How to Use Saphir Reno'Mat | Remove Old Shoe Wax & Polish

Too much built up wax can be bad for your leather shoes. In this video, we show you step-by-step how to remove the old shoe wax and then recondition the shoes. We use Saphir Reno'Mat to remove old, built up shoe wax. Every now and then, it's important that you strip off the waxes on your shoes, recondition the shoes, and then build the shine back up.
Looking to have your shoes refurbished? Check here:
potterandsons.....
Products used in this video:
Looking for the BEST shoe creams, soaps, waxes, brushes, shoe trees...and much more? Find it all here:
www.potterands...
INSTAGRAM: / potterandsons
/ southernpol. .
FACEBOOK: / potterandson. .
/ southernpoli. .
Video edited by: Ashley Saldanha

[@skeetersaurus6249]

Having retired from the Marine Corps, I can say that while I am no 'expert cobbler', I am pretty experienced in 'cleaning, conditioning and taking care of' boots. That said, and you won't believe this, but the BEST PRODUCT on ANY market, bar-NONE, is Edge Gel shaving cream! Wet your overly-waxed shoes slightly (tap water), then PACK a 'hog hair wax applicator brush' with Edge Gel...and START SCRUBBING! It will strip Quartermaster, paint, wax, you name it, from your shoes (old combat boots, it could strip base Quartermaster down to 'gray leather'). Once you have COMPLETELY stripped your boots (or shoes), begin by conditioning the leather, then wax...LIGHTLY...the traditional 'Kiwi Boot Black' will return black color, while the leather is now conditioned and again healthy. NEVER wax a shoe more than three times, before you strip it and start again...I've had ABUSE VICTIM boots that lasted 10-years (and 4-6 resoles) by doing this! (Now...ask yourself...if both work equally well, would you shave your face with Reno'mat, or Edge Gel?)

[@Aarona7x]

Kinda late with this reply... but you saved this 15 year Sailor some heartache! I used some acetone first, didn't like the results, then went to shaving cream, then saddle soap. Between scrubbing with all those, I was able to get to the base leather and start over. Thank you!

[@luisg6404]

hey guys you should really use a glove when working with solvents like acetone or turpentine. it basically breaks down oil and fats and such. it penetrates your skin and is now in your body where it will eventually attack the myelin sheath around your nerves. this is why you see so many painters and older cobblers with shaky hands. some have attributed parkinson's to this type of damage. love your channel thanks for the great content.

[@charlessoto5372]

Please cut to some closeups on before and after videos. I’m really enjoying your tutorial vids. Pls keep them coming. 👍

[@c.w.9615]

Adding cream or wax to the edges is a step often missed on other tutorials. Good tip.

[@powderriverfarrier]

What I learned from this video is ... what I don't know is a lot. Keep them coming guys.

[@alwynjones3378]

About to use some Renomat for the first time on a 30 year old pair of brogues. Thanks for your advice.

[@gretchenlp2120]

One of your best! I bet I’m not the ONLY one who didn’t know the proper way to remove built-up shoe wax. Great tutorial-as always!

[@TrentonHeath]

Thank you, Gretchen!

[@micheljeanlitetdit994]

Soap after Reno Mat is a good idea. Will do that now. Thks

[@ianmedium]

One of the things I do once a month with my welted shoes is use an old toothbrush and rub in along the welt some shoe conditioner. I like to use obenauf which contains all natural beeswax and propolis. Just a little goes a long way and it really helps keep the welt and stitching in excellent condition. I use it also on waxy or non shiny leather finishes but not on coated or high shine finish leather as it dulls it and does not sink into the open pores of leathers such as natural calf, deer or ostrich. You can tell that the gentleman who owns these likes to keep them looking nice it’s just the balance of products to also keep the leather in good condition is needed in his shoe cleaning regime. Excellent advice you have given, it will put years of life on a shoe.

[@canadiansensei]

I used to use a standard toothbrush also but found they flatten quickly due to being too soft. If you found this too, you may want to try a denture brush - they're much sturdier!

