to do anything...

PRO
EDIT HELP US EXPLORE LOG IN RANDOM

wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow

SHOES » CARE OF SHOES Co-authored by:

Penny Simmons
How to Remove Wrong Shoe Polish Shoe Care Specialist

Co-authored by Penny Simmons and Amy Bobinger Co-authors: Updated: Views:

Download Article
Last Updated: September 16, 2021 5 September 16, 104,917
2021
PARTS
Polishing your shoes is a great way to keep them
1 Removing the Polish
looking shiny and new. However, if you use the wrong
2 Re-Polishing the Shoes 100% of readers found this article helpful.
color polish on your shoes, it can make them look
OTHER SECTIONS 1 votes - 100%
stained or dirty. Luckily, you can remove wrong-colored Questions & Answers
Click a star to add your vote
shoe polish with saddle soap and a brush or cloth, and Video

it’s easy to re-polish them afterwards! Things You'll Need

ADVERTISEMENT
Related Articles
References
Article Summary

ADVERTISEMENT

Part
1 Removing the Polish Download Article

1 Remove the laces from your shoes. Since you’ll be using soap to remove the old
shoe polish, any suds that get on your shoe laces could leave them discolored. It’s best
to remove these before you start, then replace them after your shoes are re-polished and
dried.[1]

ADVERTISEMENT
 2 Wipe down your shoes with a soft, damp cloth. Just like using soap on your skin, it
will spread more evenly if your shoe is already damp before you apply it. You don’t want
to get your shoes too wet, though, as it will affect the leather.[2]

ADVERTISEMENT

Quizzes

Am I a Narcissist
or an Empath Does He Like Me
Quiz Quiz

Take Quiz Take Quiz

What Is My Am I Gay Quiz

3 Rub your wet cloth across the top of a tin of saddle soap to create a lather.
Saddle soap is used to clean and condition different types of leather, and it’s perfect for
Aesthetic Quiz

Take Quiz Take Quiz

cleaning shoes. Swirl the cloth in a circular motion to get the best suds.
You may need to re-wet your cloth during the process so the soap has enough water to
create a lather.
If you have a dauber brush, which is a small soap brush often found in leather cleaning
Zodiac
kits, you can use it to apply the saddle soap instead of using the cloth. Wet the brush, Why Can't I Sleep Compatibility
swirl it in the saddle soap, then buff the brush onto the shoe. Quiz Quiz
Take Quiz Take Quiz

ADVERTISEMENT

4 Apply the saddle soap to the shoe in a circular motion. Try to work the soap into the
leather so it penetrates the layers of old polish.[3]

ADVERTISEMENT
 5 Wipe away the leather with a clean cloth. You don’t want to leave soap on your
shoes, as this will cause the leather to become dull and dried-out. As you wipe away the
lather, you should see streaks of the old polish coming off on the clean cloth.[4]

ADVERTISEMENT

Part
2 Re-Polishing the Shoes Download Article

1 Cover your work surface with a cloth or a newspaper. Polishing your shoes has a
tendency to get messy, and shoe polish can be hard to clean off of certain surfaces.
You Might Also Like

Save yourself the trouble by laying down newspaper or an old towel or sheet before you get
started.[5]

ADVERTISEMENT
How to Clean
Stinky Shoes:
How to Home Remedies for
Polish Shoes Fresh Feet

How to
Clean Rubber on How to
Shoes Polish Boots

ADVERTISEMENT
 2 Choose the right color polish for your shoe. If you’re not sure what color you need,
you can use a neutral (or uncolored) polish. This will help restore some of the shine to
your shoes, although it won’t cover any marks or faded spots.
If you want to use a colored polish but you’re not sure which one you should choose,
visit a high-end shoe store that specializes in leather shoes and ask for a professional
opinion.

ADVERTISEMENT

3 Apply a thin layer of conditioner to the shoes and let it sit for 10-20 minutes. You
can apply leather conditioner with your hands or with a cloth. Apply the conditioner all
over the shoes, then allow it to absorb into the leather for at least 10 minutes.[6]
A little shoe conditioner goes a long way, but it’s essential to help moisturize your shoe
leather to keep it healthy longer.
You can get leather conditioner at a shoe store or a specialty leather shop.

4 Dip a soft, clean cloth into the polish and apply it to the shoe. You don’t need much
shoe polish, especially on light-colored leather.[7] Buff the cloth onto the shoes in a
circular motion, then allow the polish to dry for about 15 minutes.[8]
If you think your shoes need more polish, apply a second thin coat before the first one
has dried completely. Featured Articles
Never apply shoe polish in thick layers.[9]

How to
Deal with
Friendship How to
Problems at Play FIFA 23
School Career Mode
 3 Simple Ways to
How to Locate Your Lost
Prune Citrus Trees Dead AirPods

3 Simple Ways to How to Make

Pay with Cash on Friends in Your
Uber Eats 20s after College

ADVERTISEMENT

5 Brush your shoes vigorously with a shoe shine brush. After the polish has dried,
brush your shoes with a horsehair shine brush. This will help remove any excess polish,
and will also create a nice shine on your shoes.[10]
Many shoe polish kits come with a brush, although you may need to purchase one from
a specialty shoe store.
You can also brush the shoe lightly. Try going back and forth gently, as though you're
doing a tap dance.[11]

6 Give the toe and heel of your shoe a spit shine. You don’t actually have to use saliva
for this - just wet a cotton ball or pad, then squeeze out any excess water. Add a little
polish to the cotton, then use small circular motions to polish the toe and heel of your shoe. The
longer you work, the shinier your shoes will look.[12]

Community Q&A

Question

Can you use shoe polish to change a shoe’s color?

