In the article, we will systematically comb through the high-frequency misunderstanding zone and analyze the technological barrier and scenario matching to provide an operating strategy for the global laundry shop practitioners.
With the global shoes market transforming to the high-end and functional stages, customers’ requirements for shoe cleaning have developed from basic dirt removal to material protection, service life extension, and aesthetic repair.
However, the damage rate caused by the improper operation in the family self-care accounts for 43%. It creates opportunities for differentiated competition for the laundry shops.
- North America Market:
The return rate for secondary damage caused by improper household operations was 11.4%, directly pushing up laundry repair orders by 28%.
- Asia Pacific Market:
Complaints about glue coming apart after self-washing account for 38% of the total complaints about shoes. Stores have to invest an additional 0.6 to 1.2 working hours per pair to reapply the glue.
Common Misunderstandings and Correct Methods
- High-frequency incorrect operation
Over-time soaking: The canvas shoes tend to come apart after being soaked for more than 2 hours (better no more than 20 minutes).
Directly drying the shoes with strong sunlight: the high temperature resulting from direct sunlight or a hair dryer will cause the upper of the shoes to crack, and the glue to come apart.
Abuse of cleaning agents: The laundry powders contain phosphorus, which can make the white shoes become yellow. The alkaline cleaning agents will erode the fibers of the natural furs.
- Right solutions
- The soaking time
The soaking time control is the key point of the precautions. According to the experimental data, soaking the canvas shoes for more than 2 hours will accelerate the aging of the adhesive. The risk of delamination increases by 300%. The scientific operating standards require that the soaking time be controlled to 20 minutes.
- The drying process
The technological misunderstandings in the drying process cannot be neglected. The direct sunlight or the high-temperature drying of the hair dryer will make the fibers on the shoe upper lose elasticity and crack. At the same time, it can cause the rubber sole to expand and contract due to temperature changes, leading to delamination. Natural ventilation and air-drying are the safest drying methods.
- Selection of detergent
There is a significant cognitive blind spot in the selection and use of cleaning agents. The phosphorus component in phosphorus-containing laundry detergent will combine with calcium and magnesium ions in water to form precipitates. Long-term adhesion can cause white shoes to turn yellow. Strong alkaline cleaners (pH value > 9) will damage the structure of dermal fibers, causing the leather to harden and crack. When washing shoes at home, people should use neutral special cleaning agents (pH value 6-8), and cleaning tools should be matched according to the material characteristics. E.g., a soft-bristled brush should be used for suede shoes, and a sponge should be used to gently wipe for mesh shoes to avoid mechanical damage.
Analysis of the Core Differences between Professional and Home Shoe Cleaning Services
- Sterilization effect
According to the comparison data of the effect presentation dimension, professional shoe cleaning services can achieve a sterilization rate of over 99% through systematic processes. Combined with professional brighteners and shaping techniques, they can effectively extend the service life of shoes by more than 30%. Household cleaning can only remove surface stains. In areas such as the creases at the toe of shoes and the gaps at the edges, it is easy to form cleaning dead corners, and the sterilization effect is less than 50%.
- Risk control system
Their risk control systems differ essentially.
Professional institutions establish a full-process quality inspection mechanism, covering pre-treatment steps such as material testing, aging degree assessment, and detergent compatibility tests, and eliminate the risk of chemical residues through technical means such as acid neutralization.
Household cleaning is entirely dependent on personal experience and judgment. There is a lack of scientific basis for handling special materials, and the operation error rate is as high as 65%.
- Applicable scene
The precise classification of the applicable scene is the key to improving the quality and efficiency. The professional services should focus on the luxury shoes, shoes made of special materials (suede, leather), limited edition collectibles, and shoes with severe stains. Household cleaning is suitable for daily wear of simple shoe styles (canvas shoes and sports mesh shoes, forming a specialized division of labor and complementarity.)
The Service Upgrade Passage in the Laundry Shop
Establishing the scientific consumption guidance system is the responsibility of the industry. The customers should be told specifically the washing priority order: high-value shoes, delicate materials (suede/genuine leather), and special customized products (hand-painted craft shoes) must be handed to the professional institution for treatment. The guidance must teach the customers to master the selection standard of the shops. The shops must have professional facilities (blue light disinfection equipment and acid treatment systems), and resolutely resist the extensive business model of “mixed washing without classification”.
Conclusion
According to the industrial research, the determining factors of the service life of the shoes are 70% lies in the wearing habits and 30% lies in the cleaning and care. For laundry shop operators, the technological barrier to professional services should be strengthened. They should establish the core competitiveness by material identification training, specialized process R&D, and standardized service process. Also, they can produce the household cleaning agents to build a mode of professional services and customer education, developing together, which together promote the footwear maintenance industry to move towards standardization and professionalization.
