Our shoes don't have to be polished that much. In most cases it is enough, and better, to use the dust bag delivered with the shoe or similar dry rag without any chemicals at all. When the shoes are old or if they have been exposed to a lot of dirt, find instruction below :

Polishing your leather shoes

Shoe care is the best thing you can do to protect your investment and extend the life of your shoes. It's worth noting, that traditionally, genuine leather shoes were never worn two days in a row. This enables the natural leather to dry out slowly, thus preserving the elegant look and hold of a hand crafted shoe.

Only a few items are necessary to keep your footwear in tip-top shape:

• Natural bristle brush
• Old toothbrush
• Wax or cream polish
• Soft cloth or rag
• Newspaper or an old sheet

Select a polish that matches your shoe color. Polishes that contain dyes, pigments, wax and conditioning agents keep footwear looking fresh, add shine and cover scuffs. They are available as liquids, pastes and creams. Although liquid polishes, with their foam applicator tops, are easiest to work with, shoe repair experts recommend the protection and conditioning offered by creams and pastes - liquid polishes can dry out shoe leather and cause cracking.

Remove the laces. Use a brush or damp cloth to clean dust or dirt from the shoe, heel and sole. With a soft cloth, apply a small amount of polish in a circular pattern. An old toothbrush is useful for getting polish into small or tight areas. Place the polished shoes on newspaper or an old sheet to dry. When the shoe is dry, usually after about 15 minutes, brush with a natural bristle brush, then buff to a shine with a clean rag. If you are polishing several pairs of shoes, be sure to use a different brush and rags for each color of polish.

Cleaning your suede and nubuck shoes

It is not possible to polish suede or nubuck shoes. Preventive maintenance is the key to keeping these types of shoes in shape. After purchasing a pair of suede or nubuck shoes, you first need to apply a protectant to repel water and stains. Keep in mind that repellant only lasts for a while, so you need to reapply it once in a while. Gently brush suede and nubuck footwear to remove loose dirt and restore nap on a regular basis. If you own a pair of oiled nubuck shoes, you may also want to apply conditioner to preserve them. Stains should be treated immediately with a solvent-based suede cleaner. If they prove hard to remove, take the shoe to a shoe repair professional.