(gentle instrumental music)

[Narrator] Like its namesake,

Kiwi Shoe Polish is a bit of an odd bird

with ingredients common to products as diverse

as chewing gum and paint thinner.

First up is nigrosin, a solvent that dyes animal skin cells

of the sort found in say, fine Italian leather,

thereby making them stand out more distinctly.

Diethylaminoazobenzene, another dye,

is produced from the explosive,

extremely unstable compound Dizonian salt.

But don't worry, it won't blow up your wing tips.

Instead, a nitrogen double bond in the molecules

of the dye absorbs and reflects specific wavelengths

of light to make black, brown,

or oxblood shoes look even blacker, browner, or oxbloodier.

Though what makes them really shine is a slick coating

of Carnauba wax oozed from the leaves

of Brazilian tree, Copernicia grunifera.

That same wax is also used to provide the slick coating

on floss and the chewy texture of gum.

Finally, there's heavy Naptha and Stoddard solvent,

two petroleum distillates which dissolve

and spread wax into a thin layer then evaporate,

meaning you no longer have to set fire

to your shoe polish to use it,

like they do in old movies.

So don't say we didn't warn you.

And remember, no kiwis were harmed

in the making of this video.

(gentle instrumental music)

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