It is no secret that shoes can serve for a very long time if they are regularly and properly looked after. This is not at all difficult to do with the right care products. Many formulations allow not only to maintain a good condition of the product, but also to hide some of the shortcomings. We have studied the two most popular leather shoe care products.
Cream or wax for shoes: which is better to choose?
Often on the shelves of shops in the departments for the care of leather shoes you can find jars with the names “cream” and “wax” . What to choose?
Shoe cream - what it is, its varieties and benefits
Shoe cream is a complex chemical composition for skin care, which can vary depending on the purpose. For example:
- solvent content helps clean the product;
- dyes are necessary to preserve color and hide small scuffs;
- the presence of animal fat is important for the nutrition of the skin;
- wax as part of shoe polish gives shine and protection against moisture and dirt.
When choosing creams, you should take into account the type of skin and the purpose of the shoe.
By the type of solvent used, two groups of agents can be distinguished:
1. Creams intended for boots and boots for everyday wear. Among them, the best will be a composition with organic solvents. They clean and protect products well.
Such creams disappear very quickly! Therefore, keep the jars well closed and keep an eye on the expiration date. Usually they can be used no more than a year.
2. Aqueous emulsion creams. They gently and gently clean leather goods; they are great for women’s model shoes. It is very convenient to use formulations stored in tubes. Their protection for shoes is weaker, but the undeniable advantage is the gloss on the skin that appears after application.
When buying a cream, pay attention that there are no lumps or bundles in it. This indicates its low quality, poor tightness of the container, improper storage. Such a tool can harm the shoe. You should not buy it.
Sponges soaked in cream are widely used. They are convenient to use, but often contain silicone harmful to shoes. Silicone clogs pores, the skin stops breathing and spoils faster.
Shoe wax - what it is, its varieties and advantages
Wax or shoe polish is a protective agent that covers smooth leather shoes after applying the cream. It is more dense in its structure.
The quality of shoe wax directly depends on the manufacturing method. According to this principle, several types of groups are distinguished:
- Natural beeswax. It is heated or squeezed directly in apiaries. This is a product of the highest quality.
- Press wax is obtained industrially from the remnants of old (mers) or empty honeycombs. Merv wax is dark and dense, technical. Most often used for shoe care.
- Extraction wax. It is extracted from old honeycombs chemically using gasoline. It is softer than the press, has a pungent smell. It contains impurities. This wax is used to make cheap shoe creams.
- Bleached wax is obtained by chemical bleaching.
Using shoe wax, you can polish the product to a beautiful, bright shine, glass. The product softens the skin, prevents and helps to fight against already formed creases and cracks. Among other things, coloring agents may be added to the wax composition for convenience.
Good quality wax can always be identified by its uniform, dense texture and the absence of an unpleasant odor.
Total
When caring for shoes, it is important to follow the recommendations of specialists and choose high-quality products . The best care and protection is achieved by the joint use of shoe wax and cream.
After mechanical cleaning of dirt and dust, treat the shoes with a suitable cream, let it soak for some time, and then apply a small layer of wax and polish to a shine. And do not forget that shoes should be processed starting from the first application.
