Blog » cleaning
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How do I look after my Arche items?
Keeping your Arche shoes beautiful!
The manufacture of Arche creations in our workshops involves around one hundred skilled actions per shoe. Only two or three actions are necessary to keep them beautiful.
NUBUCKS
Arche nubucks have been carefully selected from our European suppliers and are made from calf leather; the grain has been polished to achieve their soft feel and typical velvet finish.
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If some of our nubucks have received waterproof treatment, we recommend that for most of them, you apply a water-proofing treatment yourself to maintain the quality of their finish. To do this, we recommend the regular application of a specific waterproofing spray.
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To maintain their finish and remove dust, simply clean them gently with a soft brush (nylon bristles) or a more abrasive suede brush (use with care).
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To deal with any superficial stains, it is best to gently clean with soapy water - preferably Marseilles soap - taking care to rinse the area you have cleaned with clean water. Once dry (in open-air and away from a source of heat), finish the cleaning process by brushing the nubuck, it will thus recover its distinctive finish.
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We recommend the use of fine china clay for oily stains.
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Be careful to never use shoe-wax on nubucks, this will damage their velvet finish.
SMOOTH LEATHERS
The smooth leathers are made from skins produced by the finest European suppliers; they are all full-grain calfskin, lambskin, bull calf-skin and deer-skin leather, treated to achieve the correct grain effect.
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We recommend the regular application of a suitable water-proofing treatment to protect its refined finish. We recommend the use of leather-care cream or lotion products to maintain their typical softness and colour.
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Use a soft cloth or brush to remove dust.
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For superficial stains, apply soapy water - preferably Marseilles soap - or a suitable leather shampoo to the affected area and then rinse with clean water. After leaving to dry in a ventilated area away from any source of heat, you should apply a specific leather nourishing cream and then polish with a woollen cloth or a reversed sheepskin glove.
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Please note, the choice of a high-quality shoe-wax is essential to avoid damaging the leather's softness and colour.
PATENT LEATHERS
Our patent leathers are rigorously selected for their softness, the full-grain calf-skin leathers are treated with a smooth varnish.
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The use of a face-cleansing cream is appropriate to maintain their shine.
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Alcohol-free skin-cleansing wipes can be used to remove dust and clean patent leather.
DESIGNER LEATHERS
Our designer leathers, whether with a printed finish or applied designs, are made from European origin full-grain calf-skin leather.
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Regular use of a leather water-proofing product is suitable to maintain their shine. Apply a specific leather nourishing cream to maintain resistance, softness and the brilliance of their colours; however, be sure to try the product first on a hidden part of the shoe to ensure that it doesn't smear the leather.
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Use a soft cloth or brush to remove dust from these designer leathers.
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Apply soapy water - preferably Marseilles soap - or a suitable leather shampoo to the affected area and then rinse with clean water to remove superficial stains. After leaving to dry in a ventilated area away from any source of heat, you should apply a specific leather nourishing cream and then polish with a woollen cloth or a reversed sheepskin glove.
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Please note, shoe-wax may alter the printed finishes and should not be used at all.
SOLES
Our creations generally have soles made from a soft material: Lactae Hevea®, Formula Natural®, latex or rubber.
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The organic nature of soles made from pure hevea milk may sometimes lead to the apparition of white marks. Use a lint-free cloth with a bit of lemon juice or colourless vinegar to make these go away.
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Use soapy water as indicated to clean all soles.
Please note, chemical solvents will deteriorate the material of the soles: we strongly suggest that you do not use them.
What do I do if the colour fades?
The colours used by Arche each season are applied in dye baths during the tanning process resulting in a beautiful colour impregnated throughout the leather keeping their natural beauty. The intense colours of our creations come from the much sought-after subtle feel of our leathers are proof of their nature and authenticity.
Surface treatments are avoided to maintain the beautiful nature of these unique skins. Their colour intensity and pliable nature is therefore ideal, especially with our nubucks with their unique finish.