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

You can temporarily change the color of a leather shoe with a few coatings of shoe polish. Opt
for a liquid polish rather than cream, since liquid polishes give more even coverage. Choose a
shade that’s darker than your shoes for the best results. You may need to use a few coats to get
the result you want. You’ll also need to re-apply the polish occasionally as it starts to fade.
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Question

Does shoe polish remove scuff marks?

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Shoe polish can help cover scuffs. Try buffing out the scuff with an eraser first, then apply some
polish. Buff it in with a soft cloth after it’s had a few minutes to dry.
 Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Question

Can you remove shoe polish from clothes?

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

You may be able to get shoe polish out of clothing with a pre-treatment stain remover and some
heavy-duty laundry detergent. Apply the stain remover, wait 1 minute, and then immediately
launder the item with heavy-duty detergent. If the stain is really stubborn, try rubbing it with some
of the detergent first. If detergent and pre-treatment don’t do the trick, try chlorine or oxygen
bleach. Dry cleaning solvent may also work.
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0 Trending Articles

Ask a Question
How to How to
What is your question? Get Rid of Body Make Homemade
Odor Naturally Hot Chocolate

Submit

ADVERTISEMENT

6 Easy Steps to
Get Dark Mode on Which Dating App
TikTok Should I Use Quiz

Video . How to Delete

Spotify Listening
History on Mobile How to
& Desktop Play Go Fish

ADVERTISEMENT

Things You’ll Need

Removing Old Polish

2 cloths (or 1 cloth and a dauber brush)

Water

Saddle soap

Re-Polishing Shoes
Correct color polish

Newspaper or towel

Clean cloth

Leather conditioner

Shoe shine brush

Cotton balls or pads

You Might Also Like

 How to How to Clean Stinky Shoes: Home
Polish Shoes Remedies for Fresh Feet

How to How to
Clean Rubber on Shoes Polish Boots

How to How to Dry Shoes Fast with Newspaper,

Remove Gum from a Shoe in the Dryer & More

How to
Remove Permanent Marker from Your How to Clean inside Shoes to Remove
Shoes Odor

How to How to
Fix Holes in Shoes Keep Yeezys Clean

Featured Articles

How to
How to Remove Odor from Your Shoes with
3 Easy Ways to
Soften Leather Shoes Baking Soda Remove an 3 Cool Methods for
Account From Inventing a
Google Chrome Nickname

Easy Ways to
How to Adjust Your Mouse
How to How to Make Blueberry Polling Rate on
Pancakes PC & Mac
Walk Without Creasing Shoes Fix Wet Suede Shoes

How to Check A Quick, Easy

Room Recipe for
Temperature with Perfectly Steamed
References or without a Broccoli Using the
Thermometer Microwave

1. ↑ https://www.esquire.com/style/advice/a46735/shoe-shine-polish-tips/
ADVERTISEMENT
2. ↑ https://www.primermagazine.com/2011/learn/how-to-protect-your-leather-boots-from-winter
3. ↑ https://www.esquire.com/style/advice/a46735/shoe-shine-polish-tips/
4. ↑ https://www.esquire.com/style/advice/a46735/shoe-shine-polish-tips/
5. ↑ https://www.esquire.com/style/advice/a46735/shoe-shine-polish-tips/
6. ↑ https://www.esquire.com/style/advice/a46735/shoe-shine-polish-tips/
7. ↑ Penny Simmons. Shoe Care Specialist. Expert Interview. 19 November 2020.
8. ↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/2008/07/29/how-to-get-the-best-shoe-shine/
9. ↑ Penny Simmons. Shoe Care Specialist. Expert Interview. 19 November 2020.

More References (3)

About This Article

Co-authored by:
Penny Simmons
Shoe Care Specialist
This article was co-authored by Penny Simmons and by wikiHow staff writer, Amy Bobinger. Penny
Simmons is a Shoe Care Specialist and the Founder of Penny Loafers Shoe Shine Company Inc.
in Toronto, Canada. With over 25 years of experience, Penny specializes in shoe cleaning and
shining. Penny offers shoe shining at special events, kiosks in Toronto’s underground city, The
PATH, and drop-off services. Penny Loafers Shoe Shine Company also operates the oldest
shoeshine parlor in Canada. Penny Loafers Shoe Shine Company has been featured in Best of
The City - Toronto Life, Saturday Night Magazine, National Post, Globe & Mail, and Toronto Star.
This article has been viewed 104,917 times.

Co-authors: 5
1 votes - 100% Updated: September 16, 2021
Views: 104,917

Categories: Care of Shoes

In other languages:
Português: Tirar Graxa Errada dos Sapatos
Español: quitar el betún para zapatos
incorrecto
Deutsch: Falsche Schuhcreme entfernen
Français: retirer du cirage incorrect de
chaussures
Русский: стереть неправильный крем для
обуви
Nederlands: Verkeerde schoenpoets
verwijderen
Bahasa Indonesia: Menghilangkan Semir
Sepatu yang Keliru
‫ﺇﺯﺍﻟﺔ ﻣﻠﻣﻊ ﺍﻟﺣﺫﺍء ﺍﻟﺧﺎﻁﺊ‬:‫ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺑﻳﺔ‬

Print | Send fan mail to authors

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 104,917 times.

Did this article help you?

Yes No
Categories » Personal Care and Style » Footwear » Shoes » Care of Shoes

wikiHow Newsletter
Helpful how-tos delivered to
your inbox every week!

Enter your email

Sign me up!
By signing up you are agreeing
to receive emails according to
our privacy policy.

How to Remove Wrong Shoe Polish

Home Site Map

About wikiHow
Terms of Use

Experts Privacy Policy

Jobs Contribute
Contact Us

We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Okay Cookie Settings