Few things improve your style quite like freshly polished shoes that look brand-new. Whether you’re headed to a job interview, first date, or formal event, people notice when you’re dressed up from your head to toes. Sofia Shoe Repair Service in Rochester, NY, has been shining, polishing, and repairing footwear for over 70 years, and they want to help you keep your kicks as fresh as the day they left the store.

Buy the Right Materials

If you don’t have the right items, you’re already off to a bad start. Find a high-quality shoe polish that has rave reviews and a professional reputation, and match it to the color of your shoes as closely as possible. You’ll also need a quality horsehair brush for scrubbing and shine as well as a soft rag or polishing brush for the polish.

Clean First

This step is often skipped, but it’s essential for getting that see-yourself-smiling-back-at-you shine. After you remove your laces, use your horsehair brush or a damp rag to scrub off the accumulated dirt and grime, making sure you get into the crevices. To go the extra mile, clean them with a gentle leather shoe cleaning product, allowing it to dry fully before starting to polish.

Polish Away

Once they’re dirt-free and dry, you can start polishing. Using your soft cloth or polishing brush, apply a fair amount of polish in an even coating on your shoes, careful to get in the seams and around the eyelets. Allow it to dry completely, and then scrub it with your horsehair brush to remove excess polish. To get a sheen on your toes and heels, use a damp cotton ball or rag to apply small amounts of polish on those areas, scrubbing the excess off before repeating that step until they’re as shiny as you’d like them to be.

Embrace the good old days by being meticulous with your shoe polishing to get perfect results. If polishing just doesn’t achieve the look you need, it may be time for shoe recoloring. At Sofia Shoe Repair Services in Rochester, NY, you can get shoe recoloring, resoling, re-dying, and repairing services from an experienced shoe repair shop that’s invested in every detail. Let them freshen up your favorite footwear today. And, read about their repairs online or call them at (585) 244-5907.