What Is Shoe Polish?
Shoe polish (or boot polish) is a waxy paste, cream, or liquid that is used to polish, shine, and waterproof leather shoes or boots to extend the footwear’s life and restore its appearance. Shoe polishes are distinguished by their textures, which range from liquids to hard waxes. Solvent, waxes, and colorants comprise most shoe polishes.
Preparation Making Shoe Polish In Uganda
- Combine one part lemon juice with two parts olive oil to form a polish.
- Use a clean cloth to rub a small amount of the polish into your shoes, and allow it to soak in for a few minutes.
- Buff with another cloth, and enjoy your shiny shoes.
The Ingredients For Making Shoe Polish
It is usually made from ingredients including some or all of naphtha, lanolin, turpentine, wax (often Carnauba wax), gum arabic, ethylene glycol, and if required a colourant, such as carbon black or an azo dye (such as aniline yellow).
- Kerosene.
- Turpentine.
- Candle wax.
- Palm oil.
Types Of Shoe Polish In Uganda
Shoe polish can be classified into three types: wax, cream-emulsion, and liquid. Each differs in detailed composition but all consist of a mixture of waxes, solvent, and dyes.
The Price Of Shoe Polish In Uganda
Erdal Classic Shoe Polish Can Brown (75 ml), cares, shines & protects Leather Shoes – UGX 38,000
Erdal Classic Shoe Polish Black – can cream, cares, shines & protects, 75 ml – UGX 38,000
Erdal Protect Original Leather Polish, Intensive Leather Shoe Care with Moisture Protection – Colorless – UGX 78,000
Wax-Based Shoe Polish
Nigrosin is a common dye in black shoe polish.Waxes, organic solvents and colorant (either soluble dyes or pigment) compose this type of polish. Waxes are 20–40% of the material.
Natural waxes used for the polish include carnauba and montan as well as synthetic waxes.
The composition determines the hardness and polishing properties after solvent has evaporated.
Solvents are selected to match the waxes.
About 70% of shoe polish is solvent.A variety of solvents are used including naphtha.
Turpentine, although more expensive, is favored for its “shoe polish odor”.
Dyes make up the final 2–3% of the polish.
A traditional dye is nigrosine, but other dyes (including azo dyes) and pigments are used for oxblood, cordovan, and brown polishes.
Owing to its high content of volatile solvents, wax-based shoe polish hardens after application, while retaining its gloss.
Poorly blended polishes are known to suffer from blooming, evidenced by the appearance of a white coating of stearin on the polish surface.
Cream-Emulsion Shoe Polish
These polishes may have a gelatinous consistency.
They are composed of the usual three components waxes, liquid vehicle, and dyes.
Unlike wax-based shoe polishes, cream-emulsions contain water and/or oil plus a solvent (either naphtha, turpentine or Stoddard Solution), so the liquid content is high.
Emulsifiers and surfactants are required.
These include ammonia, morpholine and various ethoxylated surfactants such as polysorbate 80. The waxes are often some mixture of carnauba wax, beeswax, montan wax and its oxidized derivatives, and paraffin waxes.
Liquid Shoe Polish
Liquid shoe polish is sold in a squeezable plastic bottle, with a small sponge applicator at the end.
To decrease its viscosity, bottled polish usually has a very low wax content.
Liquid shoe polish is a complex mixture.
Polyethylene wax emulsion is a major component. Various polymers, typically acrylates, are the next major component, conferring gloss and holding the dyes in suspension.
Resins and casein are selected to ensure adhesion to the leather.
Fatty phosphate esters, emulsifiers, and glycols are also used.
Pigments include titanium dioxide for whites and iron oxides for browns.
Although liquid polish can put a fast shine on shoes, many experts warn against its long-term use because it can cause the leather to dry out and crack.
Which Solvent Is Used In Preparation Of Shoe Polish?
Hint: Shoe polish is made from the following ingredients- lanolin, naphtha, turpentine, paraffin wax, gum Arabic and ethylene glycol. Hence, paraffin wax is used for making shoe polish as it is solid and soft wax.
How Do You Make Shoe Polish Soft?
Heat the polish as it sits on a counter or wrap the can of polish in a towel or cotton rag to prevent burned hands. Place the can in an oven set to 300 degrees, or the lowest setting on your oven. Heat the polish for approximately five minutes or until it begins to soften.
What Kind Of Mixture Is Shoe Polish?
Shoe polish is a mixture of paraffin wax with pigment, solvent (white spirit), turpentine oil and nitrocellulose.
What Kind Of Shoe Polish Do I Need?
If you are really unsure, use a neutral or uncolored polish, although it will add only shine, not add color.We recommend using a wax polish (like we’ve done here) for that classic shoe shine look. Polishing Cloth: A soft polishing cloth is essential for shining your shoes.