The shoe brush is vital to anyone who dances! You use it to brush back the suede to keep traction and not to slip and fall. I don't think you should be worried about keeping the soles of your shoes clean. Some floors are always going to be dirty! If you should worry about taking care of anything on your shoes it should be the suede, leather, and heels. Soles of shoes are replacable, the rest of the shoe isn't- unless of course you are ready to spend another $100-$150! ;) You do not need to clean the soles of your shoes- no one is looking at or can even see them!