CDC 13  (209) DTZS  
 
ICS 71.100.40  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
DRAFT TA NZANIA STANDARD 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shoe polish wax solvent paste type — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU  OF STANDARDS 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
1st edition  
© TBS 2021 
 
 
  
 
 Foreword  
This Draft Tanzania Standard is being  prepared by the Paints and V arnishes Technical Committee 
under the supervision of Chemicals Divisional Standards Committee and it is in accordance with the 
procedures of the Bureau.  
During the preparation of this standard reference was made to Kenya Standard KS EAS 462: 2007  
Shoe polish wax solvent paste type — Specification , published by Kenya Bureau of  Standards  
For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of  this standard is complied with, the 
final value observed or calculated expressing the result(s) of a test or analysis shall, be rounded off 
in accordance with TZS 4 .   
© TBS  – All rights reserved  1 
 DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD           CDC 13(2 09) DTZS  
Shoe polish wax solvent paste type — Specification   
1. Scope  
This Draft Tanzania Standard specifies requirements, sampling and test methods for shoe wax solvent type 
polish suitable for application to footwear and leather goods.  
2. Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this Tanzania Standard. For 
dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies :  
TZS 649/ ISO 4317, Surface -active agents and detergents — Determination of wa ter content — 
Karl Fischer method s 
TZS 59, Water for analytical laboratory use — Specification and test method  
TZS 524 , Paints and varnishes – sampling  
 
3. Terms and definitions  
There are no terms and definition in this document  
 
4. Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1 The shoe polish shall be a solvent based polish , essentially consisting of a wax or blend of waxes in 
an organic solvent  with or without colour dyes .  
4.1.2  It shall be a homogenous smooth paste free from lumps and granulations.  
4.1.3  It shall not be harmful to surfaces of the type to which it is intended to be applied.  
4.1.4  It shall not be irritating to the skin; its vapour shall not be toxic to human bein gs and it shall have no 
disagreeable odour.  
4.2 Specific requirements  
4.2.1 Heat -cool stability  
When tested in accordance with Annex A, the shoe polish shall not show signs of separation  of solvent 
from wax.  
 
4.2.2 Applicability and tackiness  
The shoe polish shall not crumble or dry too rapidly and it shall produce a non -tacky polished surface when 
tested in accordance with Annex B.  
 
 
  
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 4.2.3 Gloss  
When tested in accordance with Annex C, the polish shall apply evenly and shall dry to a non-tacky film, 
and on buffing, the 60° specular gloss of the leather shall increase by at least 5 units, when a second 
quantity of polish is applied, allowed to dry and buffed, there shall be no decrease in the gloss.  
 
4.2.4 Freedom from grit  
When 0.1 g o f the shoe polish is rubbed between two glass slides, there shall be no evidence of grit.  
4.2.5 Intensity of colour  
When a colour rub of the polish is carried out, the intensity of the colour produced when visually  
observed shall match the same colour in the shoe polish colour guide chart.  
4.2.6 The shoe polish  shall also comply with specific  requirements given in Table 1 when tested in 
accordance with the test methods therein.  
Table 1 — Specific requirements for shoe polish  
S No.   Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
(i)  Softening point °C, min. 75 Annex D  
(ii)  Non-volatile matter content, % (m/m) , 
min 25 Annex E  
(iii)  Penetration, units (tenths of a 
millimetre);  
a) at 20 °C  
 
