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How To Shine Shoes The Right Way
The art of shining your shoes is something that used to have a lot more emphasis in life than it does these days, with many people nowadays simply never bothering to keep their business shoes looking fresh. However, this one simple task can bring life back into your favorite shoes and save you thousands of dollars over the years.
There are a few simple ways that you can shine shoes at home, as sadly the days of polishing stations around town seems to be almost over. Studies have shown that one of the top markets to continue to do well in a recession is the shoe care market, which indicates just how important it is to have them looking their best even in a bad situation, and how easy it is to do at home.
Simple Steps To Shine Your Shoes
To get your shoes looking their best, all you need is a few simple products and to follow these steps. Have handy two brushes, one stiff and one soft, a tin of wax polish, and a duster, and then you’ll be ready to go.
- Take out the shoe laces and remove all of the dirt and debris from your shoes before you begin using the hard brush.
- Fill your shoes with rolled up paper or shoe trees so that there are no creases to be seen, ensuring the polish gets into every tight spot.
- Using only the smallest amount of polish and the stiff brush, use a circular motion to apply it to the shoe. Don’t forget the heel and tongue, as these areas often get left behind.
- Leave the polish to soak in for about 20 minutes, and to get really pedantic you can glide a hot spoon over the surface. This is an old army trick that will give it extra shine, but it depends on the level of gloss you’re after.
- Use the soft brush to buff your shoes, and then wait another half an hour and buff them again using the duster this time.
- Finish with a specialized shoe protecting spray that’s been designed for leather, or whichever material they might be, and always reapply this each time you clean or shine them. Allow to dry overnight and enjoy the shine the next morning.
These steps can differ slightly depending on the materials you’re using and the type of shine you’re after, but they’re a great starting off point for a thorough shine every time. If you want the best way to shine shoes and in the simplest manner, this is definitely it.
Home Remedies For Shining Shoes
Sometimes the best way to shine shoes isn’t necessarily with professional equipment, but with those things found around the home. One of the best tricks for those big events is to use a hair dryer on your shoe to get rid of all the small crease, making them look as if they were brand new.
Another quick fix when you’re all out of polish and looking to improve the state of your shoes is women’s nylon. Simply get some old pantyhose and slip them over your hand, then polish the shoes in a circular motion. This will give an unbeatable shine and help you get through a few days until you can restock the polish.
Always be careful when you’re using home remedies that you aren’t just taking wild guesses and applying any old substance to your shoes. Especially in the case of leather, it’s best to take the advice of the professionals and rely on the handy tips passed down from earlier generations when shoe shining was a more serious business.
Shoe Shining Secrets
The art of shining the perfect shoe is one that is sometimes passed down through generations, with your grandad or uncle teaching you everything they know about achieving that glossy finish. Here are a few secrets shared by those in the know about how to get a military shoes shine every time.
- It’s easier to shine older shoes than new ones, so don’t expect to do a perfect job the very first time. The polish you use works better once the leather is more worn and supple, so give it time.
- The newer the rag, the harder it will be to clean. For this reason, many people have a dedicated shoe polish rag that they use every time thanks to it being perfected over the years.
- When you open a new tin of wax polish, you can also expect it to achieve less impressive results the first time around as well. Because it will be very moist when you first open it, it may not be as effective as staying on the shoe how you like.
- You should never shine shoes without a shoe tree inside, so this is a must have investment. If you roll up newspaper instead, you might find that the ink makes a stain further on shoes so this should be avoided altogether.
Achieving The Perfect Shine
Considering how much we spend on footwear over our lifetime, it makes sense to put a bit of extra time and effort in to maintaining them and learning how to shine shoes. Depending on how often you wear your favorite pair of shoes, you should be aiming to shine them once a week at home.
Although they’re all the way down on our feet, shoes will be noticed instantly by those around you. Whether you’re trying to impress in the office or looking to improve your appearance, a polished and shiny pair of shoes is a great way to make that good impression and one that will have you looking respectful, clean, and taking pride in your appearance.
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