Environmental effects on leather shoes

[SuitedDx]

Have been thinking about this but I wonder if others' have thoughts about how factors such as humidity and temperature affect leather shoes. Here in NYC during the winter months, the heat can be very harsh in older brownstone flats. I wonder if the dry heat has any effect on leather, or the leathers are typically infused with enough oils that this is a non-issue.

 

[Arethusa406]

I sometimes think about the effect of transitioning from wet, cold NYC weather into the driver's seat of a heated car. The heat typically blows out at the feet, right on the shoes. And we've all heard lots of times not to do things like put fine leather shoes on top of a radiator, for example. Ahh... worry, fret, and bother... Polish frequently, I suppose, to keep the leather healthy.

 

[DWFII]



Polish frequently, I suppose, to keep the leather healthy.

Condition regularly, rather. Polish/waxes do help but only to repell incidental humidity.

Probably...esp. in NYC or other northern urban environments...the effects of sulfur in the air (and the rain) is more harmful than humidity or heat.

Getting a shoe wet...again esp. in northern climates, where salt or other chemicals may be used to melt ice... and then drying it quickly can result in pretty tenacious water and salt stains (some of the salt staining can be due to excess chromium salts in the leather).