[@hemigod2]

You can use various grades of sand paper and file those cracks completely away . I’ve done it on old Italian leather which you all know is notoriously thin, and I approached it with caution, as I did not want to cut through the leather. Which you most certainly won’t if you are watching and feeling what you are doing as you go and not going Willy nilly. You get beyond that fear and the reward is a renewed shoe with zero cracks 😁 You’d want to use the same grit that you would for fingernails emery board nothing heavier and work your way to lighter grit from there. The shoes will have a second chance but last chance as there isn’t much material left to file away if you develop more cracks again so going forward properly condition your leather and they will last you the rest of your life. That’s a guarantee..

[@tonymontana9221]

I came back to the comment cession just to say that Saaohir Reno'Mat is the product for its job. Thank you so much.

[@CRHall-ud9mq]

Really great demo and tutorial. I learnt so much about how to care for my leather shoes 🙂 Big thank you 🙏

[@r0tekz]

You could do with a clip-on mic to remove the hard room ambience that spoils the audio of this presentation. There is nothing wrong with the content. Love it.

[@rajvinjamuri7]

Would be nice to have some close ups through the video. Thanks

[@herbrv]

I use a hair drier first to get most of the wax off. Then saddle soap, then conditioner. Then cream polish and light coat of paste wax.

[@adept322]

Know I'm 3 years late but I do the same thing with a hair dryer. However I don't use and conditioner or soap as I don't have any. And as a result (I think) I have this weird spot on my shoe that just rejects all polish and I can't get rid of it. If anyone has some advice on what to do please help me, cheers.

[@vvattup]

So that’s why my shoes cracked. Had no clue. Thanks!

[@CKDz]

IMO, cotton balls saturated with the solvent is the best means to completely remove the built up wax. You're fighting evaporation, capillary action and wax buildup when you use a large rag. The cotton ball is better at concentrating the solvent which allows the liquidated wax to move inside the cotton ball which allows it to continue to wet and cut at the old wax much longer per application. The final wipe-down with a solvent dipped rag should only reveal the slightest haze of the old wax color. Then you're ready to do the rest.

[@Greanestbean]

What solvent do you use?

[@mikeecho33]

Having been in the army for 15 years and all the polishing I put into my parade boots, I actually just used hto water and a brush as no one had mentioned the proper way to clean shoes. but yes there was a lot of cracking and dryness

[@lovingatlanta]

👍🙏Thank you for the demo. I know you were probably filming this solo...I just wanted to say, it would have also been helpful (as a point of reference) to see a close up of the cracks in the shoe(s) that you mentioned. 🤗

[@Sams911]

so if you want to condition a highly polished pair of shoes... let's say once every 6 months... do you need to strip off the wax? will conditioner ever go thru wax? or is it a matter of zeroing out the finish, reapply conditioner and then wax it back up to a shine?

[@bruces2941]

thank you very much for an excellent educational video. for future vids could you do some close-ups on the progress so that we may see it more clearly. cheers!

[@TrentonHeath]

Bruce S Thanks, Bruce! Will do. 👍🏻

[@halfbakedicecream]

I just received some dark brown Gucci Loafers and thought I'd treat them with some bees wax. Unfortunately some of it accumulated particularly in one spot, thus I now have this dark stain on my new shoes... Could this help to remove the wax without damaging the factory painting underneath?

[@sdjohnston67]

I never knew about any of this! Wax is the only thing I had been aware of for shoe care.

[@supercheekykiwi]

Great video. Helps a lot with my understanding. And thanks also for answering my question i asked previously. You guys should have way more subscribers. Keep going and you will take off.

[@TrentonHeath]

supercheekykiwi We appreciate it! We’ll continue to bring as much shoe content as we can, and hopefully our channel will continue to grow. Thanks for watching!

[@robbieyh]

I wish you guys would do a video on how to get rid of Creases!

[@machfive916]

Great video, and it answered my question on how to strip wax buildup from shoes.

[@ericneal8582]

I have found that a code of Saphir's navy blue cream polish as a part of the restoration really makes the shoe pop! Thanks for the video!

[@EnlightenedRogue24]

Navy blue over black? 🤔

[@ericneal8582]

@@EnlightenedRogue24 sounds crazy, I know. I follow up the cream polish with black wax for my shine. It really adds some nice dimension to the shoes!

