If you're looking for a green alternative to commercially available shoe shine, this instructable is for you!
For a quick and easy shoe shine, nothing beats a banana peel. I realize that the association of "shoe" with "banana" is usually considered a source of hilarity (and pain), but this method really does work. The potassium in the peel nourishes the leather, and after rubbing your shoes with the inside of the peel, and buffing them with a clean rag they really will shine!
Unfortunately a banana will not waterproof leather. If that's what you're looking for, proceed to step number 2 for a simple, cheap, non toxic, shoe polish recipe.
UPDATE November 2012: I added the color shoe polish ingredients and instructions
For a quick and easy shoe shine, nothing beats a banana peel. I realize that the association of "shoe" with "banana" is usually considered a source of hilarity (and pain), but this method really does work. The potassium in the peel nourishes the leather, and after rubbing your shoes with the inside of the peel, and buffing them with a clean rag they really will shine!
Unfortunately a banana will not waterproof leather. If that's what you're looking for, proceed to step number 2 for a simple, cheap, non toxic, shoe polish recipe.
UPDATE November 2012: I added the color shoe polish ingredients and instructions
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Signing UpStep 1: Ingredients
For clear or white polish:
1 tea candle
1 tbsp mineral oil (alternate: mink or macadamia nut oil)
1 tbsp lanolin
4 tsp zinc oxide (optional, for white polish)
Tip: tea candle tin has a volume of 1 tablespoon which makes it a handy measuring tool.
For colored polish:
3 colored wax crayons (choose color to match your shoes)
1 tbsp mineral oil (alternate: mink or macadamia nut oil)
1 tbsp lanolin
Notes on ingredients:
Lanolin is a wax sheep secrete to keep their wool from getting waterlogged. You can find it in health food stores or in pharmacies. It is marketed to relieve the cracked nipples of breast feeding mothers.
Mineral oil is sold in pharmacies with laxatives. Baby oil is mineral oil with fragrance, so it makes a fine substitute. Mink or macadamia nut oils are better for leather than mineral oil but they cost more and the shelf life of your polish will be reduced (although it should still be good for at least one year). Mink oil can be found in hardware stores, and macadamia nut oil is in most grocery stores.
1 tea candle
1 tbsp mineral oil (alternate: mink or macadamia nut oil)
1 tbsp lanolin
4 tsp zinc oxide (optional, for white polish)
Tip: tea candle tin has a volume of 1 tablespoon which makes it a handy measuring tool.
For colored polish:
3 colored wax crayons (choose color to match your shoes)
1 tbsp mineral oil (alternate: mink or macadamia nut oil)
1 tbsp lanolin
Notes on ingredients:
Lanolin is a wax sheep secrete to keep their wool from getting waterlogged. You can find it in health food stores or in pharmacies. It is marketed to relieve the cracked nipples of breast feeding mothers.
Mineral oil is sold in pharmacies with laxatives. Baby oil is mineral oil with fragrance, so it makes a fine substitute. Mink or macadamia nut oils are better for leather than mineral oil but they cost more and the shelf life of your polish will be reduced (although it should still be good for at least one year). Mink oil can be found in hardware stores, and macadamia nut oil is in most grocery stores.
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To answer your question on how to shine shoes please feel free to download a free copy of The Butlers guide to shiny shoes.
I do not use a banana but I am starting to look at alternatives to Kiwi polish.
http://the-butler.synthasite.com/The_Butlers_Tips.php
I will eventually create an instructable but at the moment I am very busy Butling