Shoe Polish Process

The first shoe polishes were intended less for shine than for protection from the elements.

Leather footwear polishing originated in the 1700s. The first polishes were made with beeswax or lanolin but were referred to as "dubbin" or "blacking," rather than "polish." These were designed more to protect leather than shine it. The first shoe polish to be manufactured for the express purpose of creating a shine was the Kiwi brand, created by Scotsmen William Ramsay and Hamilton McKellan in 1904.



Polishing shoes is simple, quick and inexpensive--which is fortunate, considering that it will have to be repeated periodically over the lifetime of your leather footwear.

Things You'll Need

• Leather shoes
• Disposable rubber or latex gloves
• Shoe polish
• Clean cloth rags (at least four, a couple of them flannel)
• Leather shine sponge
• Old newspapers

Instructions

1. Clean the shoes before applying polish. Specifically, remove any shoelaces and scrub the shoes thoroughly with a damp cloth rag. Let the shoes dry fully after cleaning.

2. Cover your work surface with a few sheets of newspaper. Put on a pair of disposable rubber or latex gloves and dip and smear some of the polish onto a clean, dry cloth rag.

3. Rub the polish into the shoe leather in a firm, circular motion. Cover all nonsole areas of the shoe with polish and let them sit for a number of minutes until the polish starts to become murky and hazy-looking.

4. Rub the shoes in a back-and-forth motion with another clean, dry cloth rag. This will work some of the polish into the pores of the leather and also remove any extra polish. A soft flannel cloth rag works nicely for this step.

5. Splash a few drops of clean water onto the shoes. Rub the shoes in an aggressive back-and-forth motion with another clean cloth rag until the leather begins to shine. This is known as "spit-shining"--although no actual spittle is (or should be) involved.

6. Wipe the shoes lightly with a leather shine sponge as a final touch-up measure.

Tips & Warnings

• To keep the shine on your shoes longer and also extend the shoes' overall life, apply a waterproof protector to them after they've been polished. While shoe polish will create a certain level of waterproofing, it isn't enough to completely repel water.

• Additionally, it's a good idea to keep leather shoes away from radiators, fireplaces or heating vents. Forced heat can quickly cause leather to dry out, crack or wrinkle.

References

• The Genuine Man: Minding the Details-Polishing Your Shoes
• Kiwi: Facts and Tips
• Expert Talk: History of Shoe Polish