By Ann Musheno, News Correspondent

After trudging through ankle-deep slush puddles and heavily-salted sidewalks, many shoes and boots are showing the tell-tale signs of a rough winter.

“My black boots have been destroyed by the amount of salt,” said freshman international affairs major Lauren Whetstone.

After shoes get that white powdery residue on them, Whetstone said she sees no point in cleaning them because the same thing will just happen again the next day. However, Frank Rinaldi of Rinaldi’s Park Square Shoe Repair said salt stains should be taken care of immediately.

Salt ruins leather by drying it out, he said, resulting in erosion and cracking of the material. The longer salt sits, the worse the damage will be. When shoes or boots are in this briny predicament, action should be taken.

An article on Good Housekeeping’s website recommends removing the salt from leather with a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water, dabbing the solution with a rag.

Afterwards, wipe the leather down with a water-dampened cloth, dry with a towel, and then buff the material with a soft cloth.

If suede gets wet, it is more likely to lose its texture, so the tips used to preserve leather boots cannot be used.

For removing the salt and water stains from suede as well as restoring the material’s texture, Rinaldi said to use a suede brush and block. The brush and block can be purchased together for $4.69 at CVS.

But removing salt stains yourself can prove to be frustrating, freshman business major Julia Dunton said.

“Multiple pairs of my shoes have been destroyed by the salt,” she said. “I’ve tried to wipe off the salt. It was a futile attempt.”

Rinaldi cautions against using water on suede or leather, which results in the material drying out more. Rather, he recommends removing the salt with a product designed for cleaning shoes, such as Lincoln E-Z cleaner. This product costs $7 at his shop and is advertised to work on suede, leather, vinyl, linen, canvas, nylon and satin.

After shoes are clean, they should be treated with a water protector such as Kiwi brand water protectors, $9.29. This will help protect shoes from salt and water stains in the future.

If these do-it-yourself solutions are not fixing the problem, take the shoes to a repair shop, like Rinaldi’s, where experts trained to fix these kinds of problems will clean, shine and protect footwear.

If all of these options simply seem to be too much of a nuisance, invest in a pair of rubber boots that will not have to be cleaned afterwards, and save the good shoes for better weather.

Shoe Repair Shops and price estimates for cleaning and protecting:

Rinaldi’s Park Square Shoe Repair

31 Saint James Ave.

617-426-6480

Prices for cleaning range between $10 and $20

Symphony Cleaners and Tailors

295 Huntington Ave.

617-778-5500

Prices for cleaning range between $8 and $30

Beacon Hill Shoe Repair

126 Bowdoin St.

617-367-0434

Prices available upon request.