How to Get the Most Shine out of Your Tall Boots

Cleaning and polishing boots is a practice as old as time, and there are so many tips and tricks I’ve heard of (and I’m sure even more I haven’t heard of). I finally got around to trying one, and HOLY MOLY is it a game changer!

I’ve always envied that glossy patent-like shine that some riders are able to get on their boots and always chalked it up to whatever product they were using or assumed that they had them professionally polished. Well, I am happy to report that with one “tool”, you and I too can achieve this glorious shine.

Panty hose. Tights. Stockings. Whatever you wanna call ’em, this material is magic when it comes to polishing boots!! I seriously couldn’t stop showing my husband how shiny my boots were after a few passes with a pair of old tights – even he seemed *slightly* impressed. I am kicking myself for not having tried this sooner.

Below are the exact steps I took and the products I used:

  1. Clean off all dirt and debris with PonySuds soap and a damp microfiber cloth.
  2. Swipe on Effax boot polish in black all over the foot and the outside of the boot shaft – don’t put polish on the inner calf, as the polish can rub off on your saddle or saddle pad. Let dry for a few mins.
  3. Buff all over your boot with the stocking/tights. This will immediately bring out a mirror shine. If you missed any spots of polish, just make sure you let it dry before buffing again.
  4. Admire your beautifully shiny boots!

The Effax polish is water and dirt repellent, and after my ride I just wiped off my boots with a soft dry cloth (it was actually an old sweatshirt in my car tbh) and they were just about as clean and shiny as they were before. I’ll be using this method from now on and can’t wait to hear how it works for you!

Have you tried this method or any other interesting tricks for polishing your boots? Let me know!

Leave a Reply

3 Comments

  1. 9.4.19
    Kris H. said:

    I need to clean my show boots – going to try this! Thanks!

    • 9.4.19
      The Hunt said:

      Let me know how it works for you! I was seriously blown away by how well it worked.

  2. 4.26.21
    Abby said:

    Parade gloss boot polish AND the tights! Amazing.