Ointment for cleaning shoes

Care of shoes is necessary not only to look neat, but also to extend its service life. That is why more than 5 centuries ago, an ointment for shoes was invented. During the reign of Charles II, the French invented the simplest means for cleaning shoes, which consisted of ingredients such as egg, oven fat, vinegar or beer. The tool, of course, was very cheap, but there was no special sense from it either. After complete drying, this wax ceased to shine and acquired a matte shade. And the English have managed to improve this tool and get the best result and still believe that the title of the discoverers of the vaccines should belong to them.

Currently, there are many manufacturers that produce shoe polish from a wide variety of components. However, the followers of the ancient English waxes have survived, and to this day they use molasses, wax, bone soot, linseed, castor and turpentine oils, shellac, etc. Such ointments for cleaning shoes according to old recipes are named for their inventors: Hunter's varnish, wax Nichola, trains of Kelner and Bruner.

All the variety of modern gutalin can be classified according to the type of the main solvent, in which the role is played by:

• wax on the basis of water, which in most cases is odorless. Such means take care of shoes exclusively visually, not improving at all its condition;
• means based on turpentine oil (the cup is named turpentine) are flammable and have a characteristic smell. When using and storing them, you must adhere to certain rules and safety regulations. Ointment for leather shoes based on turpentine is most often packed in tin cans with tightly fitting lids to prevent the evaporation of turpentine;
• Gutalin based on mink oil is the most expensive means for cleaning shoes.

To date, there are also creams made using hybrid technology - the basis for them is water and turpentine.

How to choose an ointment for shoe cleaning?

The market of modern footwear creams can be divided into:

• liquid cream, which is recommended for use in the warm season. Emulsion and water-based emulsion fluids for shoe care practically do not contain solvents (most often for this purpose water is used), therefore their attitude to shoes is very delicate. These tools are recommended for use when caring for expensive model shoes. The level of protection against moisture in emulsions is much lower than that of thick ointments, however liquid preparations give the skin a more stable and rich shine;
• a thick cream, which is used for daily care of shoes in the autumn-winter period. These remedies are based on organic constituents such as wax, animal fat, colorants and solvents. Acquiring a thick organic ointment, it should be remembered that it has a sharp odor.

For certain reasons, the most popular among consumers is footwear black color. In this regard, and a black ointment for cleaning shoes is also purchased much more often than a cream of other colors. But on the black shoe defects and lack of shine are noticeable better than on any other, so the cream should also meet the relevant requirements, namely the quality and long-lasting restoration of shine and color.

In order to choose the right cream, before buying, you should carefully study its composition. If the fat content is more than 40%, the cream can protect the shoes from moisture and make the skin more elastic. A high content of silicone or wax indicates that the cream gives shine. Solvents help to get rid of dust and dirt, and paint - to tint faded places.