Begin a program of cleaning, conditioning, polishing and weatherproofing your shoes. Buy quality shoes. In an average day, a person takes about 8,000 steps. If he is 170 pounds, the daily force that accumulates on his feet is nearly 700 tons! Spend a few extra dollars for shoes that will give you the support you need. Always buy new shoes in the evening. Feet increase in size by 5-8% by the end of the day. Use cedar shoe trees to keep shoes looking their best. Cedar's unique wicking action absorbs moisture, acid and salt, thereby reducing cracking and deterioration of leather. Cornstarch will help remove foot odor. For a less messy application use an anti-odor insole, shoe deodorant powder or spray. Extend the life of your shoes with protective soles. These are very thin rubber soldes applied over the sole of the shoe to make it longer wearing. SUEDE and NUBUCK The best way to keep these materials in good condition is preventive maintenance. Before you wear the shoes, you should protect them with a water and stain repellent made specifically for suede and nubuck. When water no longer beads up on the shoes, apply the repellent again. Use a rubber-tipped brush regularly to restore the nap and remove surface dirt before it sets in. Be gentle brushing nubuck. It is softer than suede and is easily damaged. With oiled nubuck, use a nubuck conditioner regularly to replace the oils that wear takes out. If you get a stain, remove it immediately with a solvent-based cleaner made specifically for suede or nubuck. Oil absorbing blocks are available for this purpose.