We know COVID-19 is transmitted via direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person (through coughing and sneezing), and touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. But we also know that viruses and bacteria can attach to shoes and remain infectious there for several hours or days too.

As one can run the risk of bringing the virus home through footwear as well, its recommended to leave your shoes out of the home. But how can we disinfect our favourite pair of shoes? IANSlife spoke to Mr Ambud Sharma, Founder and CEO, Escaro Royale to get his tips and directions : Cleanliness is a vital factor when it comes to combating the spread of the virus. Therefore, it’s important to keep your luxury shoes disinfected as it costs a fortune.

Most of the times, we all are used to spraying a quick spatter cleansers on a pair of trainers or sneakers, but this simply isn’t an option when attempting to sanitize your pure leather shoes and luxury footwear. This needs to be held delicately and therefore it's not simply only about sanitizing the shoes. Disinfecting kills germs and bacteria with the help of a suitable chemical or cleaner.

Always remember to clean your shoes before disinfecting them. Get rid of the dirt and grime out of the soles and side of a shoe using disposable wipes. You just need to pull one from the pack and use it to remove dust and dirt, while de-odourizing your footwear. The wipes are also great for shining shoes and removing scuff marks too.

Use an aerosol disinfectant meant for fabrics. It has a lower content of disinfectant chemicals such as cetone and bleach, which is likely to stain some fabrics. Ensuring that you’re using an aerosol and not a manual pump spray is also essential, as the application won’t be uniform.

After applying the disinfectant, let the shoes dry at room temperature in a clean environment with no sunlight. Let those designer shoes breathe in a new life!

If you have leather and suede shoes, then you can clean it using a suede eraser. It can be used in removing any kind of dust, dirt or dry stains on suedes and are designed especially for this particular type of leather. You can also use leather cleaners for the same.

Wet shoes are more prone to bacteria. So, if your shoes get wet, it’s important to dry your shoes properly to make sure you don’t cause any damage or let those germs penetrate. The best option here is to let your shoes dry naturally, but if you want to catalyse the process, stuff them with tissue or newspaper to grasp the moisture. If you’re using newspaper, try to avoid sheets with lots of dark ink or pictures, this will help avoid the ink bleeding on to your shoes.

At last, do not forget to wear gloves when handling potentially contaminated objects, including when disinfecting shoes. After disinfecting your footwear, immediately throw disposable gloves away. The reusable gloves can be stored in a separate laundry basket.

Remember to avoid using your luxury shoes to a place which you think can be contaminated, until you can have it professionally cleaned and disinfected.