How To Shine Shoes

We recommend looking for a wax polish that is as close in color as you can tell by looking at it, then getting one shade lighter. A good starting point might be Kiwi’s Tan Wax Polish. But don’t apply it to the whole shoe. Start with the lightest polish. Test it by just applying the tiniest amount to the inside heel of the shoe. If it’s too light, you can always cover it with a darker polish, but if it’s just right then you can apply it to the rest of the shoe.

The above method should keep you out of harm’s way, but just so you know, there are ways to remove wax polish from shoes, so you don’t have to toss them. The tactics are hotly debated, with some claiming that nail polish remover will do the trick, while others warn that these methods are too harsh. If you’re nervous about doing this yourself, a good cobbler should be able to clean the leather, removing the polish and conditioning the leather.

Finally, while creams are less popular in the shoe shining game, if you’re a color enthusiast, cream polishes are your best bet since they get deep into the pores (remember, leather is skin). Cream is more like a liquid giving you the effect your shipmates swear by without you running the risk of…you know…burning your eyebrows off or setting your home on fire.

If the shoes are black, only use black polish. Never use brown polish on black shoes. This can ruin the shoes and it will make it extremely difficult (and costly) to restore them.

In general the color of a shoe is the color of a shoe. A black shoe can’t be made brown and a brown shoe can’t be made black. You can affect the shade of a shoe’s color, but that only works in one direction. You’ll only make a brown shoe darker, not lighter.

Playing around with polishes, you can strategically darken up a pair of shoes, but don’t experiment with this kind of thing until you’ve got a full grasp of the basics. Get yourself some black polish for those donated black shoes and follow the steps above regularly.

We know this problem from experience. Our solution, separate brushes for different colors. One brush for blacks and another for browns. You don’t have to go overboard if you have a few different shades of brown. Different shades of brown can mix without them bleeding over from one shoe shining to the next.

Insider Tip: If you want to play around with a more advanced technique. Use your brush that you have designated for black shining on the toes of lighter brown shoes. The resulting hint of black that comes from the residual wax polish will give you that burnished look that makes brown shoes with dark shoes look fly.

Ahhhh, you’ve taken it to the next level, Adam. We are big fans of the cream + wax polish method that you use. Since the drying time can make it a bit more of a commitment than most guys want to make, we didn’t put the cream polish step into this story, but it really is the best way to get your shoes to both gleam with shine and bring out their color.

As for the meditative aspects of shining a pair of shoes, we couldn’t agree more. Many a story you see on this website began as a kernel of an idea during a particularly good shoe shining session.

We love to hear about another guy out there who appreciates some serious shoe bling, Jeremy. Polishing everyday is not fanatical, just dapper!

For most shoes you’ll be fine applying the conditioner to a brushed shoe. If you’ve got a lot of polish built up on the shoes and it’s caking you’ll have to remove the old polish to get a great shine. To do that you can get a shoe cleaning / re-conditioning service from a cobbler like The Leather Spa or you can do it yourself with some nail polish remover on a rag (though just be careful not to rub it in too hard or you could damage the leather). Either way, starting a conditioner regimen is a great way to extend the life of your shoes.

You’re right, we did darken up these shoes a bit. You’re taking the smart route, getting your polish from the same people who made the shoes. To keep light shoes light, some guys even go with a polish that’s a shade lighter than the shoes just to be on the safe side.

It can be tough to find a lot of choices of colors in wax polish. If you can’t find the shade you want in a wax, Meltonian makes cream polishes in a wide range of colors.

Good points! And speaking of protecting your hands, if you use your fingers and a cloth to apply polish the polish will get on your hands and under your fingernails (not a good look). A trick to avoiding that is to wrap your shining fingers (usually the index and second finger on your dominant hand) in Saran Wrap before applying the polish. That little barrier saves you a lot of time you would spend scrubbing your hands after a shine.

Yes, all leather needs conditioning every so often. Do you need it weekly? Probably not, but a good dollop every month or so will keep the skin nourished.

Shine on, Wesley!

We’ve got two words for you: neutral polish.

If you want to keep the distressed look but still want to keep them in good shape, use the same technique you would apply to your other shoes. Be sure to apply only a small amount of neutral polish and brush the shoes just enough to work the polish in to the leather. This will help you keep the distressed shading and yield a low gloss shine that’s appropriate for the aged look of the shoe.

That’s the attitude, Thayne! Hope it helps.

Also, if you want to send some pics to concierge@blacklapel.com we can help you diagnose the situation more thoroughly.

Getting it right does take a little practice, Thayne. Some pointers:

You don’t need a ton of polish. Too much can come out dull if you don’t brush them enough.
In general, the brushing is crucial. You can’t really over-brush after you’ve applied a bit of polish.
Your water technique sounds good. Much like the polish, a little bit of water goes a long way.
To get more shine after brushing you can buff the shoe by rubbing a very slightly moistened rag back and forth across the toe and top of the shoe pulling down in a sawing motion.

As for the black tint, do you mean burnishing on the toe and heel or are the shoes black. If the shoes are all black, yes, use black polish. If they’ve just got a hint of black in the toe and heel you can use a neutral polish and then just a bit of black to the toe and heel.

Hope this helps, keep working at it, Thayne.

We always try to remember that leather is skin so we treat it similarly to our own. Minor scrapes can be taken care of at home, but if your leather has a deeper abrasion, it could be more serious and it’s time to see a doctor. We’d suggest taking them to a cobbler who can help you restore that spot, or at least mask it.

For the future our first bit of, rather obvious, advice is “watch your step” but our second bit of advice is to remember that shoes are most vulnerable to scuffs when they’re brand new and have never been polished, so the first thing you should do when you get a new pair of shoes is to polish them.

Hope this helps, Geoffrey!

It’s hard for Grenson’s NOT to look stunning but we’re happy to have played a part. Keep them in good condition and they’ll last you a lifetime, Chris.

The shoes are Bostonian Collier, a decent budget-conscious dress shoe and, yes, they look good (especially when you keep them polished!).

As for saddle soap, it really is a soap so it’s for cleaning a really dirty shoe. Still, it’s definitely not a part of a regular shining routine and it’s not going to give your shoes the same moisturizing nutrients that a leather conditioner will. Is it good to have some around? Sure, but it’s not a necessity.