Clean the shoes. Before you begin polishing, it is important that you first clean your shoes to remove any built up dirt, salt or dust. Otherwise the dirt could get trapped beneath the polish or scratch the surface of the shoes. Brush the shoe vigorously with your horsehair brush to remove any debris.[2]
Alternatively, use a dampened cloth to wipe all around the surface of the shoe. Just leave the shoes to dry completely before moving on to the next step.
At this point, you may also want to remove the laces from your shoes. This will give you easier access to the tongue of the shoe and will prevent any polish from getting on