[@Steve4TheWin]

What about the cracks on the side? Are they still visible or filled in with wax?

[@voodoo1988]

Love your videos! Unrelated question though: How do you feel about manufacturer's refurbishment. They often include rewelting while cobblers would use the existing welt, as far as I understand. So what are the pro/cons of refurbishment vs resole?

[@pattgsm]

Good question. It does seem counter productive if the welt is in good shape. I haven't had to use this service yet for my AE's but I would consider taking w/ CS prior to sending them in.

[@TrentonHeath]

Thanks...glad you’re enjoying the channel! Our opinion is this. We definitely think manufacturer refurbishment programs can be a good thing, especially if you’re shoes are in pretty rough shape. Manufacturers can put everything back to original specs. Do I think a shoe needs a new welt each time they are resoled? Definitely not! If the welt is still in good shape, why remove it and put a new one on? Who do you think is paying for the cost of that? Good shoe cobblers can re-welt a shoe as well. We’ve put on new welts in a couple of our videos. In regards to a resole vs a refurbishment, I think a resole is just that...putting on a new sole and maybe new top lifts. A refurbishment is what we do when we completely resole a pair of shoes. We strip it completely down, add a new welt if needed, re-cork the shoe, new sole, new top lifts and/or stacked heel blocks, and give the uppers a facelift. In short, a reputable shoe cobbler can do most everything a manufacturer refurbishment program can do.

[@thefallenarm589]

Good video, thank you. I've seen many tutorials where they tell to not apply anything on the side of the sole (or on te sole directly) because the leather used for the sole has specific treatments and you may apply a product that causes bad interactions. Any clue on this ? Tank you, also apply a bit of cream on the pitched thread is a good key to durability because it avoids it to dry and break.

[@andytew]

How do you remove the wax on patina shoes?

[@jacobbwalters8133]

You do it the same way- you just have to be gentle and more careful

[@jacobbwalters8133]

The other way I would suggest is to use a heat gun or blow dryer and rubbing hard with a terry cloth or shammy until the excess wax is removed. That will not get everything but it is less “dangerous” to the patina.

[@jrodriguez1930]

How do you know when you are done removing wax and now removing pigment?

[@rpm172]

You showed the cracks on the side of the shoe at the beginning. What happened to these? Were they remedied by removing all the caked on polish? Do you treat a crack in a different manner?

[@mattsitton6826]

Do you have to strip the wax each time you are going to add cream polishes?

[@Kenlaboss.]

Is there a way to save patina finishes and also remove the wax? Or can I re-create the patina finish with regular shoe cream? Like, if I put darkbrown shoe cream on the toe cap(and the heel) and try to fade it back by making it thinner as I work my way inwards the shoe(but first use a neutral product in the middle section of course). Would this work or is there a better way? I am also going to put wax on the toe cap and on the heel afterwards.

[@anthonylorenzana8702]

What are the milder methods to removing wax?

[@TrentonHeath]

Anthony Lorenzana Saddle soap and a lot of elbow grease...if the wax is caked on. If you only have a couple of light coats of wax, some saddle soap should do the job.

[@patrickmiao1698]

You guys are the best, great info!

[@jejosa7]

Love your videos! Keep them coming! Random question, how do you get the polish of your shammies after using heavily pigmented cream polishes? Does it stain your towels and shammies?

[@TrentonHeath]

Jesse Salver Thanks! Honestly, we usually throw ours in the washing machine, separately of course, with some mild detergent. All of our rags are stained even after washings. Just comes with the territory. You could also wash them out by hand.

[@albanmathias2011]

Hello, Thank you for the video it was very useful. I had one question in my mind that I am seeking for an answer. Say I condition and wax my leather shoes. The next time that I have to polish them (say in a week or two), should I once again condition on the previous wax layer and apply the wax again or do I have strip the previous wax from the leather and then condition them and apply a new coating of wax? It is also not advisable to shampoo / clean the shoe every week or month right. Looking forward for your reply.

[@scdobserver835]

Useful demo! Thank you.

