Cleaning shoe cleaning stuff, brushes and cloths

[TopCat]

I have a big box of shoe brushes in front of me. The box is covered in polish as are all the brushes.
It's got to the point I can only sort my shoes prior to a bath and this has to end.
How do I clean up all my shoe brushes? Make it a pleasure to give a quick tidy to some shoes instead of a fight against polish on my shirt?
Some big solvent? Something gentle ecover ineffectual ?

 

[SheilaNaGig]

I’d see if could get away with turning it all into “patina“ but buffing everything up with a few clean microfibre cloths.

I probably then move on to sugar soap and-or white spirits before deciding that yet more cleaning products counteracts the waste /cash conundrum and buying new.

 

[SheilaNaGig]

Oil for oil.

I’d probably try using semi-used kitchen towel with semi-used cooking oil to try to shift some of the polish, and then trying something soapy.

Bio detergent? Dishwashing tablets?

 

[RubyToogood]

WD40?

 

[Edie]

Just buy some new brushes

 

[neonwilderness]

Just buy some new brushes

Don’t tell Greta

Maybe leave them somewhere warm so the polish dries out, then it might flake off the the brushes?

 

[weltweit]

I don't quite understand if there is polish on the brushes then put the polish on your shoes. There should be two brushes for every shoe colour one to put polish on and one to polish it off.

Sorry i just don't see what the problem is?

 

[dessiato]

If you really must clean up your brushes try hot water to melt the wax and, hopefully it'll melt and float off.

But why don't you clean up your brushes as you use them?

 

[dessiato]

Anyway, here's how to clean your shoes properly. I use a hairdryer instead of a blow torch, for obvious reasons. And be careful not to set the wax on fire when melting it, that can be a problem if not done safely.

 

[SheilaNaGig]

How often do you do that dessiato ? And how long does it take?


For the boots I wear at festivals and for camping, I put them them in the oven to warm them up, melt a mixture of wax, polish, dubbin (depending on whether I’m camping, walking, expecting a muddy festival), paint that onto the warm boots and shuffle it into the creases and seams with an old toothbrush, leave it all to set overnight, then go over the boots with the brushes the next day. Sometimes I don’t bother with the brushing and polishing if I suspect it’s going to be epic mud.

Not bothered about the shine, this is to get them properly waterproof (I don’t like wellies). It’s lazy but it works. And doing it this way makes it so much easier to clean the mud off without damaging the leather after a badly muddy festival.

I stick to more basic and orthodox methods (massage on brush off buff up) for normal daily shoes.

 

[dessiato]

How often do you do that dessiato ? And how long does it take?


For the boots I wear at festivals and for camping, I put them them in the oven to warm them up, melt a mixture of wax, polish, dubbin (depending on whether I’m camping, walking, expecting a muddy festival), paint that onto the warm boots and shuffle it into the creases and seams with an old toothbrush, leave it all to set overnight, then go over the boots with the brushes the next day. Sometimes I don’t bother with the brushing and polishing if I suspect it’s going to be epic mud.

Not bothered about the shine, this is to get them properly waterproof (I don’t like wellies). It’s lazy but it works. And doing it this way makes it so much easier to clean the mud off without damaging the leather after a badly muddy festival.

I stick to more basic and orthodox methods (massage on brush off buff up) for normal daily shoes.

I seldom do all of that. I spend an hour at a time to get a good clean and shine, but if I'm doing the full high shine it'll be much longer and it takes as long as it takes really. It depends on the state of the shoes and how much shine I want. And how quickly I get fed up with it.

This week I'll be doing Mrs Dess's boots. It will take about two hours because she doesn't look after them enough.

 

[ice-is-forming]

I haven't cleaned my boots properly since 1968, when I got a brownie badge for doing so..

 

[TopCat]

I don't quite understand if there is polish on the brushes then put the polish on your shoes. There should be two brushes for every shoe colour one to put polish on and one to polish it off.

Sorry i just don't see what the problem is?

