Expert: Cindy Kwah, 35, brand manager of the Jimmy Choo boutique, Level 2 Takashimaya

Leather: A spray guard prevents water stains, dust and dirt from seeping into leather shoes easily. Spray it on before you wear them for the first time. Air shoes in an open area without direct sunlight for three hours after wearing them. Do not dry under direct heat. Refrain from wearing the same shoes on consecutive days to allow them to 'breathe'.

Patent: Patent leather is a beautiful material but needs special care. Once you have scuffed your patent shoes, it is best to seek the help of professional cobblers. Keep patent shoes apart from other shoes as most materials will stick to them. Don't let the surfaces of the shoes touch as this could leave a stain. Leather should also be kept separate as its colour could transfer onto the patent material permanently.

Exotic skins: Different types of animal skin require different ways of maintenance. The most common type is snake skin. It is scaly, so be careful not to tear the scales.

Use a spray guard before wearing. After wearing, use a soft, slightly damp cloth to wipe the shoes. Do not rub too hard or the scales will be torn or damaged. Thereafter, leave the shoes to dry naturally for three hours.

Metallic: There is no proven method to maintain the sheen of metallic shoes. The lustre is a coating over normal leather and this will wear off over time. As such, the lifespan of metallic shoes is shorter than that of normal leather shoes.

Expert: Webster Tan, 34, owner of Master Fix in four locations such as Paragon, which handles repairs for most of the international shoe brands here

Leather: For light-coloured leather, apply a waterproof protector. We recommend Dicon-II with mink oil, $24.90, a multi-purpose leather care cream that is a cleaner, softener and moisturiser and can be used on patent too. Department stores and shoe shops stock other brands as well.

Dark-coloured leather does not suffer from water marks as lacquer is used in the processing, which forms a waterproof layer. If water spots do occur, apply shoe polish and cream to cover them up. Scuff marks can also be removed with wax and polish. But this has to be done professionally as machines are used in this process. This service costs from $8.

Patent: Patent shoes have a layer of plastic on top so once you penetrate this layer by scuffing it or when fungus spots appear, the shoe is beyond repair. Although patent shoes do not need a protective spray, you can use patent spray to restore the shine. Department stores and shoe shops offer patent sprays which are usually priced from $8 to $30.

Exotic skins: Use mink oil to soften the skins. This oil is expensive, but very effective. We use Columbus mink oil which can be bought from Master Fix or department stores. It is priced from $13.90 to $24.90 and prevents fungus and stains. We try to conceal cracks with wax or sew on a piece of shoe lining or skin on the underside. We also advise clients to apply mink oil to soften leather.

Metallic: It is hard to sustain the shine and the shoes discolour easily. All metallic shoes, even designer ones, have this problem. Silver shoes tend to turn black while gold shoes become spotty. We provide a service (priced from $45) in which we spray on a new metallic covering. We also do touch ups (from $5 to $15), but this depends on whether we have the colours that match the original.