A big myth is that GORE-TEX shoes do not need to be maintained. The waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX lining is located on the inside of the shoe, so it has nothing to do with the outer care of the leather or synthetic material. That means: even a GORE-TEX shoe needs to be regularly cleaned, cared for and waterproofed according to what the material of the upper requires. And the GORE-TEX lining is also happy about washing with a little shoe cleaning agent and a soft brush.