to protect your leather shoes against damage, there is no reason to have to buy a new pair each season. So once you have touched up an old pair, put your best foot forward and show off your leather whatever the weather (nobody will notice that they’re not new!)