b) at 38 °C , max  
 
40-70 
 
80 Annex F  
(iv)  Ash content (m/m), max.   1.0 Annex G  
(v)  Water content, % (m/m), max 1.0 TZS 649/ISO 4317  
 
 
5. Packaging  and marking  
5.1 Packaging  
The shoe polish shall be packed in suitable corrosion resistant containers, strong enough to withstand 
normal usage , transportation and other kinds of contamination. It shall be so packed as to prevent  leakage 
and deterioration of the product. The container shall be easily opened and closed.   
5.2 Marking  
The package shall be marked  either in English, Kiswahili or in combination as agreed between the 
manufacturer and the supplier  with the following information:  
a) the name of the product  
b) manufacturer’s name  
c) registered trade mark if any ; 
d) colour of polish  
e) net content;  
f) batch/code number;  
g) country of origin;   
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 h) date of manufacturer  and best before date;  
i) safety precaution  
j) instructions for use and storage . 
6. Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with TZS 524  
7. Quality of reagents  
Analytical grade reagents and water  for analytical use as specified  by TZS 59 shall be used for the 
appropriate tests.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
© TBS  – All rights reserved  4 
 Annex A  
(normative)  
Determination of product  heat - cool stability  
A.1 Paste wax  
A.1 Examine a sample of paste wax after standing in a closed container at 15 ± 1 °C for 24 h,  followed by 
24 h at 40 ± 1 °C.  
A.2 There shall be no separation of solvent from wax.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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 Annex B  
(normative)  
Determination for tackiness  
B.1 Apparatus  
Leather shoe upper place of size 100 × 100 mm of the same colour as the shoe polish to be tested. The 
leather substrate shall be smooth -grained to which the most current leather finishes have been applied at 
a tannery, and shall be the exact type normally used to fabricate shoes.  
B.2 Procedure  
B.2.1 Clean the grain surface with a cloth or brush to remove any adhering dust particles.  
B.2.2 Apply the polish in a thin film to the smooth grain surface using a rag or brush. The polish  
shall not crumble or dry too rapidly. It shall produce a non -tacky  polished surface without colouring th e 
leather unduly.  
B.2.3 After application and subsequent buffing, proceed using either of the two methods prescribed  below 
on a leather piece which has not been allowed to dry for more than 5 minutes.  
B.2.3.1 Method A  
Place the leather piece (B.2.3) on the pan of a suitable physical balance and counterpoise it with  weights. 
Place an additional weight of 2.5 kg and press the polished surface with a thumb till the two  pans of the 
balance are counterpoised. Keep the thumb in this position for one minute and then slowly  release. There 
shall be no sign of stickiness to the thumb. The thumb impression if produced shall be  such that it shall be 
wiped out with a cloth or brush.  
B.2.3.2 Method B  
Place a 75 mm square of glaz ed paper (Arthur H Thomas catalogue No. 7310 or equivalent) face  down on 
the polished  leather piece surface. Place a 200 g weight, 35 mm in diameter, on the centre of the  paper 
and allow it to stand for 1 minute, then remove the weight.  Raise the piece of leather to a vertical position. 
If the paper does not fall without assistance, the film  is considered tacky.   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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 Annex C  
(normative)  
Gloss determination of solvent wax polish  
C.1 Apparatus  
C.1.1 Standard leather square, of leather that complies with B.1 of sizes 100 x 100 mm and having an initial 
60° specular gloss, after buffing (see C.2.1 of at least 10 units).  
C.1.2 A reflectometer  
C.2 Procedure  
C.2.1 Buff the smooth surface of the leather square with clean cotton wool using moderate pressure until a 
constant 60° specular gloss is obtained.  
C.2.2 Evenly apply 0.1 g of the polish over prepared surface of the leather square with clean cotton wool.  
C.2.3 Allow to dry for 5 minutes. Check for compliance with the relevant requireme nt of 4.2.3 . 
C.2.4 Using clean cotton wool, buff the leather square to a constant 60° specular gloss. Record  the gloss 
value.  
C.2.5 Repeat steps C.2.2 – C.2.4, there should be no decrease in gloss.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
© TBS  – All rights reserved  7 
 Annex D  
(normative)  
Softening point of non-volatile matter of wax polishes  
D.1 Scope  
In general, with materials of this type, softening does not take place at a definite temperature. As the  
temperature rises, these materials gradually and imperceptibly change from brittle solids to soft,  viscou s 
liquids. For this reason, the determination of the softening point must be made by a fixed,  arbitrary and 
closely defined method if the results are to be comparable.  
The softening point is, therefore, defined as the temperature at which a disk of the sample held within  a 
horizontal ring is forced downward a distance of 25.4 mm under the weight of a steel ball as the  sample is 
