How to Use The Kiwi Leather Care Kit on Leather Shoes
Maintaining leather shoes can be a challenging task, due to the material’s sensitivity to external elements. It can be even more challenging to take care of your favorite shoes when you are on the go or traveling.
If you are packing light and don’t want to carry all your leather care items in your luggage the KIWI Leather Care Kit is an excellent choice. The KIWI Leather Care Kit is effective, compact in design, and comes with easy-to-follow instructions.
It comes in a convenient zipper case, perfect for travel or storing in your car. The care kit can also be used as a regular leather care kit to ensure your leather shoes never dull in shine or color.
This guide will teach you how to use the KIWI Leather Care Kit on your leather shoes in just four simple steps. With the following directions, you will be able to clean your leather shoes, polish them, and buff them out for a spectacular shine wherever you are.
1. Prepare Your KIWI Leather Care Kit
The first step is to unpack the contents of the KIWI Leather Care Kit and take out the items. We advise you to work on a clean table or unobstructed workspace to clean and shine your leather shoes.
The KIWI Leather Care Travel Kit includes the following items:
- 1 x Tin of Black Shoe Polish (1.125 oz)
- 1 x Tin of Brown Shoe Polish (1.125 oz)
- 1 x Sponge Applicators
- 1 x Shine Brush
- 1 x Shine Cloth
The KIWI shoe polish contains Carnauba wax which is the main ingredient that nourishes the leather shoes and protects them. The other contents are used to apply the polish onto your leather shoes, but more on that later on.
2. Clean Your Leather Shoes
Your leather shoes must be clean and dry before any product application. If you apply a leather care product onto a dirty leather shoe, you will only be rubbing in dirt, grease, and dust further into the leather, making them even harder to clean in the future.
The shine brush included in the kit can be used to clean away any dust on your leather shoes. For tougher spots, you can dampen a cloth to remove stains and ensure your leather shoes are spotless.
Make long strokes with the brush on your leather shoes to brush away any signs of persisting dust and dirt. Ensure to clean the nooks of your leather shoes near the sides and the eyelets.
If you notice any scuff marks, stains, or dirt spots on your leather shoes, use a clean damp cloth to clear them away. Allow your shoes to dry before moving on to the next step. If you’re in a rush, use a hairdryer on a ‘no-heat’ setting or a fan and point them at your leather shoes from a distance.
3. Apply the KIWI Leather Care Polish
Depending on the color of your leather shoes, you can use the brown or the black KIWI Leather Care Polish that comes with the kit. This wax polish is designed to protect your leather shoes from water damage and staining. It can even restore the shoes’ original color and offer a beautiful shine.
Just ensure that you use the brown polish for brown leather shoes and the black polish for black leather shoes, respectively. Using the wrong polish colors may lighten or darken your leather shoes.
Now, apply the KIWI Polish to your leather shoes using the sponge applicator or the cloth included in the kit. We recommend keeping one sponge applicator for brown polish and the other for black polish.
Use small circular motions to blend a small amount of polish on the leather surface using gentle pressure. Ensure not to use too much polish since it may harden your shoes or leave any unwanted residue behind.
After applying a thin coat of polish all over your leather shoes, allow them to dry for 3 to 5 minutes before moving on to the next step.
4. Buff Your Leather Shoes
If you want an extra shine on your leather shoes, we suggest applying another light layer of polish. After applying a thin layer of polish, you should sprinkle a small amount of water and buff it out using the included shining brush or soft cloth.
We advise using moderate to firm pressure as you buff the shoes with the shining brush, using medium to long strokes. This motion should be maintained for about two to three minutes so that it will produce friction that will activate the wax polish and give your shoes a beautiful shine.
Your leather shoes should be sparkling new after having buffed them using the KIWI Leather Care Kit. You can not wash the sponge applicators, the sponge, and the brush, before storing them in the travel kit.
About Gerrit
Co-Founder, Researcher & Writer At Leatherskill
I’m a leather enthusiast who spends most of his free time crafting, researching, and writing about the many facets of this versatile material. Thanks for reading!