Caring For Your Shoes

Congratulations on your choice of Barker Shoes.

Your Barker Shoes have been manufactured through a combination of design, quality materials and craftsmanship developed in over 130 years of shoemaking. They have been created using high-grade leathers which and will benefit from the following recommendations.

• We endeavour to make our shoes as comfortable as possible the first time you wear them, however, due to the durable nature of the Goodyear welted construction we would always advise that any new pair of shoes should be worn for short periods of time, to begin with to allow for bedding-in and to avoid discomfort.
• We would advise against the application of polish or shoe cream on Patent finished shoes. These finishes can be cleaned by wiping with a damp cloth.
• Always use a shoe horn when putting on the shoes to maintain the back shape.
• On the first few occasions wear your shoes in dry conditions as new leather soles can become slippery on wet surfaces.
• We advise that you should not wear your shoes on successive days as the fine leathers used in their manufacture need 24 hours to dry out from natural perspiration.
• If your shoes become very wet they should be allowed to dry out fully for a few days away from any source of direct heat, such as fires, radiators or hot pipes. If leather is dried too quickly it can burn or become brittle which will greatly accelerate its wear.
• Dry shoes should be kept on shoe trees to maintain their looks and shape. We advise the use of unfinished aromatic cedar trees as they absorb any residual moisture whilst also imparting a pleasant aroma.
• Regular cleaning and polishing of your Barker shoes will maintain the suppleness of the leathers and enhance their good looks.
• We recommend that your shoes should be wiped clean before applying a good quality shoe cream or wax polish with a suitable brush. Once this has been allowed to dry, remove excess polish with a soft brush before buffing to a rich patina.
• For suede leathers remove any dirt when dry and brush up the nap using a suede brush.
• Our shoe uppers are made from natural materials and additional care should be taken into account for delicate leathers such as deerskin, kid and suede when wearing them. 
• We strongly recommend against the use of rubber additions to the soles or heels of your shoes as this will affect the comfort and balance of your shoes. It can also put excessive stress on the shoes which can, in turn, lead to premature wear.

Barker Shoes is proud to offer a full refurbishment service for most of its shoes, which can be stripped and reconstructed on the original last by the craftsmen who originally made them.

Barker Shoes offer many products which are designed to help you care for your Barker shoes which can be viewed within the Shoe Care section.