How to Brighten Up Patent Leather Shoes
Whether real or faux, patent leather's beauty and luster makes the material a popular choice in dress shoes for women. Plus, what little girl can resist a bright and shiny pair of patent leather Mary Janes? While there are many commercial products available that can clean this kind of leather, it's also possible to brighten up your favorite patent leather shoes using ordinary items found around the home.
Things You'll Need
- 5 cloths
- Liquid glass cleaner
- Petroleum jelly
- Permanent marker
- Lukewarm water
Instructions
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1
Clean the shoe first by applying 1 tbsp. of liquid glass cleaner to a clean, soft cloth and gently rubbing the surface of the shoe until it is clean.
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2
Clean the shoe with lukewarm water applied with another clean, soft cloth. This will help to rinse away any remaining liquid glass cleaner. Use a third cloth to thoroughly dry the shoe.
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3
Use a black permanent marker on black patent leather to cover any stubborn scuffs that you couldn't remove with the liquid glass cleaner. For other colors of patent leather, a permanent marker in a matching color will work. Most art supply stores carry permanent markers in a wide variety of colors.
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4
Apply a dime-sized amount of petroleum jelly to another clean, soft cloth, and rub the jelly into the surface of the shoe to brighten and restore the leather's shine. Don't use too much jelly, as this will leave behind a dust-collecting residue that will be hard to remove later.
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5
Buff the shoe with a fresh cloth until you have restored the shine.
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Tips & Warnings
To retain the original shape between uses, store patent leather shoes on shoe trees.
While patent leather is a waterproof material, do not immerse the entire shoe in water when cleaning, as this can damage the inside of the shoe.
