How To Polish Shoes

This is the ultimate way to shine shoes, and exactly how those in the armed services do it.

Step 1  

Wipe off dust with a damp cloth. Better to run them under a tap of running water (warm is good).

Step 2  

Use either a soft cotton cloth or a fine natural bristle brush, whose hairs are tightly packed to the handle, to put on the polish.

Step 3  

Apply polish to shoe in a small circular movement (magic finger); wrap cloth around finger, or evenly cover shoe with polish using the brush. (The key is not to put too much polish on the shoe--but build the polish and shine up in thin layers--"Fat on Lean" process).

Step 4  

Make sure that polish reaches the inside of the creases on the shoe (if they have any)

Step 5  

Next let the polish "go off" on the shoe (preferably in the sun, or somewhere warm (heater) for 2 to 3 minutes. This will help the leather absorb the polish and also help the thin layer of polish melt (at a nano level) across the shoe.

Step 6  

Using an atomizer, or pistol grip sprayer filled with water and adjusting the nozzle to a fine mist or spray, spray the entire shoe until it is covered with tiny droplets of water. Then polish the shoe dry with the same bristle brush, or another one if you prefer.

Step 7  

Repeat process 2 through 6 until you reach the level of shine you want or need.

Step 8  

Always keep the polish damp or it will dry out and not take (water works better than spit, but in seriously dried out situations use white spirit, or mineral oil).

Step 9  

After you have finished (you'll know when you can see your face in them), wipe with a cotton ball soaked in cold water, or lightly buff with a cotton cloth.

Step 10  

You can run over the shoe with a silicone cloth at the end. However this will scratch the shoe leather at a microscopic level (synthetic cloth against a natural product) although it will supercharge your shine, it does not last more than 10 minutes. Use only in absolute emergencies.

Step 11  

When the shoes have dried up a little, using fine women's stockings evens the polish out and gives a further shine. You can add a little moisture by spraying or even by breathing on the shoe (there is quite a bit of moisture in human breath). If you don't believe the tip, try it.

Step 12  

Leave shoes in a cold room or even the shed to dry. Best to place them in a shoe box with lid.

Tips

• Buy only shoes that have an excellent shine in the store. Only buy calf leather shoes. Don't buy pig skin shoes. (Calves leather has a flat and deep looking appearance. Pig skin looks thinner and tends have a very small spotty, scaly appearance, especially away from the polished toe of the shoe). Calves leather is more expensive, but it's the only leather to buy and will last longer and gives 100% better results.
• Don't use cracked polish because it is too dry. You can check this in the shop by shaking the tin; if everything stays still in the tin, it is perfect.
• Black the inner heel of the shoes.
• Have a stiff tooth brush to clean the welt,waist, quarter and heel of the shoe, (including the sole).
• Use "Morello Futura 2000" for bringing up the shine of the welt,waist,quarter and heel of the shoe, (THIS IS NOT THE LEATHER UPPER OF THE SHOE). If the Morello is too thick, thin with mineral or white spirit. To remove a built of Morello from previous applications, use mineral or white spirit.
• Do NOT use Morello on the leather of the shoe (my recommendation).
• Another way to shine up the welt and heel is with a good vinyl preservative like Armor-all or Turtle Wax F21. Use a soft cloth to apply the preservative to the welt and heel. Do not apply the preservative to the leather or the traction area of the sole.
• Always polish new shoes as soon as you get them; even though they may be new; it helps break the shoe in, while treating and protecting it against future use.
• Unless you buy patent leather shoes, don't expect to be able to bring even the finest shoe to a true mirror finish without many hours of work. That being said, after that groundwork is carefully done, and if you use shoe trees to prevent wrinkles on your leather, maintenance of the shine on your shoes is relatively effortless.
• If you get a scratch on your shoes, you can try melting polish in it. Heat the polish until it runs and pour a little to the scratch. Polish, let dry, repeat. It is hard to get it to hold, but if somebody has a tip on how to accomplish that, let others know. However, it is easily better than a scratch.
• Another method to get the polish absorbed is to use a lighter to WARM NOT BURN the leather. It opens the pores in the leather and gives a good base.
• You can buy shoe shine kits at Wal-Mart and the like that is a can of black polish and brown polish, a cloth a buffing brush and the circle applicator brush.

Warnings

• DO NOT GET THE LIQUID SHINE. It can crack and damage your shoes
• Be careful with the lighter or matches; don't burn the shoe it will be non repairable.