5 tips to maintain your ballet shoes

Mar 4 / OnlineBalletClass


A ballerina often needs new pointe shoes. Because the glue softens, the shoes are no longer stiff enough after a while. If your pointe shoes no longer provide sufficient support, you can seriously injure yourself. Every ballet dancer has her own trick to maintain her pointe shoes. To make your pointe shoes last longer, OnlineBalletClass has some helpful tips: reinforce your shoes, let them dry, put them in the fridge, protect them with overshoes, and clean them carefully.

Tip 1: harden your ballet shoes

To prevent your pointe shoes from wearing out too quickly, you can reinforce the tip, the surface on which you rest most often. Apply a coat of clear nail polish to the tips of your pointe shoes to make them firmer. Then rub them with resin to prevent slipping!

Tip 2: let them dry

During a dance class your feet sweat in your shoes. The moisture that remains can damage your pointe shoes. Therefore, never forget to let them dry well after a lesson. Put them in a dry place, but certainly not on the heating! It's also not a bad idea to have two pairs of shoes.

Tip 3: put them in the fridge

If your pointe shoes get a bit too soft, you can put them in the fridge ... they will come out much stronger! Cold has a positive effect on your pointe shoes, so they last longer. Heat, on the other hand, is very bad, which makes the sole and the toe block softer.

Tip 4: use shoe covers

They are very easy to put on and allow you to practice your dance steps without damaging your shoes. Very handy equipment for going on the stage with elegant pointe shoes.

Tip 5: clean your ballet shoes

Rub your pointe shoes very gently with a damp cloth to clean and remove visible stains. Do not forget to impregnate them regularly to keep them nice and clean.

Leather ballet slippers can easily be spot cleaned. Sometimes just a soft, damp cloth will do.For a deeper cleaning, use a mild detergent or dish soap. There are two ways to do this:
1) rub a drop of detergent onto the soiled shoe and then wipe it clean with a soft, dry cloth or toothbrush or
2) add a few drops of detergent into a cup of water and mix until sudsy, then apply to shoe with a soft cloth.

Leather cleaner can also be used but be sure to apply a conditioner to keep the leather supple. Other commonly-used methods include using melamine foam (more popularly known as a Mr. Clean eraser), or Windex (sprayed onto a paper towel or cloth, not directly on the shoes) to clean your leather slippers.

Never put leather ballet shoes in the washing machine!!

Canvas ballet slippers can be cleaned in the washing machine. It’s best to wash them as you might other delicates: put them in a small lingerie bag and wash on cold, delicate cycle with a mild detergent. Don’t use fabric softener or bleach products.

DO NOT tumble your canvas ballet shoes in the dryer. Reshape them and lay them out on a towel to dry.
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