Shoe repair: DIY expert shoe repair tips you can do at home

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From broken heels to worn-out soles, here's the 411 👠🔨

Shoe repair is one of those areas that feels likes the domain of shoe specialists and cobblers only. And, to be fair, that is often still the case. If your shoes looks like they're worse for wear, they might need some expert TLC to bring them back to life. But cobblers aren't always needed. In fact, there are a handful of DIY shoe repair tricks you can use to give your footwear an instant makeover, which can save you a trip to the shops (along with some precious £s).

Having said that, if we're doing our own repairs, we want an expert's advice on how to do it right. So who better to ask for tips than Sagar Mehra, Head of Restoration at ShoeSpa (a luxury shoe restoration store and online service), to help compile this handy guide?

"Although we see the tail end of a lot of shoe emergencies (and are always happy to take care of your favourite pair professionally), if you can't get your shoes to us right away, there are some things you can do to limit and lessen the damage," explains Mehra. "Here are a few techniques you can use at home:"

Repairing heels at home often depends on how severe the damage is. The more significant the damage, the more likely you are to need to take it to a specialist.

If you've already tried gluing your heels and they still won't stay in place, it's likely a job for the cobbler or a specialist.

For heels that look distressed and 'past their best', take a look in your wardrobe and see if you have a spare pair of these little gems (AKA 'shoe dowels' or 'shoe caps') left in your shoe boxes:

They're actually replacement tips for the end of your high heels! To swap them over, simply grab a pair of pliers and gently shimmy the existing dowel out of the end of the heel. Then, grab the new one and gently put it back in, using your fingers to line it up in position, and then a hammer to secure it in place.

Don't have pliers or a hammer, or feel nervous about taking a tools to your favourite shoes? Then you can always take them to an expert for a professional finish.

Note: This is only for high heels, but you can also buy similar replacements for flat boots, if needed.

Mehra recommends doing two things to prevent problems and extend the lifespan of your shoes:

"Naturally, wine and coffee are some of the most common stains we see, but short of taking your shoes to a professional, a quick rescue at home is possible," explains Mehra. Here's how:

"Cleaning leather shoes can be tricky as you really have to determine the type of leather before getting to work on it," explains Mehra, "but if you’re in need of quick and easy results that work across the board, try the following technique at home to help remove any dirt or stains on leather."

Note: Suede and leather need to be cleaned differently. Click here for our specialised how-to suede shoes cleaning guide.

"Freshening up your soles every so often is a really good idea to help your shoes maintain their grip as they won't be clogged with debris, it improve their hygiene (especially if you wear shoes indoors), and it makes your shoes look almost as good as new" adds Mehra.

Whatever you do, don't put your shoes in the washing machine - this can cause long term damage for both the shoes and your machine.

If the soles of your shoes are missing, or so worn down that they need replacing, you can easily buy a replacement pair online and switch them over.

Here's how to do it:

If you don't already have one, we recommend investing in a quality shoe repair kit to keep your footwear in tip-top condition between trips to the cobbler.

Here's a handy kit with all the necessary bits and bobs, available on Amazon:

Note: All repairs are done at the readers' own risk. If you're in any doubt, follow the instruction manual for each product and consult a specialist.

Follow Natasha on Instagram.

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