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A bootlecker, a machine gun, or a cleaner for himself? The profession of a shoe shiner (bootlecker), which was widespread in the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries, has completely disappeared today. In Afghanistan, in India, in the countries Latin America you can also find teenagers who clean their shoes for a living. Through Hollywood films, the image of the bootlecker boy, the future “slumdog millionaire,” and the image of the elegant gentleman in polished boots have become a cultural stereotype.

In the old cities of Europe, you can also find a street shoe shiner, a conservative European enjoys the process itself. A real master at work will have time to tell about the city news, tell you how to properly clean shoes, or be silent if the client is not in the mood for a conversation. To freshen up your shoes outside the home, use the shoe shine machines in the shopping centers, in hotels, on high-speed trains. Experts do not advise often using the services of machine cleaning: cream from an automatic machine may not be suitable for shoes, probably synthetic brushes are used. Since there are almost no living cleaners in the city, and automatic cleaning does not take into account the type of shoes, it is better to do this business yourself.

Shoe cosmetics and brush set

For high-quality shoe care at home, it is not necessary to have an arsenal of all kinds of brushes and shoe polish, cooked according to a secret recipe. Modern industry produces all kinds of brushes and shoe care products in a wide range, you just need to choose the right one. In a home set of tools and shoe care products, it is enough to have:

• A set of brushes (to match the color of the shoes), a stiff polishing brush (ideally made of horsehair), a suede brush eight, a toothbrush;
• Spreader block
• A soft rag, a piece of velvet cloth, a sponge, a sponge;
• Mink fat, wax, water-repellent spray;
• Emulsion shoe polish (according to the color of the shoe);
• Soap, shoe shampoo.

Buying leather shoes is half the battle, it is important to be able to take care of them

Shoes from genuine leather belongs to the category of goods of the expensive segment and requires respect for itself. Only on condition proper care expensive leather shoes will remain an expensive wardrobe item for a long time. Careless wear and improper care have an immediate effect on appearance shoes. To avoid deformation, to prevent cracks and tarnishing, you need to know how to properly clean leather shoes, and strictly adhere to the rules. Shoes can be made from different types skin, each species has certain qualities:

The first step is to prepare the shoes for cleaning.

Remembering how old cleaners do their job, you can understand how to properly clean shoes with cream. Firstly, the client did not take off his shoes, it is easier for the master to clean and polish the "elastic shoe". Secondly, no water was used, the dirt was cleaned off with a rag. Prepare your shoes first: remove the laces, insert wooden spacers, or fill the inside with crumpled newspaper. Clean shoes from dirt with a soft cloth; if it is heavily soiled, the cloth can be moistened; an old toothbrush is used to clean hard-to-reach areas. The shoes should dry and then wipe again with a clean cloth.

Cream cleaning

The cream is applied to the shoes in a circular motion, rubbed into the skin with a cloth. With a uniform application of the product, the surface of the shoe becomes dull. For better penetration of the cream into the shoes, you should give them a ten-minute "respite". A horsehair brush is used for polishing: the movements of the brush should be sharp, in a straight line, from side to side. When properly polished, the surface becomes shiny. Finish polishing with a slightly damp cotton cloth wrapped around two fingers (index and middle). In smooth circular movements, you need to walk over the entire surface, pay attention to the side edges, decorative stitching and perforation elements.

Shoe-polish - chic, shine, beauty!

The shoe polish is applied to the treated surface after the emulsion cream, the wax base of shoe polish forms a protective layer on the skin. The hard consistency of the wax makes an excellent finishing polish. For a street cleaner who respects himself and his profession, shoe polish occupied the most honorable place in his working box. Aerobatics - glazed is obtained if he knows how to properly clean shoes with shoe polish. The wax should be applied in two to three coats, the hard consistency of the wax acts as an excellent finishing polish. Thorough polishing with a soft cloth with the treatment of hard-to-reach places with a small brush and the toe of the boot acquires a mirror shine (glass).

Suede is not as "scary" as it is painted

Many people want to buy a beautiful and comfortable shoes made of suede, but they are afraid of the complexity of caring for this type of leather. Indeed, suede requires a responsible approach and the use of special means. If you figure out how to properly clean suede shoes, you can enjoy the comfort and status look of a very important wardrobe item for a long time. Here are some simple rules and recommendations for caring for "capricious" suede:

• Owners suede shoes it is necessary to understand that these are rather ceremonial shoes and that they should be worn only in dry weather.
• If new shoes immediately treat with a water-repellent spray, a long service life and preservation of visual appeal is ensured.
• The spray must be sprayed until the suede is lightly moistened, without touching the surface with your hands, dry the shoes at room temperature for 10-12 hours.
• Delicate suede does not tolerate cleaning; under any mechanical action, the pile is wrinkled and the effect of "baldness" appears.
• The last rule: wear suede in the summer and take care of it in the winter. Shoes are dipped in loose snow and quickly shaken off, then wiped with a flannel cloth and dried away from heating appliances.

