shoe shining
Footwear luster restoration
Shoe shining is the act of polishing shoes to restore their luster, typically using wax, brushes, and cloth.
The term covers both the personal task and the service offered by shoeshine stands or bootblacks: He makes extra money doing shoe shining at the train station.
The practice has declined as casual footwear has replaced leather dress shoes.
- polishSmooth by rubbing
- buffAvid fan; also burnish
- leatherTanned animal skin
- patent leatherLacquered hide, highly reflective
- mirror finishPerfectly reflective surface
bootblack · brush · rag · spit · wax · cloth · gleam · luster · street · street corner · parlor · kit · black · brown · oxfords · loafers · heel · sole
- child laborchild labor, child workers, child labor laws, bonded labor, debt bondage
- polishingbuffing, burnishing, glass polishing, silver polishing, stone polishing
- military disciplinedemerits, saluting, discipline, chain of command, drill
- manual laborfarming, lifting, carrying, shoveling, loading
- garment carewashing, drying, ironing, folding, hanging
- neighborhood activitieslemonade stand, babysitting, dog walking, lawn mowing, garage sale