What is the purpose of a shoe tree and what are the benefits?
If you are a regular frequenter of our blog, you will know that, at Cheaney, we are keen advocates of the shoe tree. If you’re investing in a good quality pair of shoes, you want to look after them properly to help them last for a long time. Using shoe trees is essential for extending the life of your shoes and keeping them looking as good as the day you bought them. Here is our guide on why you should incorporate shoe trees into your shoe care regime, how to use them and frequently asked questions answered.
Table of contents
- What is the purpose of a shoe tree?
- How long should shoe trees be left in?
- What happens if I don’t use shoe trees?
- Do you put shoe trees in boots?
- Are shoe trees good for trainers?
- Can shoe trees damage shoes?
- Can shoe trees fix creases?
What is the purpose of a shoe tree?
The primary purpose of a shoe tree is to keep your shoes from bending out of shape during storage. It will hold your shoe in the correct position to hold its shape and help smooth out any creases or wrinkles created while walking. As a result of proper care, your shoe will look less worn and stay in a comfortable shape.
Secondly, our wooden shoe trees will help absorb moisture and odours for your shoes, keeping them smelling fresh and drying them out if they get damp. The wood wicks away sweat, acids and salts, leaving a wonderful cedar wood smell. The oil from the wood also has anti-bacterial properties to prevent the growth of unpleasant bacteria.
If you want to wear your shoes without socks, for example, a pair of loafers in the summer, the oil from your foot sweat can cause your shoes to smell. Use our shoe trees to absorb the oils to avoid smelly shoes.
If you get leather shoes wet, the leather can warp and shrink as they dry. Use a shoe tree to ensure that your damp shoes dry into the correct shape.
You can also use them while polishing your shoes so you don’t have to use your hand. The shoe trees provide a solid backing to polish and clean your shoe against.
How long should shoe trees be left in?
There is no limit to how long you should leave shoe trees in your shoes as long as you wear your shoes frequently. Leave shoe trees inside overnight to help preserve their original shape and stretch out any creases. If they have got wet, leave them in for at least 24 hours.
What happens if I don’t use shoe trees?
The short answer is they will have a shortened lifespan. Creases will stay prominent where your foot bends which may even cause the leather to crack over time, especially if they get wet and dry out too quickly. They might also smell due to moisture from your feet. Lastly, leather can warp and shrink over time. You can tell when someone doesn’t use a shoe tree because the toe box becomes curved at the front, which is not what you want.
Do you put shoe trees in boots?
You can use shoe trees in boots and reap the same benefits as using them with your leather shoes. However, to protect the entire boot shaft from warping or developing unwanted creases, you will need a specific boot tree with an extended portion to fill the boot shaft or you could just pad this area with newspaper.
Are shoe trees good for trainers?
You can use shoe trees for your trainers. They will provide the same benefits as your leather dress shoes. Use a cedar shoe tree to keep your leather trainers looking smart and smelling fresh.
Can shoe trees damage shoes?
Shoe trees will protect your shoes. However, if you incorrectly use them or use a poor-quality one, they can damage your shoes. For example, using an incorrectly-shaped shoe tree will warp your shoe out of shape. That’s why we have a separate shoe tree for our Imperial shoe collection, as the last shape for these shoes is much narrower.
Equally, not using the correct size shoe tree will also warp your shoe out of shape.
Using wooden shoe trees gives you the added benefit of absorbing moisture. If you use a plastic or synthetic shoe tree, you could risk trapping that moisture and causing mould to grow in your shoes.
Can shoe trees fix creases?
It is impossible to remove creases altogether. You would have to not wear your shoes to keep them crease-free. Nor can you fix shoe creases once you have worn your shoes. As you walk, your shoes will bend and adapt to your natural foot bend, as leather is a natural material.
However, you can reduce their prominence by regularly using a shoe tree after every wear. The shoe tree will smooth out inside or outside creases and wrinkles by manipulating the leather into its original shape.
Premium wooden shoe trees at Cheaney Shoes
We can’t express enough the importance of using shoe trees to keep your leather shoes in the best possible condition for the longest time possible. Discover the best pair of shoe trees for your leather shoes at Cheaney in our shoe tree collection. We highly recommend our Cedarwood shoe tree for its moisture-absorbing properties and phenomenal smell. And we also have a shoe tree specifically for your shoes from our Imperial collection to get the perfect fit.
Related articles