Resuscitation for suede shoes

If, after all, suede shoes have lost their attractiveness, then there are ways to help restore their appearance:

How to properly tint suede shoes?

Suede does not like sunlight; under the influence of UF-rays, the color of shoes takes on an ugly bluish-greenish tint. In such cases, do not be discouraged, so modern facilities shoe care products allow you to bring back the brightness and color of suede shoes. Aerosol Foam Cleaner fights dirt and tarnished suede. The foam is applied to a dry surface and removed after a minute with a flannel cloth. Spray paint, matched to the color of the suede, is sprayed onto the previously cleaned surface. After drying, the suede is processed with an eraser.

Dry cleaning for nubuck shoes at home

Using modern nubuck leather care products, you can get excellent results. To properly clean nubuck shoes, you need to buy special cleaning products: nubuck cream, dirt-water-repellent impregnation, anti-salt shampoo, applicator sponge, spray paint and liquid color freshener. There are special nubuck brushes on sale, a special shape (raised rib, three- or four-sided configuration) and a combined pile (synthetic + metal) ensure gentle cleaning.

The general rules for caring for nubuck are similar to the recommendations for caring for suede leather: dry cleaning, minimum moisture, gentle rubbing, drying at room temperature. Tips for restoring the color and texture of suede fibers, including steam treatment, will show you how to properly clean your nubuck shoes. In addition, you can give effective method removing whitish stains: dark shoes should be cleaned with coffee grounds, light ones - with stale bread.

In secret to the whole world

Simple but effective "grandmother's secrets" will help you to properly care for leather shoes... Glycerin, beeswax, turpentine, paraffin were widely used. Useful Tips leather shoe care folk remedies(potato flour, vinegar, milk, lemon, egg white, onion, bacon and lamb fat) are still useful now:

• The mixture of milk and whipped protein helps to freshen up the color of the white shoes.
• Lacquered shoes are wiped with milk, after drying, they are rubbed with a cut onion, then polished with a woolen rag.
• A mixture of "1 tbsp. warm water +1 tsp. ammonia + 1 tsp hydrogen peroxide ”bleached white suede.
• Processing the leather with a foamy mass of whipped protein, milk and sugar (the mixture is applied to the shoes, after drying the leather is wiped with a dry cloth) gives the shoe a diamond shine.

Leather shoes or boots in excellent condition are an indicator of a person's status, success and refined taste. Paying a little attention to your shoes, you can get a sense of confidence and "flying gait" go through life.

An experienced specialist will do even on overdried chrome tanned skin of any roughness has an excellent smoothness in 30-40 minutes. For a beginner, it won't be so easy the first time.

The effect of ironing:

• 1. Shoes become mirror-shiny and more elegant.

• 2. The surface of the leather becomes denser, becomes more protected from possible scratches, resists the appearance of abrasions and getting wet.

• 3. With the help of such a technique, you can practically update any old shoes to the level of almost originally new, remove or at least minimize the visual effect of scratches on the skin.

• 4. Polished shoes last about one month without maintenance. If the glass is not maintained with each shoe cleaning (it takes no more than 2-3 minutes), then it gradually fades away, becoming dull.

• 5. Glassage makes the skin surface darker in comparison with unpolished areas.

Required attributes:

The essence of the technique is to alternately polish the leather surface with a small amount of shoe polish and literally a couple of drops of water. From the water, the bumps on the surface of the skin soften, going down, and the rubbed shoe polish fills the bends and irregularities of the skin surface layer by layer, forming a shiny, glossy layer on it. It should also be remembered that: - excess water and shoe polish adversely affects the polished surface. An excessive amount of water can swell the skin, and with excessive friction, you will tear or break the integrity of its surface layer, which will then be impossible to restore;

• - circular movements should be light and tangent, without strong pressure;

• - wound on forefinger a piece of fabric should be stretched evenly and tightly, be free of any folds and pills;

• - as the polishing and the formation of a visible mirror layer, the pressure on the skin surface in the final phases should weaken, as if barely touching the surface, otherwise you will break the already created polishing layers, forming uneven oval foci of deepened contours;

• - for the first time to create a perfectly shiny surface, depending on the variety and dryness of the boot skin, it may take from 1.5-2 hours or more. But in the future, to maintain the already created mirror layer, it will take no more than 2-3 minutes;

• - if you suddenly see that the process of polishing the surface as if "stopped" and does not go at all, then you should put off the shoe for a while, letting it dry, and finish polishing the next day;

• - in especially difficult cases, if everything went wrong, you should completely clean all areas of the skin from the already created polishing layer with a stiff brush, and the next day repeat the ironing operation from scratch to the end. So a couple of hours of torment for the first time and voila ... Your favorite boots or shoes are like new again!

