Waxing your shoes is a great way to keep them looking new and shinier for longer. However, if you use a varnish in the wrong shade, it may instead make them look dirty and stained. Fortunately, if there is a mistake in the shade, you can remove the shoe polish using saddle soap and a brush or cloth, then it is easy to wax them again!
Remove the old shoe polish
1. Remove the laces from your shoes. Since you will be using soap to remove the old shoe polish, if a little foam lands on your laces it could discolor them. It is therefore best to remove them before you start, and then put them back on after your shoes are waxed and dried.
2. Wipe your shoes with a soft, damp cloth. Like when you use soap on your skin, it will spread more evenly if your shoes are wet during application. However, be careful not to get your shoes too wet, as this may damage the leather.
3. Rub your cloth over the soap to form a layer of foam. Saddle soap is used to clean and maintain different types of leather, it is perfect for cleaning shoes. Use a circular motion with the cloth to obtain better foam.
You may need to re-wet your cloth during this step, so that the soap has enough water to lather.
If you have a bristle brush, it is a small brush that is usually found in kits for cleaning leather, you can use it instead of the cloth to apply the soap. Wet the brush, run it over the soap in a circular motion, then scrub the shoe.
4. Apply the soap to the shoe in a circular motion. Make sure that the soap is well absorbed by the shoe, so that it penetrates the different layers of shoe polish already present.
5. Wipe the leather with a clean cloth. Be careful not to get soap on your shoes, as this can cause the leather to look dull and dry. As you wipe off the foam, you should see traces of the old shoe polish appear on your clean cloth.
Shoeshine
1. Cover your work surface with a rag or newspaper. Waxing shoes can be messy, and shoe polish is sometimes difficult to clean off some surfaces. Avoid this problem by protecting your work surface with a newspaper, old towel or sheet before starting.
2. Choose the correct and the best polish for shoe. If you are in doubt about which shade to choose, opt for a neutral (or colorless) shoe polish. It will help give your shoes some shine again, but it won’t cover different brands or stains.
If you want to use a tinted shoe polish, but aren’t sure which one to choose, go to a high-end store that specializes in leather shoes and seek professional advice.
3. Apply a thin layer of leather cream to the shoes. Then let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes. You can apply the leather cream using your hands or a cloth. Apply the cream to the entire shoe, then leave to act for at least 10 minutes.
A little leather cream can work wonders; indeed, moisturizing leather shoes is essential in order to keep them longer.
You can buy cream for leather at a shoe store or a store specializing in leather shoes.
4. Dip a soft, clean cloth in the shoe polish. Scrub the shoe. It is not necessary to use a lot of shoe polish, especially on light leather shoes. Rub the cloth over the shoe in circular motions, then allow the shoe polish to dry for approximately 15 minutes.
If you think your shoes still need waxing, apply a second thin coat of shoe polish before the first has had time to dry completely.
5. Rub vigorously with a shoe brush. Once the shoe polish is dry, buff your shoes with a horsehair brush. This will remove any excess shoe polish and add a nice shine to your shoes.
Many shoe polish kits contain a brush, but you may need to purchase one from a specialty shoe store.
6. Give a sparkling look to the toe and heel of your shoes. For this, no need to use your saliva, you just need to wet a piece of cotton, making sure to wring it out in order to remove any excess water. Then add a little shoe polish to the cotton, then, in circular motions, rub the toe and heel of your shoe. The longer you scrub, the more your shoes will shine.
ForTheHeavensSake 