[@eyeheartsushi2212]

Just did this a couple of days ago. Reno Mat works great.

[@giannistziambazis6008]

can u do a video about how to take care of suede shoes?

[@TrentonHeath]

Giannis Tziambazis Coming soon.

[@DemetriosLevi]

I second this!

[@Myrslokstok]

Wash them with special shampoo and spray them if very dirty.

[@markchambers7839]

hello to all, another great video, very helpful, thanks

[@jeffestes960]

Another great video Trenton, thank you.

[@TrentonHeath]

Thank you!

[@number1pappy]

So , I take it saddle soap doesn't remove the old wax??? Ruh ro! Lol! I honestly thought it did. I have several pairs of boots that I routinely saddle soap about once a year to what I thought was removing the old wax. I also routinely" lightly" wax my boots about every other week. With daily brushing only before wearing. Would you recommend that I use this product to remove all the wax considering all I've ever done is use saddle soap?? All my boots are solid color and are made from calf skin. Thank you!!

[@jasonanthonyschultz5672]

Do you recommend using a coat of wax to protect and waterproof dress shoes and dressy boots or do you prefer Saphir Super Invulner? Are there waxes that don’t darken the leather? Which wax do you recommend?

[@lenusniq_9746]

How to strip wax from shoes with patina? Thank you.

[@barrymitchell7732]

Sir Please tell me what I can put on the toe cap to reduced wear Thank you.

[@wellsaid7052]

I got a tiny bit of black wax polish on my brown Allen Edmonds, how can i solve this problem, i tried to wipe it off and put a water stain on them :( i think there was very minimal black wax polish that mixed in with my brown cream polis, and the water stain is no good now

[@insomb]

I bought a pair of 70s florsheim imperials that look like they were worn like twice but it has this factory sheen to it that looks kinda cheap, I was wondering if using Renomat would be a good idea in this case because I actually dont see any polish on them or should I just use Renovateur? It doesnt look like the kind of leather I usually use Renovateur on although I dont know much about leather

[@carlosrodriguez5900]

Thank you best way to remove without harsh products?

[@pastpianist]

So how often should you strip it all down and start over again?

[@John.349]

I really like those shoes where can I get a pair like those? Nice Job on the shoe treatment.

[@Tyrkir100]

I never wax shoes !!! I prefer to use a waterproofing agent/spray to a) take off a too much of the shoe cream I put on and b) to impregnate the leather from any type of rain it has to cope with ... I also prefer to use the term "moisturizing" or "fattening" the leather instead of "conditioning" it. I find it to be more to the point ... I wonder however if the waterproofing agent will also take of wax ... any ideas to that ??

[@kierangoddard2198]

I use turpentine. It is less aggressive than acetone and works quicker than Reno mat.

[@Ur_fav_brunette_Stacy]

What would you recommend to strip Corcoran jump boots?

[@mavi1091]

I want to treat with Saphir water repellent spray and then SaphirCreme UNIVERSELLE Baolzam and then brush it. Whether it is possible to stop on it or this and to not put or render a cream?

[@j67kg]

Do you know the name of the shoe on the thumbnail of this video?

[@gberdousis]

Creme universalle also removes old waxes. So you dont need to use both 2 products. (renomat and unoversalle).

[@Sungodv]

My Dad always told me to wax new shoes before wearing them to make them last, but I never knew what waxing alone could do to leather. Wish I knew this sooner as I am approaching retirement age. Thank God I have always used an electric polisher that removed most of the wax.

[@TrentonHeath]

Sungodv Hi! So putting a couple of light coats of wax on a shoe when they’re new can actually be a good thing. It helps protect the leather against water, dust, etc. It’s when people continuously apply wax and never strip it off, so that the shoes can be conditioned, that it can cause damage to the leather. Thanks for watching!

[@Sungodv]

@@TrentonHeath I used 50/50 H2O / Alcohol to strip all of my dress shoes of wax. There wasn't very much wax at all so glad about that. Most was in the creases and the creases now look better. Used shoe creme and only waxed the toe rather than the whole thing. Dad stressed never wearing them two days in row and using shoe trees. He probably never knew about using creme versus only wax polish. Not to mention leather conditioner. Glad I found this vid.