Well-polished shoes are an essential element of any bright image... Once you walk into a room, your shoes will help make a great first impression. There are several ways to polish your shoes to a shine - from a simple rubbing of the shoes with a suede cloth and ending with an army cleaning, after which the shoes are “on fire”. Read on below and choose the cleaning method you like best.

Steps

Plain polish and gloss

Prepare shoe polish. To properly polish your shoes, you need certain products that you can buy in a specialty store as a set, or pick up everything you need separately. What you need: a tin of shoe polish, a horsehair shoe brush, and a piece of soft tissue.

• Shoe polish can be purchased in any color - from brown to black and colorless. Whenever possible, try to find a cream that is as similar as possible to the color of your shoes.
• Shoe care products are available as wax and cream; cream nourish Leather Products and make the leather softer, and wax makes the shoe more resistant to moisture. If possible, try to get both types of products and use them in turn each time you clean your shoes.
• A piece of soft cloth - this could be a special polishing cloth, such as suede, or just an old T-shirt.
• Additionally, you may need a cleaning brush (used to apply polish), a toothbrush or some cotton swabs, and a sole cleaner, cleaner and softener.

Prepare workplace. It is important to prepare your work area so that polish does not get on the floor or furniture. Shoe polish is very difficult to wash off, so make sure it doesn't end up anywhere other than your shoes.

• Place old newspapers or paper on the floor or other work surface. paper bags and grab a pillow or comfy chair. Cleaning your shoes will take some time.
• If you plan to do a thorough cleaning of your shoes, it is better to remove the laces before cleaning. It will be easier to clean the tongue without laces.

Shoe polishing

Shoes require careful maintenance if you want them to delight with their beauty and shine. Moreover, it is the shoes that can tell how clean and well-groomed a person is. But if the shoes are all covered in dirt, dust, then hardly anyone will say a good conclusion about you. Therefore, you need to know how to properly polish your shoes in order to always look neat and beautiful.

How to polish shoes: methods and means for polishing

Before you start polishing your shoes, you need to get rid of the old dirt. To do this, wipe or wash the shoes with a wet cloth, remove pieces of dirt, dust, and do not avoid washing the soles. But, be sure to make sure that moisture does not get inside the shoes, otherwise it will not have a positive effect on the quality of the pair. Dusty shoes can simply be wiped dry or wet wipe Or brush with a shoe brush and then a soft flannel cloth.

If the shoes get wet, then before polishing them, the shoes must be dried at normal room temperature so that the properties of the leather do not change. Do not use a battery and heating devices, especially a hair dryer. If you want to keep perfect shape shoes, before drying, fill the shoes with spacers from the inside and smear the shoes with Vaseline, then it will not become stiff after drying.

A few hours after drying, shoes can be treated with cream and rubbed with a soft brush or sponge.

You need to clean your shoes immediately after coming home. Otherwise, some dirt will be strongly absorbed, it will be more difficult to remove them. You need to clean your shoes using special cleaning agents, clearly according to the instructions that are sold with the cleaning agent. The shoe polish should be absorbed for at least 10 minutes, and it is better to allocate up to half an hour for this procedure.

To polish your shoes, you will need an old toothbrush for applying creams to shoes of different colors. You don't need to use a single brush, even if you washed it with water first. Otherwise, the remnants of the old paint will make the new paint less beautiful and the color inappropriate. If you use colorless shoe polish, they can be used to clean shoes of any color, although they work best with light-colored leather.

How to polish shoes - what is needed

Shoes are polished using such shoe polish as aerosols, wax, filler sponges. Polishing is the final step in shoe care and involves the application of a protective layer to the shoes, which will prevent salt and moisture damage to the shoes and give the shoes an effective shine.

To perfectly polish your shoes, you need water. It needs to be applied to the shoes in the amount of a few drops and polish the shoes in a circular motion. And shake off small particles of the cream removed from the shoes with a cloth.

Shoes are the business card of you as a person. No wonder they say that women pay attention to the cleanliness of men's shoes. After all, if a person walks in dirty shoes, no matter how expensive they are, no matter what suit you are wearing, it will no longer matter.

