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Clogging Taps/Shoes Care

Your clogging shoes are your dance equipment and require care and maintenance.  Dancing on concrete or asphalt (such as when you are dancing in a parade) is hard on your taps and shoes.  These abrasive surfaces wear down the steel (causing sharp edges or grooves) and shoe soles.  Even on other floor surfaces, vigorous practice and dancing can work nails loose.  You need to check your taps and shoes at least weekly, and each time after an especially long dance or practice session.

Turn your shoes over, and look at the taps.  Are any of the nails starting to back out?  If so, you need to drive them back in with a hammer.  Allowing nails to remain loose is unsafe for dancing and may lead to the taps eventually coming off.  You may require a shoe last and nail set punch, for best results in tightening up nail installations.  

Humidity is another possibility. Steel, once the plating has been danced off, is susceptible to humid and ocean air. Our platers suggest wiping taps after dancing to make sure that there is no moisture.  Then a layer of stainless steel cleaner, possibly a slight amount of a thick liquid type (as long as it does not accumulate in the rivet area and cause it to gum-up), should be applied to the scratched tap surfaces and allowed to dry.  When you are ready to use your clogging shoes again, take a slightly damp cloth and wipe off the cleaner.  The reason for taking the cleaner off again is to make sure the surface does not become extra slippery and cause a fall or other type of accident. Please be sure to test this procedure for slipperiness, before you start employing it. 

Are they getting worn down, causing sharp edges or grooves?  Grooves or sharp edges can cause damage to dance floors and are unsafe for dancing.  You can cover the grooves temporarily with duct tape.  But unless you file down grooves, you will need to think of getting new taps to prevent damage.

 Below are some products cloggers have found helpful
to improve comfort, wear and appearance of their clogging shoes!!  Click on picture or link to see complete details about each product.

SURE  SOLE (formerly known as Sure Grip) Helps prevent slipping.  Won't mark floors. Improves wear of shoe sole.  Easy to apply. No. 333     $1.95* per pair

SHOE STRETCH Spray helps relieve tight shoe fit. No. 215     $3.25* EACH

COMFORT KIT Shoe fit and comfort aid. No. 203     $2.00* per kit

GEL HEEL PADS Help cushion your heels while dancing. No. 221      $4.25*/pair While supplies last!

Gel Heel Cushions Extra comfort for your heels. No. 227/228         $4.50*/pr.

SHOE WHITE Liquid scuff cover can be buffed to nice shine. No. 216     $2.75* each

SHOE RED Liquid scuff cover for clogging shoes. No. 224     $2.75* each

SHOE BLACK Liquid scuff cover for clogging shoes. No. 223     $2.75* each

SHOE CREAM Conditions and preserves leather. No. 206     $2.00* each

No More Stinky Feet  Spray helps eliminate shoe odor  No. 200     $10.00* per 8 fl. oz bottle

*Prices where noted are in U.S. Dollars and do not include 
shipping and handling charges.

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