A light-coloured patent shoe sitting against a regular leather shoe will soon start absorbing the colour of the other shoe at the points of contact. The splotches that are caused by this can only be partially removed. Patent leather shoes should be stored with a bit of room around them, so that the leather does not come into contact with any item capable of giving off colour (newspapers, magazines, clothing or fabric, wood, etc.). The best method is to store both shoes separately in their own white dust bags.