[@TrentonHeath]

Sungodv Good deal! Yes, definitely use shoe trees. When I was growing up, all we used was wax as well. It wasn’t until I really got into nice shoes and the shoe business that I learned that too much of something can be a bad thing. 😉

[@nicolefields5917]

How do I best care for my Nubuck boots? I am not sure which products to use to keep the leather happy yet not stained...

[@rogeliomiro3833]

Will the saddle soap remove the wax? I use saddle soap occasionally to remove grime. I don’t have Reno Mat or Acetone.

[@DenJSmith]

Also can use acetone. Just get a bottle of cheap nail polish remover. It’s 100% acetone.

[@davidashley2719]

How does the leather conditioner pass thru even a normal layer or wax? What allows it to penetrate thru wax so that it can condition leather, without stripping the wax off?

[@kenhardee3726]

Question: I accidentally used a chestnut color Meltonian cream over a beautiful pair of Johnston and Murphy Italian shoes with a lighter, more natural color leather. Could you please tell me how do I get the extra color from that Meltonian cream off to restore the natural color and grain of the shoe?

[@shaylin016]

Hey Trenton & Heath, great tutorial. Thank you! Do you have a video on how you are supposed to care for Terracotta-style leather boots? (Wax, products, etc?).

[@jasonanthonyschultz5672]

What products do you recommend for cleaning leather shoes and boots that are not abrasive like the Reno Mat?

[@emperifollado]

If I have patine in shoes what can I use to remove the regular wax that I used to brush in it?

[@Onlyfruitsofspirit]

Hey guys, can you share how to remove bloom or spew that has accumulated on my uppers? It’s seems to be spreading from across the top over to outer side of the shoes.

[@porkchopproductions0314]

Is there a difference between using the leather soap and the saddle soap from saphir on dress shoes?

[@roseylex6561]

Just curious, is there any particular reason to use universal cream instead of renovateur?

[@67spankadelik]

Cream seems to be better than using wax is what I gather. Will be buying it instead. Thanks for the information and great demo!

[@TrentonHeath]

Both products can be good and each have a purpose; however, shoe cream definitely has more benefits and is an absolute go-to.

[@67spankadelik]

@@TrentonHeath Thanks again! That's what I was thinking. Now I have a ton of work to do stripping shoe wax... LOL. What do you think about cutting the wax stripper with a little water so it's less aggressive? Or maybe using a damp towel with stripper?

[@canadiansensei]

@@67spankadelik Shining your favourite shoes and then taking a break to have some fun with a damp towel and a stripper: we're on the same page 67!

[@MrCoachab]

What should you use if you are trying to take wax of a patina shoe?

[@dsb713]

Would acetone also help one a shoe cream polish? I just purchased my first pair of shoes and I created a spot of polish since I didn’t spread it out fast enough.. HELP!!!

[@flybyscy]

what would you use to strip the wax off of a shoe that has a patina finish on it?

[@ElNino512]

Would this work on exotic cowboy boots that have a shine spray added to them? I can’t seem to be able to remove the shining spray and it won’t let me condition the leather

[@Train35711]

if I just put cream polish do I still need to strip it

[@Da_padilla]

Would you recommend using the heatgun/blow dryer to remove the wax? I'd imagine using no harsh chemicals and not overheating the shoe would work great.

[@jaspreetsidhu5708]

The heat will damage the leather if left in an area for too long as well as affecting the fit of the leather.

[@saadabdullah4245]

Then how should one remove wax buildup on patina finish shoes?

[@lizziesheard]

Hi Trenton & Heath! I recently bought a pair of second hand nubuck Timberland boots which I realised have been polished with normal shoe polish. I’ve managed to scrape a lot of it off with a stiff suede brush but there are still patches, I want to try acetone but not sure about it on nubuck? Any advice welcome!

[@Heywoodthepeckerwood]

Always wondered which technique I needed to use to get a stripper off completely.

