A good pair of leather shoes can be priceless, especially once they are worn in and comfortable. However, normal wear and tear can break down a shoe before its time. Tears, rips and cracks in leather shoes can occur for a variety of reasons, but they can be quickly and easily mended with a leather repair kit. A leather repair can extend the life of your favorite leather shoes significantly.

Wipe the shoes clean with soap and water. You want to remove all dust and debris before attempting to repair a tear.

Examine the tear on your leather shoe to determine if it is deep or shallow. If the tear is as wide as your index finger, a base cloth will likely be necessary. If it appears more like a crack, the base will not be necessary. Refer to your leather repair kit for further detail.

Stuff the shoe’s toe with newspaper or old socks to keep it rigid during the repair.

Cut the base cloth to a size slightly larger than the tear. Place the base cloth underneath the tear using tweezers, carefully stuffing the edges of the cloth into the tear. If the tear is shallow, skip this step.

Apply the leather cream to the tear and rub it in, as per the instructions included with the leather repair kit. Allow the cream to dry.

Repeat the process of adding cream until the tear has completely disappeared.

Buff a neutral shoe polish over the entire shoe, to create a uniform shine.

Allow the shoes to dry for 24 hours before wearing.