We are often asked about the best way to dry wet shoes.

Placing shoes on the heater, in the sun, or using a hairdryer. Heat dries out the leather, making it porous, and the sun can discolor the leather. These damages cannot be remedied later, even with care products.

Take off wet shoes as quickly as possible, as wet shoes can quickly lose their shape due to stress. So, take off your shoes, remove the laces, and open the shoe as wide as possible. For boots, open the zipper so that the shaft is open.

The gentlest way for the leather is to let your shoes dry at normal room temperature and ventilation. You can stuff wet shoes with newspaper, or alternatively with kitchen paper.

When stuffing the shoe or boot, pay attention to the shoe's original shape. Avoid stuffing the shoe so tightly that it deforms or gets dents, because leather, especially vegetable-tanned leather, is soft and easily deformable when wet.

If the paper has soaked up water and is damp, replace it with new paper. If the shoe is very wet, it can take one to two days for the shoe to be completely dry.

If your wet shoes have leather soles, you should hang them by their laces to dry. Alternatively, you can simply lay the shoes on their side. It is important that air can also reach the leather soles.

If the shoe is only slightly damp, it is advisable to put it on wooden shoe trees to remove any creases or dents. This will restore the shoe to its original shape.

In general, a good shoe tree is essential for maintaining the shape for as long as possible. Remember that shoes can not only get wet on the outside, but especially the secretion of perspiration means that after every use (but especially when it's hot), your shoes are damp inside. Immediately after wearing shoes, shoe trees made of cedar wood or untreated beech wood are extremely important. These absorb moisture and thus help to optimize the drying process. They should be used immediately after taking off the shoe (or boot) to maintain the fit. Without good shoe trees, even the best shoe quickly looks old and worn out.

Once your shoes are dry, never store them in a plastic bag or tightly sealed box. Your shoe will not be able to breathe, which will have a very bad effect on its lifespan. Simply leave your shoes in a well-ventilated room until you use them again.

If your handbag has been caught in a rain shower, there's no need to worry. First, carefully dab the bag with absorbent paper towels or kitchen roll, making sure not to rub the leather. Then, hang the bag over a chair back or, alternatively, by the shoulder strap over a hanger, which you then hang in such a way that the bag is ventilated from all sides. Let the bag dry in peace. Again, do not place it on a heater or use a hairdryer!

Similar to the bag, it is important that the leather jacket or leather trousers are evenly ventilated on all sides during drying. First, carefully dab off the moisture with kitchen paper - please do not rub. Then hang the leather jacket on a hanger. Hang the jacket so that it is well ventilated on all sides. Turn the jacket after approx. 1 day so that it can also dry on the inside. You've heard it so many times, but it cannot be repeated often enough: Under no circumstances should leather clothing be placed on a radiator or dried with a hairdryer.

Drying takes time, but the leather will thank you for it!