Whether you need to get that military shoe shine on your black shoes for a school or university event, or you just want to look your best at work, getting your shoes to look spick and span is the key to making a good impression. You don’t want to show up to a class or a business meeting with sloppy footwear. You need to know how to make boots shine like glass, and this article is here to help you out!
We’ll cover every method you need to know to shine black boots. Follow the tips here and your shoes will be so shiny you’ll be able to check your reflection in them! But first, let’s cover some basics.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE SHINE BOOTS?
Avid shoe-polishers worry about this, but we’ll put the debate to rest! It depends entirely on how often you’re wearing your shoes. If you wear them very frequently, then you have to polish them regularly. Once a week is a good estimate if your shoes start looking dull after that time.
Polishing your shoes regularly doesn’t just help to achieve that high gloss boot shine; it’ll also increase the overall lifespan of your shoes. It helps to protect the shoe from scratches and keeps the material strong, particularly if you’ve got leather shoes.
You should also wipe them down regularly whenever you see dirt accumulating. However, if you have some pairs of shoes you hardly wear, you can get away with polishing them much less frequently. Now let's move on to the next part on how to make boots shine like glass.
How to get a mirror shine on boots
Have you ever envied your colleague’s mirror shine boots or a friend’s sparkling clean leather shoes? Well, it’s time to up the ante and take your shoe polish game to a whole new level!
After these boot shining tips, you’ll be in a league of your own when it comes to polishing up your shoes. By the time you finish reading this, you’ll know everything about how to make shoes shine like glass.
1. Using mirror gloss shoe polish
Materials needed:
- Microfiber cloths
2. Wax-Based shoe polish(Mirror gloss)
Mirror gloss is a kind of wax-based shoe polish that you can use to even out and shine the shoe surface. It’s quite easy to get hold of at most stores.
- First, make sure you’ve cleaned your shoes properly.
- Then apply the mirror gloss in layers, giving each layer time to dry before you scrub it in.
- Apply the gloss with a cloth so that there are no scratches on the shoe.
This kind of mirror polish is generally only applied to the shoe box area or the heel. But you should get a pretty good effect as long as your shoes are clean when you start out. Keep the pressure light, and don’t use too much wax. A quick brush over with a shoe brush after each layer is applied will get you a good shine.
2. Using shine chamois or cotton ball
Materials needed:
- Standard Shoe Polish
- Cotton Ball or Cotton Chamois or squares of Cotton Fabric
Settle down with some standard shoe polish and some cotton. You can also use cotton chamois or squares of cotton fabric.
Once you’ve prepped the shoe a bit with some brushing and minimal shining, dampen the cotton ball or chamois slightly, but make sure it’s not dripping wet. Then rub in circles, focusing on the heel and the toe box of the shoe.
If you’re using cotton balls, use a new piece every time you finish evening out one layer of polish. The benefit of getting a high-quality chamois cloth is that you can just keep using the same cloth for a long time. You can polish your shoes the same way using a slightly damp chamois.
In the process of making a mirror shine, the chamois must glide across the shoe. If you find any wax strains on your chamois, then you can smooth them out by rubbing the stained area on a surface. Also, before buffing, it is important to have a spare towel or leather shoeshine carpet so that the hard waxes that get stuck on the chamois don't interrupt the process of making your boots shine like a mirror.
3. Using alcohol
Materials needed:
- Alcohol or Nail Polish Remover
- Microfiber cloths
One of the best ways to get that mirror on shoe effect or make boots shine like glass is to use alcohol. It strips the dirt from the shoe and makes it look much cleaner. However, you should use this in moderation so that it doesn’t damage the leather or the shoe material.
You also have to use it in conjunction with some kind of shoe polish. Rubbing alcohol or a bit of nail polish remover will do the trick, with some water mixed in.
If your shoes aren’t made of leather, though, be careful about using alcohol, as it might be too harsh for the material or strip the shoe of its dye. If you’ve got any stains on your shoes you want to iron out, you can also use alcohol to remove them.
4. Using blow dryer
Materials needed:
- Wax-Based Shoe Polish
- Blow Dryer
- Microfiber cloths
You may have known the last few shoe shining tricks, but this one might be new to you! If you’re using wax-based shoe polish, using your blow dryer is a good way to melt the wax quickly and get that coveted mirror polish look.
First, apply a bit of mirror gloss on the shoe. You can go slightly overboard if you like because the hairdryer will melt it easily.
Now turn on the blow dryer at low to medium heat, and let the wax melt into the material. Remember, don’t apply this on the body of the shoe; stick to the ends. Then rub in the polish with a cloth. You can layer on the polish and alternate with the blow dryer as required until you achieve a perfect shine.
CONCLUSION
Don’t start work on a dirty pair of shoes. Keep your shoes shined regularly, particularly if you’re wearing them daily or once every couple of days. Investing in some shoe conditioner and a chamois isn’t a bad idea either, and a horsehair brush also works wonders as a buffing tool. All of this is easily available at your local shoe store, but of course, you can manage just as well with some normal shoe polish, cloth, and the tips mentioned here!
Now you know that how to make boots shine like glass, you’ll never show up to work without perfectly buffed shoes ever again! All it takes is a bit of elbow grease every other week, and you’ll have the cleanest, glossiest shoes on the block.
Jeffrey has a Master of Science degree in sports science and a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. Jeffrey has worked in sports medicine clinics, corporate wellness facilities and rehabilitation clinics. He/She is an exercise physiologist and fitness consultant who has been writing about sports equipment and training techniques for athletes and fitness enthusiasts for over a decade.