Before you begin you will need:
- Wax-based shoe polish
- 1 brush for each colour of polish (or use one end of each brush for a different colour - but mark which is which!)
- A cloth or old rag
- Some kitchen paper
- Newspaper
- Ideally, a buffing brush (one for all dark colours, another for any light colours), but this stage can be skipped. A buffing brush is just a shoe brush which is not used for applying colour.
Preparing to Clean Your Shoes
Lay plenty of newspaper on the floor or table, as shoe polish is hard to clean up. Tuck any shoelaces inside the shoes. If the shoes are very dirty, wipe them with a dampened piece of kitchen paper, then dry them with another piece. If they are only a little dusty, wipe them over with a dry piece of kitchen paper. Be careful not to touch velcro fastenings with kitchen paper as pieces will stick within the velcro.
It is important that the shoes are clean and dry before you apply polish. If you had to clean the shoes with damp kitchen paper, leave them for a few minutes until they are definitely dry before applying polish.
Applying Polish to Shoes
If you have never used the particular shade of polish with your shoes before, test the colour on a small, out-of-the-way area of the shoe such as the instep. There are a number of shades of brown and you may accidentally make your shoes darker than you want them if you don't test. Obviously, this doesn't matter with black shoes and black polish.
Dab the brush into the polish, circling it a little to pick up more if the polish is hard. Put your hand inside the shoe to hold it, then apply the polish to the leather in small circular motions. The leather will appear duller than before. This is normal. Rub the polish on to the whole shoe with the brush, taking extra time to rub it into scuff marks, to put back the colour that has been lost.
If you do not intend to use a buffing brush, put the shoes aside for a few minutes to absorb the polish. During this time you can polish other pairs of shoes.
Buffing Up Your Shoes
Take your buffing brush and slip your hand inside the shoe to be buffed. Move the brush over the leather in quick, back-and-forth strokes. Use long stokes along the sides of the shoe, and shorter ones sideways across the front of the shoe. Continue until the polish has all been absorbed into the leather and the shoe is shiny.
Finishing Off Your Shoes
Take the cloth or rag. Take a shoe which has been buffed, or which has had a few minutes to absorb the polish. Wipe the rag over all surfaces of the shoe, using both long strokes and smaller circular ones, until all traces of dullness have disappeared and the shoes have a satisfying shine.
Replace the shoes and shoe-cleaning articles wherever you keep them, then scrunch up the paper from the edges inwards, being careful not to let any specks of shoe polish or dirt fall out. Bin the paper.
Caring for Leather
To extend the life of your shoes and keep them looking new you should polish them at least once a week, and every time they get dirty or wet (allow them to dry first). You will find that regular polishing also makes them more water-resistant.
Other leather items such as jackets and coats can also be polished to extend their life and renew their colour, but make sure you finish them off well to avoid staining other clothes with polish.
