How to Open Shoe Polish


Knowing how to open shoe polish properly is important. If you open it wrong, it might splash or spill out. While the saturating colors of shoe polish are great for maintaining shoes, they are also really likely to stain wood, fabric, and other surfaces. Here’s a guide to how to open Kiwi shoe polish cans, cream polish, and other popular shoe polishes. 

How to Open Kiwi Shoe Polish in a Can

Traditional Kiwi shoe polish comes in a flat, round can that has a knob or lever on the side of it. This lever is the key to getting the can open without making a mess. 

Knob on the side of shoe polish tin

First, you’ll want to align the lever with the bottom edge of the lid on the can. Once it’s lined up, gently turn the knob so it presses up on the bottom edge of the lid. This should break the seal and pop it right off without too much effort. 

How to Open Instant Shoe Polish

Kiwi’s Instant Shoe Polish is another popular choice. This comes with an applicator that’s ready-to-go and already full of polish. All you do is press down on the center to make more polish come out. It’s really convenient to use, especially if you are just trying to do a quick polish. 

It’s very easy to remove the lid of this shoe polish, too. All you need to do is press down on the button on the front of the lid. This button makes the lid pop right open and you can pull it off. Just be sure to pull it straight up to avoid getting shoe polish from the applicator on the inside of the lid. 

How to Open a Can of Shoe Polish Without a Lever

If your can of shoe polish doesn’t have a lever, then you should refer to the manufacturers instructions for opening. For some brands, opening the lid is as simple as using a counter-clockwise motion. You’ll just want to avoid opening the can of shoe polish too fast to avoid a mess. 

For others, you may need to pry the lid off to get to the shoe polish inside. It’s best to use a flathead screwdriver, butter knife, or similar flat, blunt object that can be used to create some type of a lever. If you do choose this method, be sure to look for any existing indents that you can use to pry the can open. You don’t want the lid becoming damaged and bent since a good can of polish can last for quite some time. Plus, a broken lid will be much harder to open next time around. 

How to Open a Can of Shoe Polish That is Stuck

Even though you can try to pry open a can of shoe polish that is stuck, you don’t want to create any dents in the lid. If you have already dented the lid, something that might help is tapping around the edge of the lid. This will put any dents back in place and make the lid a little easier to work with. 

Something else that you can try is putting a rubber band around the lid. The rubber band method is best for a twist-off style of lid. It works by giving you a better grip as you try to get the can off. If you have any kitchen devices that you use to make opening jars easier, you could also use them to open stuck shoe polish. 

FAQs About How to Open Shoe Polish

What precautions should I take when using shoe polish? 

One of the biggest risks of using shoe polish is staining. To avoid staining, you should start by knowing how to open shoe polish. This stops you from making a mess as you open the polish. Secondly, always work on a protected surface. Lay down plastic, newspaper, or something else that will protect surfaces while you are polishing shoes and boots. If you are worried about staining your hands or clothes, you can also wear gloves and older clothing.  

Something else to consider is the strong smell of shoe polish. Generally, you should use shoe polish in a well-ventilated area. Use it near an open window or outdoors if you don’t have a well-ventilated area in your home.  

Finally, always be sure to wipe away excess polish after you’ve finished using it. Extra shoe polish around the top of the container sits there until next time you use it, so it might make a mess if it’s too close to the top. Plus, the extra gunk can make it harder to open the can next time if it dries. 

What if the opener on my can of Kiwi shoe polish breaks? 

Kiwi shoe polish comes with a lever-style opener on the side. It works by pushing up on the lid and breaking the seal, making it easier for the top to come off. 

If the lever on the side of the can breaks for some reason, you can use a butter knife, flathead screwdriver, or another flat, metal object that fits under the seam of the lid. Chances are, you’ll see a divot in the lid where the opener originally sat. You’ll want to put the screwdriver or other object in this divot and use it to pry the lid open. Try to avoid bending the lid as you pry it, since this creates further damage that will make it harder to remove the lid in the future.