Special treatments help keep boots and shoes waterproof. But before doing any weather-proofing treatment on footwear, do a little test to determine the type of material in the boots or shoes.

There are symbols frequently used in the industry that help. Genuine leather carries a symbol that resembles an animal pelt, and a diamond-shaped symbol in fur indicates laminated leather. A woven pattern is used for textiles and a single diamond shape stands for other materials that come under the description of so-called high-tech, said Claudia Schulz of Germany's shoe institute in Offenbach.

The second step is the selection of the right type of treatment. Benjamin Klemann, who has his own facility in Hamburg where high quality leather shoes are made, has a general rule of thumb.

"For fine leather the best thing to use is a waxy product, and for rough leather a rich cream," said Klemann. Whether a treatment containing a colouring agent is used depends on personal taste. "Some leathers lose their colour and turn grey. When that happens, a product with a colour pigment is recommended," said Klemann.

Whether the product is oil or water-based, there is usually not a great difference in the quality of shoe polishes, said Bernd Glassl of Germany's industrial association for personal care and cleansing products in Frankfurt.

However, before using a product for the first time on new shoes, they should be impregnated to make them water resistant. Schulz recommends repeating the impregnation regularly, if the shoes are worn in wet weather.