When to Do It Yourself

You’re not quite ready to hand tool a pair of loafers, but you can do your own quick fixes to solve these common shoe problems.

Scratched Leather

The Solution: Camouflage scratches on black or brown shoes with a matching fine Sharpie pen, then apply a cream polish in the same color. Buff the leather with an old T-shirt, then top off the job with a horsehair brush (plastic bristles leave marks).
What to Use: Meltonian Shoe Cream, about $3 at shoe-repair shops. Horsehair brush, $7, www.joesshoeservice.com.

Salt Stains

The Solution: To remove salt marks on leather or suede, Ada Hopkins, a conservator at the Bata Shoe Museum, in Toronto, recommends using a soft sponge dipped in a solution of one cup of water and one teaspoon of white vinegar.
What to Use: White vinegar (16 ounces), about $1 at supermarkets.

Bad Odor

The Solution: Shoe deodorants with odor-absorbing ingredients, like baking soda and charcoal, will help. But your best bet is to “wear them on alternate days to give them time to dry out,” says Tom Adams, owner of Tom’s Shoe Repair, in Mineral Point, Wisconsin.
What to Use: Odor-Eaters Foot & Sneaker Spray Powder, $6 at drugstores.

Water Damage

The Solution: If you get caught in a downpour, place your rain-soaked shoes on cedar shoe trees (cedar absorbs moisture) as soon as you get home. Make sure they’re at least a few feet away from a direct heat source so they can dry naturally.
What to Use: Cedar shoe trees, $17, .

Shoes That Are Too Small

The Solution: Spray-on shoe-stretching liquid makes leather more pliable, says Howard Davis, a professor of footwear design at Parsons the New School for Design, in New York City. Saturate your shoes with the spray, then wear them around the house for about a half hour.
What to Use: Premier Shoe Stretch, $3, www.shoeshinekit.com.

Shoes That Are Too Large

The Solution: Insert Spenco pads, which have a thick, flat insole and a heel grip in the back to fill out a shoe that’s a bit too big. “Your shoe will feel a half-size smaller,” says Ramuta. Note: These pads work only with closed shoes, like pumps and boots — not sandals.
What to Use: Spenco Heel Supports, about $20, www.spenco.com for store locations.

Dry, Brittle Leather

The Solution: Perspiration usually keeps leather lubricated, but if your shoes have been sitting in storage over the summer, you can apply cream polish or mink oil to restore them. And if patent-leather pumps have lost their shine, use Windex or Pledge, says Nick Valenti.
What to Use: Meltonian Mink Oil, $4, www.shoeshinekit.com.