How to Polish Shoes

The International Institute of Modern Butlers brings shoe cleaning & polishing techniques and standards butlers have used for centuries to you in a five-minute clip. Many professionals use instant, synthetic, liquid and cream waxes that provide an inferior polish, leave a sheen, and deteriorate the leather. For quality shoes, use quality techniques

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  Howto & Style

[Caleb Willison]

36 yeras worn 50% of the time? thats 18 years of wearing shoes. does the insides of them smell like 18 year old sweaty feet??? Or does the leather naturally eliminate odor?

[ModernButlers]

Leather does naturally eliminate odor to some extent—in a way that synthetic materials generally do not. It also helps to take the shoes off occasionally and air them, while giving oneself the opportunity to wash one's feet!

[JaiHo8001]

I bought a pair of new pointed shoes, on one of them the shoe where my toes bend the leather is creased and leather goes down, on the right side of the shoe the leather is creased and up rather than down so if you feel/see it the leather is giving little ridges, I have worn that once and paid quite a lot, what should I do?

[kirbsmeister2]

It's normal to get creases in shoes, but if they're small wrinkles the shoes might be a bit large for your feet?

Using shoe trees helps prevent wrinkles.

[ModernButlers]

I am not aware of any correlation between shoe size and small wrinkles in shoe leather. There may be. Never checked it.

[ModernButlers]

Try shoe trees between wearings to remove creases—insert as soon as you remove the shoes, so the leather is still warm and pliable.

[Scott Wilson]

One came for the tips but one stayed for the moustache.

[ModernButlers]

You are most welcome. The older one becomes, the more pleasing it is to be able to pass on one's knowledge.

[ModernButlers]

Yes, as long as you put the shoe tree in as soon as you take your feet out—so the leather is still supple and warm. And do apply shoe cream, such as Meltonian.

[jmperson89]

One may watch this video, then feel much more refined by the end of the video.

[jameson079]

I also have a pair of leather shoes with a crease in them. If I start putting them in a shoe tree, will it remove the crease or work its self out that makes it less noticeable?

[CausticPop]

I wish you success too, sir. Thanks for showing me how!

[Matthew Barber]

Brilliant thank you!