Gone are the days when guys did not need to look smartly dressed for work. Coming in with leather shoes that are unpolished and dirty will actually be noticed nowadays thanks to the advent of the professional metrosexual. But then again, even if you have no plans of being as stylish as a metrosexual, making sure your shoes are always clean is a good habit to develop.

Before starting, be aware that polishing shoes can always become a messy affair. Both the dirt of the shoe, and the shoe polish itself can end up marking the floor and making things look like a mess. So spread some old newspapers on the floor as a mat where you can polish your shoes on. Alternately, you can use the cover of a shoe box as a small tray. Here are some tips for you to consider.


•Start by giving your shoes a good once over. Use a basic rag to wipe any excess dirt or grime off your shoes. Shoe polish will not be as effective when applied on a still dirty shoe. If the shoe actually has something like chewing gum stuck on it, you have to remove the gum first before polishing your shoe. If the chewing gum has not set yet, it might be easier to gently remove the gum by freezing it first. This can be accomplished with little effort by using an ice cube that is in a plastic bag. The bag keeps the ice from wetting the shoe. Apply the cold shielded ice to the gum until the gum hardens. Then very carefully, with the use of a knife, scrape what you can of the gum off.
•Apply the shoe polish of your choice. Whether it is using a shoe polish that is in the form of a wax or a crème, apply only a little amount at a time. What you want to do is have enough shoe polish to equally spread over the surface of the shoe. Do not forget to make sure the color of the polish you use matches that of the shoe. While some shoe polishes are thin enough to be brushed immediately, most require some time to dry. If uncertain of what kind you have, just give it around fifteen minutes to set.
•Using a shoe brush, start with forceful but controlled strokes. Try to follow the curvature of the shoe’s shape and be careful not to strike the shoe with the handle of the brush instead. At this point, you are working the polish into the shoe. Do not be surprised if the shine has not yet begun to return.
•Buff the shoe. Use either a polishing cloth or a clean cotton cloth.

This might seem like a lot of work for nice clean shoes. While instant shoe polish is easy to use, it does have a tendency of damaging the shoe itself. Taking more time to care for your shoes is far better after all than having to replace them too often.