The Art of Polishing Leather Shoes To Achieve a Classic Mirror Shine

You don’t need a special occasion to polish your shoes and you certainly don’t need any professional equipment either.

Keeping your footwear looking shiny can extend its life span, leaving you with a pair of shoes that will look brand new after being worn for months or even years!

The art of shoe polishing dates back to the 19th century when the first wax polish was created. Back then leather shoes and, consequently, shoe polishers were a luxury only a small chunk of the population could afford.
Things have changed today, as more people than ever are investing in quality footwear – whether these are some classic brogues or a pair of casual boots – but one thing we shouldn’t forget is the aftercare.

At Eves & Gray we offer high-quality polishing and cleaning products to help you take good care of your new leather shoes. So, let’s find out how you can polish your shoes like a professional to achieve a classic mirror shine!

To last longer, leather shoes need to be regularly cleaned to prevent them from looking aged and damaged. The Chamoisine Cleaning Cloth is made from 100% pure brushed cotton, ideal for a delicate yet thorough application of polishing and buffing creams. The trick to a professional application of the product is consistency; you don’t need a lot of product, all you need is to spend a few minutes making sure you are evenly spreading it over the shoes.

Once your leather shoes are clean, you can apply your shoe polish. Most people opt for a classic mirror shine, a staple once only achieved by experienced polishers that can be now become part of your shoe-polishing routine at home.

Let’s take the classic Falcon Dark Brown Oxford Shoes, for example! You will need to use a leather wax that matches the colour – the Saphir’s Creme Surfine Protective Leather Wax in dark brown is perfect for the job.

Thanks to its solvent-based formulation, it offers excellent cleaning properties as well as effective protection and unrivalled shine. Using a Saphir cloth like the Chamoisine we mentioned above, start applying a small amount of cream and spread it over the shoe.

Pay particular attention to areas that might show wear damage and consider applying to leather dye to cover scratches or small tears in the leather.

And that’s how you achieve a classic shoe polish with a mirror shine!
So, here is one last tip for all the gentlemen who want to make the most out of their leather shoes: make sure you rotate them. Despite it being a very resistant material, leather can age very quickly if you don’t look after it properly. Rotating your shoes will allow you to take time and attention for cleaning and polishing, giving your shoes a chance to dry before you wear them again.

Look after your leather shoes and they will last for years to come!

For further aftercare details, see our aftercare page here