cleaning shoes

[MidAmUmp]

I used to spend a lot of time on my shoes.  I had a former military guy show me how to spit shine them.  He told me anyone who would use liquid polish would suck a ... well... never mind.

 

Now, I just use scrubbing bubbles and a scrub brush to keep the white, white.  I might wipe one of those Kiwi self-shine things over them if I'm feeling frisky and then spray them with some cheap aerosol hairspray.  All are tips from an MLB clubby.

[flastyle727]

No wonder you never fussed about our shoes at Camp this year

 

I used to spend a lot of time on my shoes.  I had a former military guy show me how to spit shine them.  He told me anyone who would use liquid polish would suck a ... well... never mind.

 

Now, I just use scrubbing bubbles and a scrub brush to keep the white, white.  I might wipe one of those Kiwi self-shine things over them if I'm feeling frisky and then spray them with some cheap aerosol hairspray.  All are tips from an MLB clubby.

[BRUMP]

i usually just leave them as is from game to game......no need to waste time on something so minor

[iankelleyumpire]

i usually just leave them as is from game to game......no need to waste time on something so minor

 

Right?! I think the leftover dirt shows character! Like you've been working hard... Haha

[MidAmUmp]

 

No wonder you never fussed about our shoes at Camp this year

 

I used to spend a lot of time on my shoes.  I had a former military guy show me how to spit shine them.  He told me anyone who would use liquid polish would suck a ... well... never mind.

 

Now, I just use scrubbing bubbles and a scrub brush to keep the white, white.  I might wipe one of those Kiwi self-shine things over them if I'm feeling frisky and then spray them with some cheap aerosol hairspray.  All are tips from an MLB clubby.

 

Dirty shoes was the least of your problems   

[Recontra]

I've tried all of the above, and they all work great.  I keep a RubberMaid bin of water and a little (just a smidge) of dish soap in my vehicle and a small brush.  Knocks all the dirt and mud off quickly, then towel dry with an old wash cloth.  Then I spray on Meguir's Supreme Shine Protectant.  The New Balance plate shoes are NOT leather--and while I've Kiwi'd them to death, I can't get a decent high gloss polish on them.  The Meguir's works great for that purpose.  I also use it on my Reebock Field Magistrate base shoes (which are also leather) and it also works great.  But I agree certain auto products are not designed for leather, so if you're going to hit your leather shoes with Meguir's or Armour All, make sure they are Kiwi polished to several thicknesses first, so the shiny layer sits on top of the polish and doesn't soak into the leather.  Both manufacturers also make shine products specifically designed to polish leather seats.

 

Basically anything we do is moot after the 1st half inning when our shoes are instantly covered in either dust or mud, but it's that 1st impression walking onto the field that makes the shine and pants creases helpful (if not necessary).

[tldavis19]

I spray them down with scrubbing bubbles and let them sit so the cleaner can soak in. I then scrub them with a sink brush for a little bit then dry them with a microfiber towel. repeat if desired. Once they're clean I spray them with a cheap hairspray to get a good shine out of them. Easy process and they look great every time!

[zm1283]

Wow, some of you guys spend an ungodly amount of time on your shoes.  Your umpiring better be impeccable if you're spending so much time working on shoes.

 

The hairspray thing works really well too, as long as you let it dry before you walk on the field.

[noumpere]

 

Basically anything we do is moot after the 1st half inning when our shoes are instantly covered in either dust or mud,

 

Some of the things some of you guys are doing will actually attract the dust from the field and help it stick there either through static or because the shoes are still "wet" (even if they feel dry to the touch).

[JaxRolo]

 

 

No wonder you never fussed about our shoes at Camp this year

 

I used to spend a lot of time on my shoes.  I had a former military guy show me how to spit shine them.  He told me anyone who would use liquid polish would suck a ... well... never mind.

 

Now, I just use scrubbing bubbles and a scrub brush to keep the white, white.  I might wipe one of those Kiwi self-shine things over them if I'm feeling frisky and then spray them with some cheap aerosol hairspray.  All are tips from an MLB clubby.

 

Dirty shoes was the least of your problems   

 

 

 

OUCH!!!

