Introduction
Have you ever been running out the door to a meeting or event, only to realize your shoes look about as shiny as a mud puddle? You have to make a good impression but there’s no time to stop for a shoeshine (if you could find a shoeshine stand these days)!
Have no fear! Here are the top six organic shoeshine secrets that will have your footwear ready to impress. The best part is that you probably have most of these items lying around the house.
Shoeshine Secret #1 – Olive Oil
Olive Oil is a great remedy when it comes to a quick all-over polish that will bring out the shine! And, it’s a safe and natural alternative to a lot of the commercial polishes out there today. Note: We do not recommend this for suede or lighter color leather, as it could stain your shoes.
The best option is to mix 3 oz. of olive oil & 1oz. Beeswax with a tablespoon of brown sugar. Mix it all up together and BAM you’ve got yourself a homemade polish that’s natural too. However, homemade shoe polish can be created with only pure olive oil, for a more simple solution.
To remove the majority of the dust and grime, wipe your leather shoes clean with a moist rag. Applying the olive oil for this DIY shoe polish comes next. Apply a thin layer of olive oil on a clean rag and wipe the shoes down until they are shiny. To bring out the sheen and remove more oil, buff your shoes like you would any other pair of shoes.
Shoeshine Secret #2 – Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly works well to soften leather shoes and keep them from breaking. This is a fantastic method for keeping leather boots hydrated, especially in the cold. Ideally, a good moisturizer or conditioner like Leather ‘N’ Rich from our good friends at Blackrock Leather N Rich should be used because leather dries out more easily in the winter or cold weather. However, petroleum jelly works in a pinch.
Most leather products only need a dab of petroleum jelly to restore their clean, shiny appearance, and chances are, you already have some in your bathroom cabinet. The leather will become softer and less likely to crack thanks to the petroleum jelly. This is suitable for shoes, bags, and other things made of leather and patent leather but not for rawhide leather.
When applying it, make sure to use a clean, lint-free cloth.
Shoeshine Secret #3 – Bananas (Yes, you read that right)
Bananas are good for everything. Even shoes! After you get done eating the banana and then whitening your teeth with the inside of the banana peel go ahead and pull out your shining rag!
Rub the inside of the banana all over the shoe and gently BUFF out. This means no rubbing. Buff the shoe until you start to see a nice shine.
Make sure the entire surface is covered. To finish, wipe your shoes with a dry cloth to eliminate any banana residue.
Shoeshine Secret #4 – Coconut Oil
Now, this method involves heading over to your wife’s beauty drawer. Grab a cotton ball, coconut oil & rubbing alcohol. Wait, why is coconut oil in the beauty drawer? Women today turn to coconut oil for all their beauty regimens. It’s especially good as a facial moisturizer. The same applies to shoes!
When trying to polish your shoes, any oil will do, but coconut oil is the most efficient for buffing into leather-based materials. Just pour a little coconut oil on a cotton ball, then rub the mixture in a circular motion into your shoes. Coconut oil really brings out the scuffs, so make sure you buff any marks you see.
Shoeshine Secret #5 – Lemon Juice
If you are headed out the door and realize you have a rather noticeable mark or water stain. It’s one thing to not have the shiniest shoes but you can’t show up and look like the man that doesn’t take care of his shoes.
As the old saying goes, ‘you can judge a man by his shoes.’ That goes for men today too. You never know who’s noticing the small things. No worry, a little lemon juice will hit the spot!
Shoeshine Secret #6 – Vinegar for Suede
Now, I saved the best for last. Suede. Have you ever tried to clean a pair of your favorite suede boots and realized that you might have actually made it worse? Don’t worry, we all have.
So what do you do when you’re caught in the rain and get home with water stains all over your new pair of baby blue suede shoes?
First, go grab the cleanest white rag in the house and find the following:
- Nail File
- White Vinegar
- Pencil Eraser
- Shoe Buffing Brush (If You Have One) or a soft clean cloth
Now you take your cloth and dab the vinegar onto the spot. Then take your eraser and Very gently rub it across the area. Make sure not to rub in like you’re erasing on paper. You should start to notice the stain lightening up. Remember, it may still appear the same due to the vinegar. It has to dry, so don’t let the dark wet area scare you.
Once you see the area start to appear lighter from the eraser, grab your fingernail file. Use the softer sandy side of the file and gently press and rub in circular motions. Just like with the other methods try to keep an easy hand. If you don’t feel comfortable using a file you can try a toothbrush.
This idea works if you have minor marks or stains. If you have deep reddish stains such as red wine or blood just suck it up and take them to a magician or your local expert repair shop.
Conclusion
Overall, there are tons of shoe repair shops and yes, there are still real-life shoe shiners shining on the streets around the world, even the popularity of shoeshine models that work as an attraction for many events and trade shows. It may be a dying art but it hasn’t died out completely. The condition of your shoes is most certainly still a statement that will never go out of style.
Giving your shoes a nice shine professionally, or with one of the quick tips, it helps them to look better but it also extends the life of the leather.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and check out the rest of our tips, tricks, and advice to make your events shine at The Shine Blog from Divine Shoe Shine Models!
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You get…
1. An event model;
2. A booth attraction service;
3. A spokesmodel for your brand;
4. and custom trade show marketing materials
Contact us today and mention code “Shine Blog” for your special show rate!
