How to maintain my MAG shoes?

Bought new MAG shoes? Nice! Of course you want to enjoy them for as long as possible, we understand that and have separated a few handy tips on how to keep your shoes beautiful. Besides regular polishing, it is also important to take good care of them. Make sure you follow these tips so you can enjoy your shoes for a long time!

Useful tips

• Change your shoes regularly, preferably daily

Everyone sweats a little, so letting the shoe rest allows shoes to dry well, allowing them to ventilate well. It can also be nice to regularly remove the footbeds from the shoes and air them.

• When taking off the shoes, do not step on the heel

You may damage the contrefort (heel reinforcement) or even kick the heel of the shoe loose from the sole. So loosen the shoes properly before taking them off. This is easy and much better for your shoes.

• Treat yourself to new footbeds

Over time, the cushioning of your footbed deteriorates. The shoes still look great, but they become less comfortable. Changing to a new footbed can help with that. You can order original footbeds here, your shoes will feel like new and you will walk great again.

• Put your shoes away with shoe spanners

With wooden shoe spanners you can keep your shoes in shape and they also absorb moisture to keep the leather supple. You can also order spanners here. Always use the right spanners for your shoe size for a proper care experience.

• Don’t dry your shoes on or near heat sources

Have your shoes become wet from a heavy shower, puddles or walking through wet grass? Let them dry thoroughly and take your time. Never put shoes near a heater or stove. If the shoes dry too quickly, the leather will become dry and stiff and may tear more quickly. If you do dry your shoes on a heater, treat them with leather grease. Note: suede cannot be treated with leather grease.

How to treat your new shoes

Often the leather of new shoes is treated with a protective spray at the factory. The effect of this wears off after a few weeks, so it is wise to spray them well with a good dirt and water repellent spray before first use. This will protect them from external influences such as rain and dirt. We recommend Collonil's Carbon Pro Spray, applying the 30-30-30 rule. Spray at a distance of 30 cm, let dry for 30 minutes and repeat every 30 days. This powerful waterproof protection is inspired by carbon technology and works as a spray-on membrane. This creates an invisible structure that provides extremely strong protection against moisture and dirt. Water droplets slide off the material like pearls. This premium spray is suitable for all materials. Of course, you can also choose a maintenance spray that is especially suitable for one particular type of leather. Maintenance can vary a little per leather type. So pay close attention to what you do especially if they have become dirty.

Suede/Nubuck

Before spraying suede and nubuck shoes, you can use a suede brush to roughen up the top layer of leather. You can also brush away small spots. We use the Care4shoes suede brush for this purpose. Then spray them with a maintenance spray of your choice. This can be the Carbon Pro Spray.

Real fans of soft suede shoes even clean their shoes daily with a brush. Never treat suede shoes with leather grease. You could treat nubuck shoes with leather grease if they feel dried out, though. But realise that it will change the colour of the shoes. Usually they become slightly drier. It is also more important to then apply the leather grease evenly everywhere and brush it out gently. It's best then to take out the laces so you can reach everywhere.

Smooth leathers

At MAG, we use various smooth leathers, such as nappa, flex, floater, pull-up and viagretta. The description of your shoes will tell you which type of leather your shoes are made of.

We recommend removing dirt very regularly with a slightly damp cloth and spraying the shoes at least once a month with a universal spray (Collonil Carbon Pro Spray). This ensures that the leather stays in good condition and does not dry out. It is also good for the shoes to wear them regularly. Is spraying no longer enough because there are some (bald) spots on them? Then first use clear shoe cream and, if that doesn't help, a minimal amount of shoe polish in the right color.

If your shoes do feel dried out and therefore stiff, treat them with leather grease. Take out the laces so you can reach everything and give them a nice treatment. Pamper them just once, they will thank you. Walk on them the next day so that your movement and body heat can make the leather supple.

Fantasy leather: leather with print, metallic finish or lacquer

With special leathers, care must be taken. These shoes are particularly susceptible to heavy rain or splashing dirt from the street. In this case, prevention is better than cure. So spray a little more regularly with Collonil Carbon Pro Spray is recommended. Should they still be dirty, first try to clean them carefully with a dry soft cloth. If the dirt does not come off, brush gently or rub gently with a slightly damp cloth. In case it still doesn't come off, don't panic. Take the shoes to a good cobbler and ask for advice. Every stain is different and may need special treatment. Finally, it is also nice to know that stains usually disappear or at least become less visible over time through wear.

Want to give your shoes a deep cleaning?

Then clean them first with a stiff brush to remove the worst dirt. If they have laces, take them out for a while and pull the tongue forward. Once the shoes are thoroughly clean, spray them with an impregnating spray. Let this dry for an hour. When the shoes are dry, treat the shoes with care product containing conditioning oils to keep the leather supple and prevent the pores of the leather from closing up.

Did the shoes get wet? First, remove your footbeds from the shoes and dry them separately. Stuff your shoes with kitchen paper or newspapers, or put in shoe spanners. Then let them air dry. Do not put them in front of a heat source. This will help the shoes keep their shape and keep the leather supple.