Shoes Need Love Too. Polish Them in 3 Steps
By: Christopher DiScipio
Credit: Christopher DiScipio/JackThreads
Three steps and 30 minutes. That’s all it takes to extend the life of your shoes and pull together the last piece of your outfit that everyone else notices first. Especially in the midst of spring, your footwear could really use some love.
What you need:
1. A shoe shine brush
2. A soft cloth, such as a sock or an old cotton tee-shirt. NOTE: You will need to use a different cloth for each type of shoe color/polish.
3. Shoe polish (pick a polish that most closely resembles your shoe color)
4. Something to protect your workspace: newspapers, an old towel, or a rag (unless you’re sadistic and would enjoy the task of scrubbing shoe polish out of the carpet…)
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Credit: Christopher DiScipio/JackThreads
Step 1: Clean your canvas
Using a brush or damp rag, wipe away the dirt, mud, salt, or whatever else has latched onto your previously clean shoes. If you need to get your shoes a little wet in order to clean them, make sure that you allow them to dry before applying the polish.
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Credit: Christopher DiScipio/JackThreads
Step 2: Paint your masterpiece
Pop open your can of polish and take a deep whiff. That’s the scent of you keeping alive a centuries-old tradition.
Rub your cloth in the polish until it’s picked up a poker chip-sized amount, and apply the polish evenly on the entire surface of the shoe, moving in a circular motion. If you’re using a cloth or rag, wrap it around your hand and use your index and middle fingers to work the polish into the shoe (as pictured). Pay special attention to the toe and heel, since those are the spots that bear the brunt of your daily wear. For any hard-to-reach areas, such as the seams, use a cotton ball or old toothbrush.
Allow each shoe to sit and dry for 15 minutes.
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Credit: Christopher DiScipio/JackThreads
Step 3: Buff ‘em
Grab that brush and buff each shoe with short, even strokes. This move is going to remove any excess polish and, thanks to the heat generated by your vigorous brushing, give the leather a lustrous shine.
Now, go forth and kick the day’s butt with that sparkling footwear.
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