You have always trusted your good old pair of fine leather shoes for all the important occasions in your life. Be it impressing your potential employer or finalizing that business deal or meeting your girlfriend's parents, you can always rely on them to make an impression. Polishing your leather shoes daily isn't enough. As these are different from regular shoes, you need to protect them in a distinct manner. Here are a few steps that you must follow in order to preserve them for a longer time. Cleaning After using your shoes, clean them with a piece of cloth and a brush. Avoid wearing them during the monsoon, but if you do, clean them thoroughly after use because if the mud dries up on the shoes, it might result in flaking of the leather. You can use cleaning solutions like creams, gels, foams, and sprays to clean the grime inside the shoe crevices. Conditioning For this, you can either opt for a good quality shoe conditioner available in the market or you can use petroleum jelly. Dab some petroleum jelly on the shoe, and wipe it in circular motions with a soft cloth. Condition your shoes at least once a week to retain the shine. Select the conditioner according to the texture of the leather. Dry the shoes properly after conditioning them. Polishing Do not compromise on the quality of the polish and use a branded one to shine your shoes. Polish them regularly depending upon the usage. A fresh coat of polish can completely change the look of old, worn-out shoes. Do not try to change the color of your footwear by using a different shoe polish. Get it done from a shoe repair shop instead. Storing If you don't use your leather footwear often, store them in a proper way. Dust some talcum powder on the insole of the shoes and cover it with a paper napkin. Wrap them carefully in a paper, without disturbing their shape, and store them in a cloth bag. Protecting Leather footwear is likely to catch fungal infestation. In order to prevent this, do not store them immediately and allow them to dry after use. Even if they do get covered in fungus, get rid of it using a toothbrush and soap solution. Clean the crevices properly and make sure that no trace of fungus is left. Dry the shoes in bright sunlight.