How To Polish Shoes
Getting the Perfect Shine on a Pair of Shoes
Polished shoes add style to an outfit. By following some basic guidelines it is a straightforward procedure to keep shine on a new pair or restore pride to an older vintage.
Prepare The Area
Change into old clothes. Take towel or old newspaper and lay on flat surface such as floor or table. Only shoes and polishing equipment should be in the area set aside for shining.
Prepare Shoe
Remove dust and dirt from shoe with damp cloth or horsehair brush, particular attention paid to heel and sole. If shoe is extremely dirty use leather cleaner. If applicable, apply cleaner with slightly damp cloth and leave to dry before continuing.
To maintain shape of shoe being shined, keep shoe tree in shoe during shining process.
Cream Or Paste Polish
For best effect, use polish colour closest to that of shoe being shined. Cream or paste polish soaks and moisturises leather while allowing the leather to breathe. Wax leather produces finer shine but seals leather causing dryness. Liquid polish provides shine but is capable of cracking leather.
Remove Shoe Laces, Apply Polish And Buff
If applicable, remove laces from shoe to obtain access to tongue of shoe and prevent staining of laces.
Apply polish with clean rag such as small kitchen cloth. Twist corner of rag around first two fingers of preferred hand with remainder of rag held in palm of same hand. Start to apply polish in small circular motions from heel to toe on one side and back to heel on other.
If extra shine on heel and toe is preferred, take cotton ball and dip in water. Squeeze out excess moisture to leave ball damp not dripping. Apply polish to cotton ball and repeat small circular motions.
Allow shoe to dry and use horsehair brush to buff shoe and soft clean cloth to bring shine to acceptable level.
Tips For Basic Shoe Care
Shine shoes after buying and before wearing.
Keep shoe trees in shoe, returning them to shoe immediately after wear when leather is warm and soft.
Protect from excessive moisture with moisture protection product. Milk oil will waterproof and protect but can darken lighter leathers. Silicone spray will waterproof and not alter colour.
Contents Of Basic Shoe Shine Kit
- Cream, paste or wax polish
- Horsehair shining brush
- Clean rag to apply polish
- Cotton balls to apply polish
- Shine cloth to buff shoe
How To Polish Shoes
Initial effort reaps long term reward when learning to polish shoes in a correct manner. Shoes treated with care and coated with proper protective materials retain quality for a longer period and continue to give a favourable impression to observers.
How To Polish Shoes
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