How to Shine Shoes

Tired of having your shoes look worn-out a few hours after you've bought them? Want to keep your shoes looking as good as new? Fear not-- with a few handy supplies, and by following these steps, you can learn the easy way to shine them like a pro.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Old Cotton Children's T-shirts
• Shoe Shining/cleaning Kits
• Shokeepers
• Leather Cleaning Kits
• Leather Conditioners
• Leather Protection Sprays

1. 

   Clean dust and dirt from the surface of your shoes or boots with a shoeshine brush or damp cloth.

2. Select a can of wax or creme shoe polish that matches the leather you want to polish.

3. 

   Use a shoe polish brush to apply a conservative amount of polish to the surface of the leather. Brush in circular motions until the leather has a dull coating. Get into tight spots using an old toothbrush.

4. Wait 15 minutes while the polish dries.

5. 

   Brush shoes or boots with a shoeshine brush.

6. 

   Buff to a gleaming shine with a clean cotton cloth, such as an old sweat sock or T-shirt.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're in doubt about how to do the best job for your shoes, talk to a shoemaker, who will usually explain the process for no charge.

• Don't polish suede, roughout or patent leather.

• "Instant" or "EZ" shoe polishes generally do not last and can harm shoe leather.

• Don't try to use black polish to change the color of brown leather. If you want to do this, hire a professional shoemaker to dye the shoes.