How should you clean communion shoes to give them a lovely shine?

  Dress your children up in special shoes for a special day We are at the height of the communion season and one of the issues we have always taken into consideration is what to do with our son’s and daughter's shoes once the big day is over. Years ago it was quite common to buy shoes specifically for the event, but that is something that very few people do these days. Why wear Communion shoes for just one day when you can get so much more use out of them? Especially now that there are a lot of very pretty, practical styles to choose from, as you can see in our Special Occasion Collection 2017.

But of course, after the ceremony and the party the shoes will not be as clean as they were and if you’d like your child to wear them again you want them to be as shiny as new. At this point, you shouldn’t lose your cool and make your child to sit in a corner so as not to dirty their shoes! With the following tips we offer you, cleaning their first communion shoes will be as easy as pie.

Tips prior to cleaning Communion footwear

The first thing you must determine clearly before you start cleaning is what material the shoes are made of. For Communions, the most classic shoes are traditionally made of leather, but other materials have strayed to establish a niche in the market, with the aim of promoting the versatility and practicality that we mentioned earlier. Canvas ballerina shoes and bluchers, or suede loafers are just a few examples.

 It is also essential that you always buy top quality products. When using shoe cleaning products , make sure they are made by brands which specialises in footwear care.

Cleaning leather shoes

Let's start with the most traditional communion shoes: leather ballerina shoes and loafers. First of all, you should wipe away any dirt that there may be on the surface, firstly with dry cloth and then with a lightly dampened one. Once this is done, you should let them dry completely before continuing.  

Cleaning suede shoes

Suede is another of the great classics for communion shoes in children’s loafers or bluchers, especially for boys. This is not the first time we have offered tips on how to clean suede shoes, but let's go over them again briefly. It’s much easier than you might imagine. To keep them always in tip-top condition, simply wipe them with a slightly dampened cloth and then brush them with a shoe brush wrapped in an old pair of tights. Make sure you brush evenly over the entire surface.

Leaving canvas shoes like new

Everyone loves canvas because it’s just so comfortable and cool for the warm weather and it’s also because it’s really easy to keep clean. Communion fashions have also succumbed to its charms and we now offer a wide range of styles of footwear made in this material. It’s just perfect to carry on wearing throughout the Spring - Summer season.  

How should they be cleaned? There are two basic options. The first is machine washing them on a cold water programme with a short wash and gentle spin. However, it’s not a good idea to overuse this method, as it gradually wears the shoes out.

The second option, which is more recommendable, is hand cleaning. First of all, you should shake the canvas shoes well, to remove any surface dust and dirt.

Then you should use a soft bristle brush to finish off removing any remains of dirt. Once this is done, you should clean the canvas with a sponge dipped in a mixture of water, neutral soap and a little sodium bicarbonate. You need to rub harder in the areas where there are any marks or stains. Afterwards, you should remove any remains of this mixture with a cloth and stuff the shoes with scrunched up newspaper so that they do not lose their shape, and also to help absorb the dampness. Then let them dry in the shade. It’s as simple as that!

How to clean patent leather shoes

Patent leather is a really safe bet when it comes to footwear for dressing up your children on special occasions. Whilst not being the top choice for those taking their first communion, it certainly is a favourite for the smallest guests. We have included it in our collection because we know that when you take your children to this type of special event you also want them to be able to wear their shoes on other occasions. The most popular style in this material are our patent leather Mary Janes.   

For  cleaning patent leather shoes , we also recommend that you take a look at a post of ours regarding this from a few months ago. Anyway, we don’t want to keep you waiting any longer, so let’s run through the steps briefly again. First, remove any dust with a soft cloth and then use another cloth to gently wipe the surface with water and soap. After all the soap has been removed and the shoes have been allowed to dry thoroughly, wipe them again with a soft cloth, applying a special product for cleaning patent leather.

So what do you think our tips for cleaning Communion shoes?