Yuya Hasegawa's Ardent Shoeshine Dojo Part I

This is the "Yuya Hasegawa's Ardent Shoeshine Dojo" series. In the fifth installment, Yuya Hasegawa talks about the "second process" of shoe polishing. Yuya Hasegawa talks about it passionately.

In the previous issue, we talked about the different types of laces through the process of removing shoelaces. By removing the laces and polishing the shoes, you can polish every part of the shoes, and it is also a good opportunity to notice the deterioration of the laces themselves.

The removal of the shoelaces also makes it easier to wipe the inside of the shoes clean. This is why we are going to talk about the second of the 16 steps in the process, "lining care.

(Photo of SPRAY)

The inside of a shoe is a part of the shoe that we do not usually see, so we often do not realize how dirty it is. The inside of the shoe does not get dirty due to external factors like the outside of the shoe, but mostly due to deterioration of the leather caused by sweaty feet and accumulation of dust.

The truth is that it is difficult to take care of the deterioration of the lining. This is because the lining is in direct contact with the feet and the inside of the shoe tends to steam easily, so applying cream to the lining is not recommended.

If the leather is so hardened that it is cracked, you can apply cream to that area only, but it is better to repair it with new leather over the hardened leather, as it will not return to its original state.

(Photo of cracked leather)

If this is the case, what should we do to take care of the lining? Wipe with a sanitizer, not just a dry cloth, and remove any dust that may have accumulated inside the shoe.

First, spray one push of the sanitizer inside the shoes. It is recommended to use a special sanitizer to avoid damaging the leather in this process. A small amount of alcohol is not a big problem, but it will inevitably damage the leather, so it is safer to use something non-toxic to the leather like our THE ANTIBACTERIAL SPRAY.

Spray toward the front of the shoe and then wipe the entire inside of the shoe with a disposable cotton puff containing the same sanitizer. Wet wipes are fine.

(Photo of wiping the inside of the shoe)

First wipe the calf, then move forward and finally wipe the toes with a gouge of your hand. Wipe the top of the toes (the area where the toenails hit the floor) thoroughly as well. You may be surprised to find a lot of dust accumulated here.

If you do this on both sides of the lining, the lining care is complete. This is an invisible part of the lining, but regular sanitizing and cleaning will help to reduce the odor of the shoes. Also, during the summer months, mold often grows in this area, so sanitizing and antibacterial treatment will kill two birds with one stone by controlling mold.

(Photo with pinky patches and holes in the lining)

Another important point when taking care of the lining is to check for holes in the lining at the same time.

If there is a hole in the lining, your finger will directly hit the upper leather from the backside, which can lead to cracks. When we see cracked shoes, there is a high probability that a hole has been made in the leather lining. Therefore, we recommend that you apply a patch as soon as you notice the crack.

This will prevent the upper from cracking and help you to wear your shoes for a long time. Take care of what you can't see. The same may be said for the way people live their lives.

(Photo with pinky patched, photo with hole)

In the next issue of "Yuya Hasegawa's Shoeshine Dojo - Ko-no-Riku", I will talk about "dusting and horsehair brushing". Please give your shoes a good polishing to make your New Year's celebration a happy one. See you next time! See you next time!