What is the right way to polish leather shoes?

By Sofie

You need to polish your leather shoes: how do you go about it? Leather requires a specific treatment when It comes to both cleaning and polishing to ensure that it stays in good condition. Using our simple step-by-step plan, you will know exactly to go about keeping your shoes in good condition. To start off, we’ll explain the importance of cleaning up your leather shoes before starting off with polishing them. Once you’ve cleaned them, you can begin to follow the remaining steps to start polishing them the right way using shoeshine.

Cleaning and polishing your leather shoes in 7 steps

You’ve taken a good look at your leather shoes and have decided they need some love. Before you can start polishing them however, it is important to clean them properly. We will share our 7 steps that you can follow to get the best possible result.

Remove the laces
Brush the seams clean
Use a damp cloth
Wipe off the shoes
Polish with shoe polish
Polish away the residue
Let the shoes dry

1. Remove the laces

First you need to start off by removing the laces. These are often made of a different material than leather and need to be cleaned using a different method. Most shoelaces are made out of fabric. In order to properly clean the laces, you can put them in the washing machine by simply putting them in a laundry bag. You could also choose to wash them by hand of course. In this case you can just run them under the tap with some soapy water. In order to brighten up a white pair of shoelaces you can soak them in a small bucket with warm water and add some bleach. Do your shoes come with a leather pair of shoelaces? In that case, you can treat them according to the same steps that will be used for the shoes themselves.

Removing the laces also makes it easier to access the rest of the leather. You can thoroughly clean the whole shoe and the laces this way. This way it’s a lot easier to ensure you won't skip any areas and your leather shoes will be prepared perfectly for the next step.

2. Brush the seams clean

Next up, it’s time to use a soft – and most importantly clean - shoe brush. Use it to brush the dirt out of the seams of the leather. All kinds of filth, like dust and mud, can easily build up here. It’s important to remove that before you start polishing the shoe, so it doesn’t just rub into the leather.

3. Use a damp cloth

Once you’ve cleaned off all the bigger particles, you can use a damp cloth to wipe the rest of the leather. This way you can easily get rid of the leftover dust and remove any stains. Optionally, you can use a little soap to soak off an especially persistent stain. Be careful not to press too hard and only apply as little pressure as possible at first. When choosing a cleaning agent, make sure it doesn’t contain any bleach or other harsh chemicals that could damage the leather while cleaning.

4. Wipe the shoes

Grab a new and clean cloth, which you dampen slightly again. Then wipe off the shoes one last time with it. This will ensure that you can neatly remove all the dirt that has come loose in the cleaning process. Once you have removed all of the dirt, your leather shoes have come a long way towards looking neat again.

5. Buffing with shoe polish

The next step is to buff the leather shoes with the right colour of shoe polish. There's different colours of shoe polish to choose from, amongst which are brown, black and clear polish. Furthermore, it's also possible to buy for example different shades of brown. Once you've got the right product it's time to begin using it. Start off with using just a little shoe polish and apply it to the material. To buff it out you can use either a polishing brush or an old, clean piece of fabric. Many people choose to apply polish to their shoes using an old shirt or sock. Make sure you apply the shoeshine in one direction, following the grain of the leather. This way, you make sure you apply it evenly over all the leather of the shoes. Once you’ve covered every inch, buff the shoe polish onto the leather using circular motions. Leave your shoes be for about 15 minutes to give the product time to work in order to get the best result.

6. Removing the excess shoe polish

Once you’ve brushed or rubbed the shoe polish onto your leather shoes and let it soak for a while, it’s time to finish up. This will be done by using a clean and damp cloth to wipe away the excess shoe polish afterwards. Avoid applying too much pressure in the process by making sure you’re working carefully. The remains of shoe polish must be removed in time to ensure it will not harden and cause the shoes to look dry.

7. Let the shoes dry

The final step just entails letting your leather shoes dry. This can be done simply airdrying them. While choosing the right spot to put the shoes down, avoid putting them in the sun or near a radiator. This could cause the leather to harden or become discoloured, for example. Take your time to let the shoes dry to make sure you do so carefully. Once they feel entirely smooth and are no longer sticky at all from the shoe polish that’s on them, it can be considered safe to start wearing them.

The step-by-step guide to polishing leather shoes

Do you want to polish leather shoes in order to make them look nice again? Using the tips above, you will be able to easily polish your leather shoes and get the best result. And suede shoes? You can polish them neatly to make sure they look like new next time.

Interested in reading more creative articles about shoes and fashion? In that case, also check out our selection of blogs that are related to this topic.