Shoe polish

Even if you don't have time to complete a full shoe care routine every day, take the time to apply beeswax polish to your shoes. Such a remedy will keep the presentable appearance of your shoes for a sufficiently long period of time, even if you do not wipe them after each wear. If your shoes have lost their appearance due to worn out socks or lost and shine, then caring for them is simply necessary.

These shoes look cheap and old if you don't rub them with cream, hiding worn out spots, as well as scratches and dents on the skin. This applies to skin of any color. Any shoe that has already been worn for several seasons requires more careful care and consideration.

They say that they are greeted by their clothes. No, they are greeted primarily by shoes. You can be dressed with a needle, but unkempt shoes will cross out all the gloss. Shoes polished to a mirror shine will tell a lot about their owner.

The military is especially sensitive to the look of their shoes. Great attention is paid to her care. Both on weekdays and on holidays, ankle boots should look perfect. Let's get acquainted with the methods that are used to bring the boots into full dress.

Preparatory process

Before cleaning your shoes, you need to to prepare necessary tools, the workplace and the boots themselves.

You will need the following:

• cleaning cream;
• soft and hard brushes;
• soft cloth for polishing;
• water.

Additionally, an old toothbrush, ear sticks, a lighter, and a cloth for moistening with water (or cotton wool) are used.

The place of work also requires some preparation, because the process itself is not quick and does not exclude accidental contamination of furniture and the interior as a whole:

• Spread newspapers or old oilcloths on the floor to keep the floor clean;
• for convenience, take a chair or stool - while squatting, you will want to speed up some steps, and this will affect the quality.

Ankle boots should also be prepared:

• Remove the laces first.
• Now work on the boots. They need to be washed thoroughly. This does not mean that you need to bathe them in water. The best solution is to clean them with a brush dipped in water at room temperature. Careful study of each area from dirt and dust will contribute to a high-quality shoe care result.
• After the ankle boots have dried, you can start applying the cream.

Important! All work is carried out outside, moisture should not get into the inner space of the boots. If such a nuisance occurs, dry your shoes using a special dryer. In the absence of it, baby powder is poured inside, which will dry out and remove the smell from wearing boots. Alternatively, stuff the boots with newspapers, they will absorb moisture.

Stages of work

The classic shoe shine, or the simplest step-by-step method:

1. grease dried ankle boots with a thick layer of cream;
2. leave to absorb and dry for 10-15 minutes;
3. take a soft rag in both hands;
4. with intensive movements from side to side with a cloth, polish the shoes;
5. leave them for 10 minutes;
6. to consolidate the result, apply the cream again;
7. now brush your shoes to a mirror finish.

Important! Best fabric for polishing - woolen suit or dress. A piece of a thin blanket will do, you can use a soldier's blanket, or a strip from a thin officer's overcoat. It would be nice to use a velvet piece.

There are more laborious methods - with water, with fire, but the stunning result after using them speaks for itself.

In the following method of cleaning shoes, water plays the first violin:

• apply the first layer of the cream and let it absorb;
• using a cloth soaked in water, rub a layer of cream;
• apply the next layer and rub it in with water again;
• then repeatedly distribute the cream on the shoes and polish with a wet cloth.

If everything is done correctly, with each subsequent layer, the shine should increase to mirror-like. The process involves the application of two thick and several light layers of cream.

Stages of wet exposure to boots should alternate with their obligatory drying in natural conditions.

Important! Rubbing in the product should be done slowly and thoroughly, from toe to heel.

Another way that takes a lot of time and patience, but in return you are guaranteed to get a mirror-shine ankle boots:

• tilt or turn over a jar of cream (only an iron one!) over a lighter and set fire to the product;
• quickly return the jar to its original position so as not to stain anything;
• let the contents burn for a few seconds until partial melting, and then close the lid - the fire will go out;
• with a damp cloth, apply thin layers of softened cream until the desired result is obtained;
• Heat the very last layer applied to the ankle boots with a warm stream of a hair dryer or walk over it with the fire of a candle (lighter), and after 15 minutes apply a control polish by rubbing an additional layer with a damp cloth.

• It will be more convenient to polish the ankle boots if the shoes are worn on a leg or on a disc.
• If the laces are slightly different in color, they can be tinted with cream at the final stage, but without polishing.
• In hard-to-reach areas, applying or removing the care product will be easier with an old toothbrush or cotton swab.
• Never use alcohol for shoe care: it degreases the skin, the surface becomes dry and brittle.
• Polished shining ankle boots don't look good with matte soles, so go for a bit of wax in these areas too.
• The thickest layer of the cream should be applied to the places where the shoes are most worn out: on the toe and heel.