Before going to a job interview, a first date, or actually anywhere, do keep in mind that the shoes are one of the first things which people notice about the others.
This is why, keeping your shoes clean, nice and polished could actually be a game changer for your career, love life and for overall success in life.
So, in a way, something as simple as polishing your shoes can actually dictate the future events in your life.
How to shine boots like a Soldier
How to properly polish your leather boots (standard procedure)
If you are not familiar with the procedure for proper polishing of leather boots, don’t worry – it is very simple.
For normal leather boot polishing, you will need a soft cloth, cream or paste shoe polish and a good quality shoe brush and a newspaper.
The first step is to thoroughly clean the boots from any mud, dirt, salt or other residues by using the soft brush or a damp cloth. Then let them dry off.
Make sure you spread a newspaper or old towel under the boots before starting the polishing, because shoe polish can leave quite a mess and serious staining if it gets on the floor or let the carpet.
After the boots are all clean and dry, apply some shoe polish on one shoe with your soft cloth. Of course, make sure that the polish color coincides with the color of your boots. Keep applying the polish little by little by rubbing it in with small circular motions. Let the polish dry for about 10 minutes.
After that remove any excess polish from the boot and buff it with the help of the brush. When you are done, use the soft cloth to polish it and make it shine. Repeat all steps with the other boot, of course.
If the boots have laces, it is a good idea to remove them before polishing them, so that you can polish the tongue and avoid messing the laces up with the polish.
Remember to perform the boot cleaning and polishing regularly, not only to make them look better and more presentable, but also to ensure that your boots last longer. Consider this as taking care of your investment.
Many shoe makers of high-quality leather and other boots and shoes, recommend that you periodically use special conditioner to remove the old polish and moisturize the leather and protect it from cracking. The old polish needs to be removed so that the natural leather can “breathe”.
How to Give Your Boots That Military Mirror Shine (high shine)
If there was a best way to shine boots to high shine, it must be invented by out soldiers. After all, most often than not, the quality of a soldier is determined by the shining of their footwear.
In case you really want to give your shoes a military mirror shine, but you haven’t actually served in the army, don’t worry – the mirror shine is no national security secret or matter. To get that perfectly polished mirror-like shine on your shoes, first and foremost you need footwear that can be shined to perfection (check out guide to the Best boots for police academy). Then you will need shoe conditioner or cleaner, a shoe polish of matching color (if possible, use Kiwi’s polish Parade Gloss), a nice soft cloth, a brush, a cup or bowl of water and an old blanket.
A quick video showing the process:
Spread the blanket/old towel or newspaper somewhere where there is no danger of staining something. First of clean the boots from any mud, dust or dirt with a brush, or wash them with shoe cleaner or soap and water, if necessary. Then wrap the clean soft rag around your finger and make sure it is well wrapped with no wrinkles on it. Dip the cloth in the water and then in the polish. Then start applying a little bit of the polish in circular motions. Repeat the water-polish and circular motions until you have spread the polish evenly on the entire boot.
Make sure there are no swirl marks and scratches. Let the shoe dry for about 10 minutes and them buff it off with the brush, but be careful not to remove the newly laid layer of polish. After you do this, you will need to repeat the polishing procedure several times, until you have 4-5 layers of nicely applied and buffed polish on your boots. Let the boots dry for at least 15 minutes in between applying each layer.
Let the shoes dry for several hours.
In order to get the desired mirror shine, you will need to repeat the polishing and buffering procedure until you reach the point where the boots are perfectly polished and shiny. Remember to always dip the cloth in water before the polish, in order to avoid those swirl marks on the boots.
After you are finally done, your boots will be ready for a military parade, a wedding, or for any other occasion which requires the amazing mirror shining shoes and boots.
The fact is, that a good military polish can last for up to 6 months if you don’t wear the boots every day, and an entire week in case of heavy use.
While you are here, why not take a look at our homepage and take a quick glance at the best boots that you can get your hands on!
