Shoe cream vs polish … What should you use to give your leather footwear the best care? Most people ask whether they can use both the cream and polish on their shoes.
However, these leather care products are different and so they serve different purposes. For instance, cream is used to recolor the shoes while polish gives the shoes a shine.
Using either product can help to give your leather dress shoes a new leash of life. But you do not only use these products on shoes. You also use them on leather boots.
One of the main differences between shoe cream and polish is actually in their names. What do we mean?
When you use cream, it is absorbed into the leather. It makes it more supple and nourished. That is why cream is so popular for reconditioning leather shoes.
On the other hand, shoe polish just sits on the surface of the shoes. They do not absorb it. It gives the shoes a real shine especially when you buff it.
In a nutshell …
Table of Contents You should not use shoe cream on your leather footwear every day. To understand why this is important, you have to know some in depth details about it. For instance, when the shoes absorb the cream, it helps the leather retain its natural moisture. This natural moisture is not really water. It is a type of natural oil that the leather contains. It is responsible for keeping the leather supple, flexible and nourished all the time. When this natural oil is not maintained, the leather starts to dry up. Using shoe cream on leather products gives them a new lease of life. One application is very effective, so you should use cream on your shoes at least once every three weeks, or even once a month. Dry weather seems to dry out the leather’s natural oil. If you use your leather boots to work in the hot sun daily, you should apply shoe cream more often than a person who works in the shade daily. The once-in-three weeks schedule is just a guideline. The usage of the leather shoes should guide you accordingly on how often to apply the cream.
Shoe polish is different from shoe cream in that it is used to waterproof the shoes thanks to its waxy base. One thing that makes shoe polish so different from leather cream is that it is not absorbed into the leather. It just sits on the surface of the leather like a paste (it is a paste). This is why it is so effective at preventing the absorption of water into the leather. Apart from using the shoe polish on leather shoes, some sources also say that you can use it on furniture, especially wood. The same way that it gives leather a good shine is also the same way it will apply a shine to the wood furniture. When you want to give your shoes a serious shine, you know, like a mirror, you need to apply shoe polish. After applying the polish on the shoes, give it some time to settle. You can then buff it with a clean brush to give it an extra, mirror-like shine. Before you can polish your shoes, you need to clean them with a dry and damp rag. Unless you work in wet conditions, you can apply polish to your shoes once a month. If you do not wear your shoes too often, you can even polish them at least once every six months.
If you want your leather shoes to last a long time looking healthy and nourished, you need to apply shoe cream. It is very good for leather! One benefit of using shoe cream is that it brings out the real color of the leather. Thus, cream such as mink oil is used for restoration of the leather. If you have rusty Timberland boots, you want to keep them looking rusty throughout their lifespan. Only a good shoe cream can help you do that. Another benefit of using shoe cream is that it makes the leather healthy. In fact, today, creams are used to give the leather its suppleness, flexibility and health back. Cream is also used to restore dry leather shoes. Yes, shoe polish is very good for waterproofing leather shoes. However, for this, you have to choose the best shoe polishes. Shoe polish products made with canuba, pine resin and beeswax are very good for waterproofing the shoes. If you work outdoors in wet conditions, apply this polish at least once a month. Most people asking how can I waterproof my shoes, are directed to use clear candles wax, beeswax or canuba. This is a clear testament of these products’ prowess at making your leather shoes waterproof. As a summary to this short article, if you have leather shoes, you will need both shoe cream and polish. It is also important to know how to apply them. The good thing is that these products are affordable, easy to apply and they do increase the lifespan of your footwear.
How often should you use shoe cream?
What is the purpose of shoe polish?
Is shoe cream good for leather?
Does shoe polish make shoes waterproof?
Final thoughts on Shoe Cream vs Polish