How To Shine Boots

Whether you are in the military or you are an every day civilian, you should know how to shine boots. Although the military requires your boots to be "spit shined", shiny boots show confidence and everyone should learn how. Let's get started.

What you need to shine boots:

• Clean, soft cloth
• Shoe polish
• Water
• Toothbrush
• Polishing brush

1. First, remove dust and dirt from the boots. To properly get an evenly beautiful shine to boots, a clean and smooth surface is required. Dust and dirt will leave a mark and your polish will be flawed. The shine will appear to have scratches and marks in it.
2. Take the soft cloth and get it wet. You want the cloth to be damp, so ring out all excess water thoroughly. By dampening your cloth, the polish will adhere to the boots instead of the cloth. Water works as a barrier since polish is made out of a wax base.
3. Wrap the cloth tightly around your index and middle fingers with no wrinkles in the cloth. These are the fingers you will be using to polish and shine your boots. Make sure to use your strong hand. Shining boots is not a quick procedure.
4. Get ready to start polishing your boots. Put some shoe polish onto your cloth. In small,circular motions with your fingers, apply the shoe polish to the boot. Make sure you put an even coat of polish all over the boot. Continue to rub the polish until all streaks are gone and the boot shines. This step can be repeated as many times as you like until you reach the desired shine to your boots.
5. Polish the welts. You cannot forget the base of your boots. Shiny boots are beautiful when the entire boot has been shined, not just the top. Using your toothbrush, get a small amount of shoe polish and shine the welts. This will remove any scuffs all around the sole and discoloration in the threads.
6. Buff your shiny boots. Insert your hand into the boots as if you are going to wear them like gloves. This will give you the ability to move the boots around without your fingers leaving a mark in the shine you worked so hard to get. Take your shoe polishing brush in your other hand and with side to side sweeping motions brush, or buff your boots. Buffing your boots will make that lustrous shine look like a mirror.