Gilles Plourde is the third generation Plourde to run the shoe repair shop at 431 Water Street East in Cornwall. We caught up with him to ask him about winter boot maintenance.
Gilles’ non-negotiable rules
- Clean, polish, protect, repeat.
- For each of these steps, always test on an inconspicuous spot (like the arch).
- When storing, use a shoe tree or stuff your boots with grocery bags, a small towel or even some newspaper.
Smooth Leather
When new
Use a dry cloth to rub entire leather surface with mink oil before wearing.
Every two weeks
- Wash with a damp cloth (use water or leather cleaner).
- Polish* (Tana cream or Kiwi paste are Gilles’ favourites).
- Spray with leather protector or re-apply mink oil.
*Polish can be done every four weeks.
Suede & Nubuck
When new
Spray with a suede/ nubuck protector before wearing.
Every two weeks
- Wash with water and white vinegar. For bad stains, use undiluted vinegar.
- For suede, use a suede brush to keep texture fresh. For nubuck, no brushing or polishing.
- Spray with leather protector.
