Spitshine Shoes with Shoe Polish, Water and Heat.wmv

http://www.spitshineshoes.com/shoes.html
Ever seen shoes that have that "spitshined look." You know,
that high glossy shine? Yes, there is a secret to making your
shoes look their best and YOU can do it yourselt right at home!

Are you going to a wedding soon? Maybe a job interview
and want to make a great impression? Maybe you're going
shopping, getting the oil in your car changed or just walking next
store to visit your neighbor. The look and condition of your shoes
is equally as important as the look and condition of your hair,
makeup, beard or mustache being properly trimmed etc., and
of course general hygiene. Your shoes should always look their
best. If you're wearing athletic shoes... clean them. If you're
wearing suede or nubuck... brush up the nap, clean and protect
them with the appropriate products. Leather shoes... spit shine them!

It's important to learn everything you need to know about proper
shoe care and how the condition and look of our shoes speak
volumes about ourselves to others. Don't let your shoes tell lies
about you just because they're ticked-off that they don't look as
good as they did when they were new. Believe it or not, they can
look even better than when they were new! For instance; did you
know that brand new shoes don't automatically come polished? A good
shoe salesman will tell you to polish them right away before you even
wear them. Why? What exactly does polish do? The obvious is that
they make them look better. But also, polishing your shoes also protects
them. By polishing your shoes it helps to repel against certain stains
and also makes them easier to clean when they do get dirty.

Some call professional shoeshining a lost art. However, shoeshining
seems to be making a comeback. Within the last ten years or so
I've seen several shoe shining stands popping up everywhere;
malls, airports, hotels, casinos, shoe repair shops and even
at many department stores. The price for a shoeshine varies
from stand to stand but you can always tell the ones who really
know how to perform a quality shine. The kind of shine I'm talking
about is a high gloss shine that is achieved by a very old technique
called a "spitshine."

In the old world they really did use "actual spit" and heat to get a high
gloss shine. In the new world of today, thank God, we use plain old
water, usually applied with a spray bottle. Much more sanitary and
just as effective. I prefer to use distilled water because you want to
protect the leather from the harsh elements that can many times be
found in tap water. Of course, this can also depend on what part of
the country you live in. If you're not sure of the quality of your water
then distilled water is a safe way to go. The important thing to remember
when polishing your shoes and looking for that really shiny look is to
make sure you use a quality shoe polish wax, the right spritzing cloth
to generate heat on the leather and of course... water.

Recommended supplies: shining brush and large dauber brush
(made with 100% horse hair). The dauber brush is for applying
the cleaner & conditioner and the shining brush for buffing the shoe
after applying polish and then again after applying the clear coat.
Note: some shoeshiners prefer to use a dauber brush for applying
polish but I prefer to use a cloth. It's more of a rewarding feeling
to massage the polish into the leather with your fingers knowing that
you are, not only nurturing the leather but also you can feel if you've
missed any areas. You can feel it because on areas where the polish
hasn't been applied it will not be as smooth as the areas that have been
polished. Many of the old timers use ONLY their fingers, but it's a
good idea to wear plastic gloves or use a cloth, or both.

Next, you will need four separate cloths; one for wiping off excess
cleaner & conditioner, one for applying polish and one for applying
the clear coat (a transparent stain-wax that seals in the shine and
waterproofs the leather). The fourth one is a spritzing cloth that is
used to briskly rub the leather back and forth (caution: some leathers
are very soft and are not meant to have a glossy shine, thus should not
be spritzed). This, by the way is the real secret to that spitshined look!
By spraying the spritzing cloth lightly with water you then rub the leather
in a very fast motion. This creates heat. As the leather heats up from the
brisk rubbing, the water dries and you are left with a very high gloss shine
known as "The Spitshine." For an added touch there is something called
"Heel, Sole & Edge Dressing," which makes the heels & edges look
spitshined as well.