BOOTS AND SHOES Care of Boots and Shoes. — The great enemy of leather, especially patent leather, is heat. Extreme heat tends to rob the leather of its vital ity and causes it to break and crack. Damp shoes should never be placed near a stove to dry, since if heated enough to give off the characteristic odor of leather they may be singed and ruined. Rubber overshoes also tend to destroy the strength of leather by retaining the animal heat. Hence they should not be worn more than is necessary.
To Dry Shoes.—Place damp shoes on their sides in a warm room, in a draught of dry air if possible, but not near a fire.
Or heat bran or sand and with this fill two old stockings, tying the tops tightly. Put the shoes on these as on shoe trees.
Or stuff the wet shoes full of dry crumpled newspaper.
To Restore Softness to Leather.— Rub boots or shoes, that have become hard from being wet, with neat's-foot oil or castor oil as warm as the hands will bear. Apply with a sponge and rub it in with the fingers.
To Preserve Boots and Shoes. Pour a little boiled linseed oil in a tin pan or plate, and let the shoes stand in this until the soles are sat urated. This oil dries rapidly and renders the soles tough and hard. But do not apply linseed oil to the upper leathers. Use neat's-foot oiI or castor oil for this purpose, to render them soft and pliable. Apply to the seams a good waterproof varnish by means of a feather or pencil brush. Keep the upper leathers clean and oil oc casionally before polishing. Go over the bottom and edges of the soles occasionally with one or two coats of hard white copal or other varnish. Boots and shoes treated in this way will last much longer than usual and be practically impervious to moisture.
To Clean Boots and Shoes.—Pro vide three good brushes, one hard to brush off the mud, another soft to apply blacking, and a third of medi um hardness for polishing. If cov ered with mud, wash off the dirt with a damp sponge, dry, and rub with ncat's-foot oil before polishing. Do
not scrape off the mud with a knife. Use a stiff brush rather than a knife to clean mud from the seams.
Once a week rub leather shoes at night with milk. Polish next morning as usual. Milk freshens the leather. To clean upper leathers, mix 1 ounce of oxalic acid with 1 ounce of white vitriol, and dilute with 1 pints of water. Wash the leather, apply this mixture with a sponge, and rinse with a sponge wet in a little dear water containing a teaspoonful of ammonia to neutralize the acid.
Or wash with clear water. When nearly dry, rub with kerosene or mixture of equal parts of kerosene and glycerin.
Care of Boots and Shoes. — Have two or more pairs, and wear them al ternately to let the leather dry and rest. When not in use, keep them on wooden shoe trees.
Or make homemade shoe trees by filling a pair of thick socks or stock ings that fit the feet with fine, clean sawdust or bran, and tie the tops tightly. These shoe trees will absorb the perspiration and keep the shoes in perfect shape. The socks can be emptied, washed, and refilled when necessary. These shoe trees can be easily made and are a great aid in preserving shoes. On taking the shoes off, stretch out the wrinkles and bend the soles straight. Keep buttons sewed on and set back as far as is comfort able for the foot. If the heels be come worn, have them straightened at once.
Shoe Cleaner. — A large, coarse scrubbing brush hanging near the kitchen door is good and cheap shoe cleaner in muddy weather, es pecially when children are running in and out.
Or nail or screw a coarse-fibered scrubbing brush, bristle side up, to the edge of the doorstep.
Tight Shoes.—If the soles of shoes are of the right size, but the uppers do not quite fit the foot, put on the shoes and sponge the uppers with hot water, letting the shoes dry on the feet.
Or lay a folded cloth wet in hot water over the spot that pinches. Re peat several times if necessary.