Proper care and maintenance is an essential part of shoe ownership. Proper polishing not only keeps your shoes shiny and new-looking, it also moisturizes and conditions the leather and prolongs the life of your shoes. In this day and age, shoe shining is a lost art and curb-side shoe shine stations are becoming less common. You can still give yourself a professional-quality shine and all it takes is a few minutes a week and some basic supplies.
Brushes
Use a horsehair brush, to remove dirt and debris from the shoe. The bristles should be firm enough to dust off debris but not too firm or they will scratch the leather.
Buff Rags
Use soft cloth to clean your shoes, apply polish and buff your shoes to a nice shine. Cotton works best and an old T-shirt is perfect for the job.
Shoe Cleaners and Conditioners
Shoe cleaners come in various forms, from liquid to paste, and remove excess dirt and old polish from the surface of the shoe. It is important to have a clean surface or the polish will not adhere properly. Use a soft cloth to clean your shoes and allow them to dry thoroughly before applying the polish. Some cleaners are formulated with a conditioner to moisturize the leather.
Polish
Women’s shoes are often made of fine leather and respond well to cream or paste polishes. Wax polishes provide a deeper shine but may be too heavy for women’s shoes and may cause the leather to crack. Cream and paste polishes usually have mineral oil, which moisturizes the leather and keeps it supple. Avoid liquid polish as it can also dry out the leather.
Keep all of your supplies in one place so that you can clean, condition and polish your shoes at any time.