A Guide To Leather Aftercare; Polish, Creams & Colours

If you’re on this page, chances are that you’re wondering which products and colours we recommend to look after your shoes. Below, you will find a comprehensive list of our current leathers with the recommended products.

Please use this as a guide, but feel free to use some creative licence within reason. For instance, if you’d like to switch to a darker brown creme to enrich the colour, or a neutral polish to antique the leather, don’t let us stop you – just exercise caution and be sure to test the product on a small part of the shoe first. 

Unless noted, all products can be applied on the uppers with a soft cloth or a brush in small amounts and buffed off with a polishing brush before applying the next product. Where polish is listed, we also recommend using one of our applicator brushes to apply a small amount onto the welt of the shoes to aid water protection. 

A comprehensive guide to polishing your shoes can be found here.

The products are listed in the correct order of use but it’s not necessary to use all products every time you clean your shoes; a quick application of creme or polish will be satisfactory if you’re pressed for time.

Calf Leathers

Black calf/black grain: Renovator creme – black creme – black polish 

Bronze rub-off grain: Renovator creme – dark brown creme – black (to enrich) or dark brown (to keep colour similar) polish

Burgundy calf/burgundy grain: Renovator creme – burgundy creme – burgundy polish

Charcoal: Renovator creme – black polish 

Chestnut/Almond Grain: Renovator creme – light brown creme – chestnut polish

Conker: Renovator creme – medium brown creme – chestnut polish

Dark leaf: Renovator creme – mahogany creme – mahogany polish

Espresso: Renovator creme – tobacco creme – espresso polish

Mahogany grain: Renovator creme – mahogany creme – mahogany polish

Mahogany polo: Renovator creme – medium brown creme – espresso polish 

Mocha calf/walnut grain: Renovator creme – dark brown (to enrich) or tobacco (to keep colour similar) creme – espresso polish  

Navy: Renovator creme – navy creme – black/neutral polish

Specialist Calf Leathers

Black chromexcel: black/neutral Cuir Gras

Black hydro leather: black/neutral Cuir Gras

Brown museum calf: Renovator creme – tobacco creme – espresso polish

Burgundy chromexcel: neutral Cuir Gras

Burgundy coaching calf: Renovator creme – burgundy creme 

Chicago tan chromexcel: dark brown/neutral Cuir Gras only 

English tan chromexcel: neutral Cuir Gras

Other Leathers

Black cherry goatskin: Renovator creme – burgundy creme – black polish

Copper goatskin: Renovator creme – havano creme – espresso polish 

Dark brown deerskin: Renovator creme – dark brown creme

Whisky/black/mole kudu: Renovator creme only 

Suede

For all suede, I would use the same aftercare: Omni Nettoyant suede shampoo, neutral Renovator aerosol, and a suede brush.

Post written by Covent Garden Store Manager Alex Pardey
IG: @shoes_maketh_man