One in five men admit they never shine their shoes.
Men are losing the habit of cleaning a pair of shoes because of the trend towards wearing trainers and more footwear being made from synthetic materials.
Fewer than one in four polish their shoes on a weekly basis, while almost a third confess they don’t possess wax or brushes, preferring “quick” liquid sponge cleaners, a study for men’s online retailer Jacamo has revealed.
Once an integral part of barrack room tradition which made it a ritual in homes across Britain, the change in habits comes as the popularity of less formal footwear increases. While the average UK man possesses nine pairs of shoes, just two are traditional smart shoes, one a pair of boots, two pairs are sandals or flip flops, and four are trainers.
The 18-34 year olds are the least likely not to clean shoes while the over 55s are the group who still like to buff-up their footwear at least once a week.
Despite younger men not caring for their shoes on a regular basis, they are the biggest purchases of new shoes buying an average three pairs a year and they spend the most.
Overall men spend on average £52.40 a year on shoes, the survey found.
Those aged 25-34 own the most shoes, with an average 12 pairs of which six are trainers. However one in five said they owned just a single pair of “smart” shoes” thanks to the increasing casualisation of workplaces.
Eight in ten men said they chose a pair of shoes on the basis of comfort rather than style with black still the most popular colour choice, followed by brown, white, then blue.
Despite a growing shoe collection eight out of ten of those questioned confessed to wearing the same three pairs on a regular basis.
Jenni Bamford from Jacamo said: “The popularity of informal footwear which tend to be made from modern materials that don’t need polishing means that men are polishing their shoes less.
“Time saving products such as single-application synthetic creams and wipes has seen the use of old fashioned wax polishes fall.
“Many of today’s fashionable shoes are made from synthetic materials which don’t respond as well as leather to traditional polish. The popularity of trainers has also made formal polishing unnecessary.”
Advice on the best way to clean shoes:
Equipment: shoe polish, two soft brushes, damp sponge, soft cloth, warm water.
1) Clean: Remove laces. Brush off mud. Use a damp sponge to remove stubborn dirt. Leave to dry naturally. Do not polish shoes when wet.
2) Apply Polish: Pick up a small amount of polish on a brush. Take it from the edge of the tin rather than the centre to prevent the remainder from drying out. Apply using a small circular motion, until the entire shoe is covered – including the sides of the sole. Leave the polish in contact with the shoes for as long as possible – preferably overnight.
3) Shine: Use a bigger softer brush to remove excess polish form the shoes. Buff hard – the more you work them the shinier they will be.
4) Bulling: To create a really high shine, wrap a soft cloth around your index finger, dip into polish, dip in warm water, and then apply in small circles. Keep working - the longer you rub the higher the shine. The aim is to achieve a very thin but highly reflective layer of polish on the shoe. For a parade ground finish, don’t stop until you begin to see the outline of your own reflection in toe cap. Then use another soft cloth or soft brush to buff.
5) Aim to polish your shoes at least once a month. Then they will only need a quick buff before wearing.