This degree of quality may sometimes lead to a slight transfer to other items of clothing or the skin which may be amplified by the acidity of the skin or residual dust on the surface after the polishing of the grain of the nubuck skins. This is a simple transfer and is not serious. A little soap and water is usually enough to remove any such marks on the skin. Avoid prolonged contact with water; humidity may increase any such transfer of the colours to clothing. Prolonged exposure to light-sources may fade the colour of the leather over time.
How durable is Arche footwear?
Our creations are developed to meet the highest quality standards, specifically those concerning the selection of raw materials.
All of our leathers are sourced from European suppliers, each of which respect all applicable ethical standards and respect the environment in the production of their premium leathers.
To ensure the typically brilliant colours which make up our Arche DNA our carefully selected suppliers use traditional tanning processes which are covered by the European REACH standards.
All of our creations are developed in our French creation studio which has been based in the Val de Loire region since 1968. The largest part of our creations are manufactured at the same site near to the city of Tours, a very small part of our collections are produced in other European workshops which we carefully supervise ourselves.
Every one of our creations is subjected to a final quality control process in our Chateau- Renault workshops before arriving in your hands.
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How To Clean, Protect, And Revive Your Shoes
It’s all well and good to go and purchase some quality, comfortable shoes, but if you don’t know how to protect and clean them properly, they won’t look good for long!
We share some products we stock at Grundy’s Shoes, to help clean, revive and protect your shoes.
Before using any of these products, it’s best to lay down a towel or newspaper where you’ll be working, to prevent any damage.
Brush any surface dirt and dust off of your shoes, and remove the laces, to prevent them from getting stains or product on them.
El Naturalista SeaCream - $19.95
The El Naturalista SeaCream is made of natural waxes, vegetable oils and algae. It is ideal for reviving the colour and touch of your shoes, while softening and regenerating them at the same time. If your shoes are starting to lose their glow, use some of this and you’ll be pleased with the results!
Please note the original shade, texture and colour of the leather may slightly change due to the moisturising of the leather, and should only be used occasionally.
How to use: First, remove dirt and dust gently using a brush or cloth. Dab the provided sponge into the SeaCream and rub in circular motions, all over the upper of the shoes. Leave to dry naturally.
El Naturalista SeaCream - $19.95
Waproo Suede and Nubuck Nylon Brush - $8.80
This little gadget is one of our favourites, as it’s a versatile rubber and bristled brush, specifically designed to clean suede and nubuck leathers.
How to use:
Bristle side - Use to clean and raise the nap of suede leather
Rubber pile side - Use to clean and raise nap of nubuck leather
Ribbed edge - Use for cleaning hard to reach areas (eg. where shoe upper meets sole)
Round chisel edge - Use to erase marks from suede or nubuck
Waproo Suede and Nubuck Nylon Brush - $8.80
ECCO Care Cream – Transparent & Black - $14.95
This gentle, water-based cream is light enough for daily use, and can be used on all smooth, grained and aniline leathers.
It preserves and restores the colour to leathers, and leaves a protective finish against dirt and stains.
How to use: Using the sponge applicator, rub in circular motions over the shoes to restore and protect the leather.
ECCO Care Cream - Transparent & Black - $14.95
ECCO Universal Waterproofer - $19.95 In Store only
This waterproofer protective spray helps keep shoes clean, dry, and free from stains. It provides an invisible and breathable protective coating, and is suitable for use on smooth leather, suede, nubuck, and fabric.
How to use: Ensure all surface dirt and dust is wiped off with a soft cloth first. Spray 25cm away and leave for 15 mins to dry. Repeat process.
ECCO Universal Waterproofer - $19.95
Waproo Suede and Nubuck Cleaning Block - $12.95
A nifty little rubber cleaning block, used to remove stubborn marks from suede and nubuck leather.
How to use: Rub Waproo’s Cleaning Block over the area to be cleaned, then brush lightly to remove residue.
Waproo Suede & Nubuck Cleaning Block - $12.95
We hope this has helped, and given you some insight into how to care for, and rejuvenate your shoes!
Check out our other helpful blog posts, like Fitting Your FRANKiE4’s & Different Ways To Lace Your Shoes, here.