[@jman4817]

How do I remove the wax buildup off of a leather shoe that is not as good of quality as an Allen Edmonds and is a brown color? I am afraid the heavy-duty cleaners will strip the color with the wax. Thanks!

[@chrisblair3129]

Hey guys, what would you use to strip off the polish from the mid level neutral coloured sole on the redwing 8111? I've just got a pair 2nd hand and the are dark brown all over. Many thanks

[@guirsd]

What kind of soap can I use after using Reno Mat? Is there one specific or could be anyone? I really enjoy these videos, so nice to learn this. Thanks

[@Jar0fMay0]

Any. I've used the kiwi leather soap before.

[@EZBISME]

How often should you strip your shoes of all polish and wax to recondition?

[@martin30884]

Would I be able to remove WAX from the toe cap with just the Saphir leather cleaner and dauber? Assuming i use enough elbow grease of course.

[@Gamblor10]

This is an interesting channel. are you guys trying to be half a Bedos Leatherworks and half a Kirby Allison hangar project? I follow all 3!

[@TrentonHeath]

B Smith We also follow both of those guys, as well as many others. What we decided when we started our channel was to be different from the other two channels you mentioned by incorporating a little bit of everything we’ve come across as shoe cobblers. One guy focuses only on refurbishing shoes, while the other focuses primarily on catering to his higher end clientele. We wanted to focus on Main Street customers and answer as many of the questions we’ve been asked over and over again...what should I be doing to my shoes to keep them in good shape, what brands of shoes do you recommend, what should I be doing differently, what products do you recommend. Answering as many of these questions as possible is our goal on this channel, and that requires us to come at you from different angles, which may at times look similar to what you’d see on some other channels.

[@Gamblor10]

@@TrentonHeath I'd love to see you decompose and review the construction details of all the bench made English shoes, ie Cheaney, Crockett, Trickers, Sanders, Edward Green, etc. Kirby isn't a cobbler so he won't chop up the insides and Steve usually shows great projects of high complexity. Showing regular resole worked on a large product mix and reviewing the insides would be neat. But how often are you working on a EG or Crockett handgrades?

[@TAIL313]

Do you have any videos removing scratches and scuffs please?

[@spbynum]

Greetings, fellow Nashvillians! I’ll be visiting you guys soon! When would you recommend using the Saphir Dubbin Graisse?

[@boltthrower3215]

Simple use water with some fairy detergent….works! After it, just apply enough conditioner.

[@joeortiz91]

Would you recommend not adding wax on patinas since eventually youll have to remove it? Wouldnt you risk stripping the patina, even with something milder like saddle soap?

[@Zerointerrupt]

can you use the Reno'Mat on Redwing Iron Rangers?

[@wardad5628]

What would u recommend for stripping wax from a low quality dress shoe like a Florsheim that are factory treated with a glossy finish?

[@TestMeatDollSteak]

Can you use Renomat to remove Saphir cream polish from shoes?? I see a lot of discussion about it being useful for removing WAX or SILICONE based polishes from shoes, but what do you use to remove Saphir’s CREAM polish??

[@dutchwilson8642]

Thank you. Would love to see more resole videos.

[@TrentonHeath]

Definitely more to come.

[@paulkuppinger458]

Thank you!

[@charlesvandenkerckhove6116]

It’s a beautiful shoe, can you tell me which make/ brand it is please ? Thanks

[@TrentonHeath]

Charles van den Kerckhove I believe these were older Allen Edmonds.

[@arthurprelle3295]

Renomat $20. Non-bleach, non-gel, toothpaste $2. Toothpaste works the same without the carcinogens of acetone. Then saddle soap optional.

[@jamesking4225]

What brand saddle soap do you recommend or are using here

[@maxnoerenberg6370]

I love the Saphyr products.....but I recently discovered the german brand ERDAL which has a great selection of leather care products....for a reasonable price.....and not petroleum-based..... is a soothe cream with a sweet and pleasant fragrance.... Do you have ERDAL products in the USA? If not, I| will send you a package....to your new shop

[@arvindsahai552]

Petrol works well in removing the waxes from shoes.

[@Tcoldsteel]

Any solvent works but is pretty harsh on the leather. Just condition well after using solvents