[flastyle727]

My drinking and overall lack of effort were much worse I'm sure!!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 4

[BigUmpire]

 

 

Basically anything we do is moot after the 1st half inning when our shoes are instantly covered in either dust or mud,

 

Some of the things some of you guys are doing will actually attract the dust from the field and help it stick there either through static or because the shoes are still "wet" (even if they feel dry to the touch).

 

Spray " Static Guard" on shoes and lower part of you pants on a dusty day will  repel dust BUT not RATS!

[boyinr]

No wonder you never fussed about our shoes at Camp this year

 

I used to spend a lot of time on my shoes.  I had a former military guy show me how to spit shine them.  He told me anyone who would use liquid polish would suck a ... well... never mind.

 

Now, I just use scrubbing bubbles and a scrub brush to keep the white, white.  I might wipe one of those Kiwi self-shine things over them if I'm feeling frisky and then spray them with some cheap aerosol hairspray.  All are tips from an MLB clubby.

Dirty shoes was the least of your problems   

Maybe we need to hijack this thread and move on to burn treatment.

[Minnz]

Wow you guys are in the wrong state association.  I just wear a new pair of shoes every game since they pay us so well and we make bank.  Why clean shoes when you can just get a shiny pair for each game?

[Dannytheman]

Wow, so many choices. I keep a squirt/mister bottle with water in the truck. when done a game I mist em and brushem with the above recommended horse haired brush. Then I let them dry. The next day I will put a little Kiwi black on a soft cloth and spit shine em. Then use a different horse hair brush to polish them. I also keep and old soft toothbrush to get tight places on the shoes like down near sole.

 

1) I don't put chemicals on shoes.

2) once damp, or wet, allow to dry for polishing. (Especially after sweating in them for hours)

3) Use the military method. Kiwi is still best out there. Simple and effective.

 

 

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/09/21/how-to-shine-your-shoes-video/

[elares]

 

Stop by a tack store. Get a few horse brushes

 

BigUmpire is right on the money with the horse brushes.  Gets the loose dust off quickly and good for buffing as well. 

 

I have NB's for base and plate shoes as well (all black).  For the base shoes, aside from mild soap for cleaning, if you have corfram rubber for the shiny part of the toes and heels, windex will make it reflect like a mirror. 

 

For the plate shoes, once you get them dusted off and cleaned up with a mild soap, get the shine going right.  You'll need black and neutral shoe polish, a horsehair brush, and an old white t-shirt that you can cut up for the final polishing.  Don't use the thicker cloth in the shoe polish kit, it's junk.  Initially, apply a good coat of black polish on the shoe.  No need for the small circles with the t-shirt yet.  Once applied, take a heat gun and hold it far away from the plate shoe while it blows hot air on there (this goes a lot easier on the leather than a lighter and works about 10x as quick).  You will see the wax melt and look shiny - this allows the wax to get into the small pores of the leather.  Once you have gone over the shoe and have seen the wax melt, take the horsehair brush and buff out the shoe.  Perform this step two to three times.

 

Once that is done, go to the neutral shoe polish.  This acts as a clear coat/sealant if you will.  Just like before, apply liberally on the shoe.  Once applied, heat gun your shoe just like before and get the wax to melt in.  Buff out and repeat.  On the second coat of neutral, once you have melted it in, instead of buffing it out with the horsehair brush, take your t-shirt and get it SLIGHTLY damp.  You don't want too much water in the shirt, just enough so it doesn't create friction with the shoe.  Using the t-shirt and your pointer finger, put a SMALL AMOUNT of black shoe polish on the t-shirt and work it in using small circles.  With the coats you put on before and melted in, you should start seeing a mirror shine coming from the shoe. 

 

The first time around obviously takes a little longer but the good thing is that once you get the initial shine in, all it takes is a brush down and a good once or twice over with a small amount of polish and the heat gun to get the shoes right back to where they were.  I am a new umpire but I was also military and this method always got my boots in inspection-ready condition.  Hope this helps!

 

Using the heat gun has changed my life!!!

I didn't go to the lengths you do but WOW.  I just melted the polish before I used the horsehair brush for final buff and my shoes look completely different. The mirror shine I have been searching for is found.  Thank you very much for this tip.  BTW, I'm using Kiwi parade gloss polish.  

Umire-Empire for the WIN!

 

Thank you for posting this tip.