Shoe Shines

The Difference Between Polishing and Shining

With polishing, you're cleaning and resurfacing the leather. If you're actually shining the shoe, you're trying to bring a high-gloss shine to the upper.

Spit Shines

Spit shines don't actually require you to spit on your shoes! This method involves a warm, damp cloth to buff the polish onto the shoe. You can also put the polish on as usual, then add a few drops of water to the shoe as needed when the polish dries; then buff.

Kits and Materials

There are several different types of shoe shine supplies:

• Wax: You'll get the best shine and scuff coverage from wax. However, over time it may not be the best bet for your shoes. Wax can cause the leather on your shoes to crack, since it prevents it from breathing.
• Cream: This is probably your best bet for shoe shines. You won't necessarily get the best shine, but your leather will last longer if you use this as opposed to wax or liquid. Creams allow the leather to still breathe while holding a shine. Cream is also useful for restoring the color to a degree.
• Liquid: Don't use it. You'll end up damaging the leather of your shoe for a short-lived high-wattage shine. What the liquid does is dry out the leather and leave you with cracked, ugly shoes.
• Kit: Check out this kit for everything you need to perform your own shoe shines. You can also get shoe trees, individual polishes, and other shoe care accessories on this website. The shoe trees are important for keeping your shoes in shape and smelling fresh.

Preparing for Cleaning

Lay down a bit of newspaper before you begin all of your shoe shines. You don't want polish getting on your carpet or your furniture, and you never know when disaster will strike--even if you're a pro!

Next, it's time for a bit of prep work. Take a dry or damp cloth and remove all the dirt and dust from your shoes. Otherwise, you'll just be grinding them into the leather. If you've used a damp cloth, or any kind of leather cleaner prior to applying the polish, let them dry first. Take out the laces!

Now, it's time to apply the polish. Using a soft cloth, apply some polish to the shoe and begin to buff. If you want the extra shine mentioned in the spit shine section, dampen the cloth. When you begin to buff, do so in circular motions. Make sure it's even, and you're all set!