The polish has, over the years soaked into the wood handles of my brushes. It's the shoe equivalent of a toolbox full of dirty, oily tools.
It would be pleasing to me to clean and shine my shoes with clean brushes, with minimal risk of polish going where it shouldn't. See pic.
I dont want to buy new brushes or use blue gloves.

 

[TopCat]

Anyway, here's how to clean your shoes properly. I use a hairdryer instead of a blow torch, for obvious reasons. And be careful not to set the wax on fire when melting it, that can be a problem if not done safely.

All that effort to try and break in army boots. Seems wasteful to me. Is it to keep squaddies busy? Get decent boots (as the army provide now) and they should be fine out of the box.

 

[TopCat]

Just buy some new brushes

No! They are not worn out at all. They are really good bristle as well.

 

[Spymaster]

Just wear gloves and an old shirt when you polish you shoes. Like everyone else.

Some things really aren't that difficult

 

[TopCat]

Just wear gloves and an old shirt when you polish you shoes. Like everyone else.

Some things really aren't that difficult

You have settled rather than tackling the issue! I can and do polish my shoes whilst wearing a big dressing gown and awaiting my bath.

I want just to tidy the brushes up. I am going to use acetone if I can find some.

 

[TopCat]

Well I do have acetone and it was ineffectual. Given it's a strong solvent, and I have tried the soap approach I am stymied.
I do realise I have accumulated loads of tiny brushes, so small I can hardly hold them?

 

[TopCat]

I might get drunk and throw them in the washing machine on express.

 

[weltweit]

TopCat can't you just polish it off?

After all that is what we do with it, we apply it with one brush and then polish it off with the other?

 

[SheilaNaGig]

Yeah.
Nail varnish remover/acetone
Or
White spirits/turps/methelated spirits
Or
Swarfega
Or
WD40
Or
Cooking oil
Or
microfibre cloths and elbow grease
Or
Cheap salt as a scrub


I agree! Those brushes look too good to bin.

Or you could use one brush to brush to other, and knock the polish off the bristles by rubbing oil onto an old piece of wood and then buffing the wood.

 

[SheilaNaGig]

There are options! It’s about softening the wax enough to shift it.

Oil for oil. Wax for wax.

Get a chunk of beeswax (Brixton wholefoods sells it ) and buff the fuck outnof the beeswax with the brushes,

Use a candle stub to rub over the stained parts the brushes, then buff with a cloth.
You can do this!

Fuckin hell. I’ll do it for you!

 

[SheilaNaGig]

Use the back end of a kitchen knife to scrape it off.

Warm them in the oven.

Paint them all with Hammerite.

 

[TopCat]

Use the back end of a kitchen knife to scrape it off.

Warm them in the oven.

Paint them all with Hammerite.

Hammerite! I have not used the stuff in years! Hehe

Well generally wiping them with a damp microfiber cloth and whacking them together has loosened all the dried polish off the bristles (which sprayed everywhere when applying polish) and the wooden handles, although stained still are not transferring the stainage elsewhere.

 

[Spymaster]

I want just to tidy the brushes up. I am going to use acetone if I can find some.

They're shoe brushes. They're supposed to look like that.

 

[TopCat]

They're shoe brushes. They're supposed to look like that.

I m not asking you to change your ways. Just chil.

 

[Manter]

I’d suggest fairy liquid

 

[Calamity1971]

Some guy on you tube reckons this..
10.99 though, cleans old polish off boots and perks ya brushes up.

 

[dessiato]

All that effort to try and break in army boots. Seems wasteful to me. Is it to keep squaddies busy? Get decent boots (as the army provide now) and they should be fine out of the box.

It’s not to break them in, it’s to get that very high shine for parades.

 

[TopCat]

It’s not to break them in, it’s to get that very high shine for parades.

Just for the shine eh? I'm not a big shine man myself. I polish my shoes regularly but not to achieve some army standard. I think regular cleaning is so much more important in the care of leather shoes and boots?