heated at a prescribed rate.  
D.2 Apparatus  
D.2.1 Balls ― 2 steel balls of diameter 9.5 ± 0.1 mm and of mass 3.45 g – 3.55 g.  
D.2.2 Ball Centring Guides ― 2 brass -centring guides of the shape and dimensions illustrated in  Figure 
D.1(c). 
D.2.3 Beaker ― A glass beaker of diameter at least 85 mm and of height at least 110 mm to the  bottom of 
the flared rim. (A 1 litre beaker has been f ound suitable).  
D.2.4 Rings ― 2 brass shouldered rings complying with the dimensions illustrated in Figure D.1  (b). 
D.2.5 Ring Holder ― A flat double ring holder of the shape and dimensions illustrated in Figure D.1  (b). 
D.2.6 Support for Ring Holder and Thermometer ― A support for the ring holder and thermometer  that 
ensures that:  
(a) the rings are supported substantially in a horizontal position;  
(b) the bottoms of the rings are 24 mm to 25 mm above the bottom plate;  
(c) when the support is placed in the glass beaker, the bottom plate is 12 mm to 20 mm above  the bottom 
of beaker;  
(d) the bottom of the bulb of the thermometer is level with the bottom of the rings but does not  touch the 
ring holder.  
D.2.7 Thermometer ― A total im mersion low softening point thermometer having a range of –2 to 80 ºC 
and complying with the requirements of ASTM E1 low, softening point thermometer type 15 ºC.  
D.3 Preparation of test sample  
Prepare a sufficient quantity of the non -volatile matter contai ned in the sample polish.  
D.4 Procedure  
D.4.1 Melt the prepared sample (D.3).  
D.4.2 Preheat the ring to approximately the temperature of the softening point of the prepared  sample and 
place it on a clean metal plate.   
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 D.4.3 Immediately pour the melted prepared sample into the ring so that there will be an excess above the 
top surface when cool. Allow to cool to room temperature and allow to stand for at least 30 min.  
D.4.4 Cut off the excess material clearly with a slightly heated knife.  
D.4.5 Fill the beaker to a depth of 100 mm — 108 mm with freshly boiled water that has been  cooled to at 
least 30 ºC below the expected softening point.  
D.4.6 Place the ring and thermometer in the support, place the ball -centring guide in a centred  position over 
the ring s, and insert the support into the beaker.  
D.4.7 Place the ball in the water but not on the sample, and maintain the initial temperature of the  water for 
15 min.  
D.4.8 Using suitable forceps, place the ball in the centring guide on the test sample in the ring.  
D.4.9 So heat the beaker and its contents that the temperature of the water is raised 5 ºC ± 0.5  ºC for 3 
min. Agitate the water by means of a slow fine jet of air to facilitate uniform heating throughout  the beaker.  
D.5 Results ― Report as the s oftening point of non -volatile matter of the polish, the temperature  indicated 
by the thermometer at the instant the ball drops through the prepared sample. If both  rings  are used, report 
the average of the two readings as the softening point.   
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Figure D.1 — Shouldered ring, ring holder and b all-centre guide  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Figure D.2 — Assembly of apparatus showing two rings  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Annex E  
(normative)  
Non-volatile matter  
E.1 Scope  
This method determines the non -volatile matter in waxes, polishes and related materials.  
E.2 Method A  
Accurately determine the mass of a 5 g sample and put it into a tarred 75 -mL porcelain dish and 
dry to constant  mass at 105 ºC. Calculate the mass of the residue as non -volatile matter.  
E.3 Method B  
Dry an aluminium dish, 6 cm by 1.5 cm, with cover, by heating in an oven for 1 h at 105 ºC to 110 
ºC, cool in a desiccator and determine the mass to the nearest milligram. Place a 2 g to 3 g sample 
into the dish, cover immediately and determine the mass. Remove t he cover and transfer the dish 
containing  the sample to a drying oven and heat for 6 h at 105 ºC to 110 ºC. Cover the dish at the 
end of this  period, cool in a desiccator and determine the mass.  Multiply the mass of the residue 
by 100 and divide by the ori ginal mass of the sample to obtain the  per cent of non -volatile matter.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
© TBS  – All rights reserved  12 
 Annex F  
(normative)  
Penetration of wax (paste) polishes  
F.1 Scope  
This test method covers measuring with a penetrometer  the penetration of wax polishes as an  
empirical measure of firmness or consistency.  
F.2 Definition  
F.2.1 Penetration ― The depth, in tenths of a millimetre, that a standard cone will penetrate the  
sample under fixed conditions of mass, time and temperatur e. 
F.3 Apparatus  
F.3.1 Penetrometer ― Penetrometer calibrated in tenths of a millimet re. 
F.3.2 Cones ― Two brass cones fitted with monel metal tips and complying with the dimensions  
given in Figure F.1. Each cone is fitted with a plunger suited to the penetrometer used and is such  
that the combined mass of the cone and plunger comply with to the applicable of the values given  
below:  
60/90º cone 150.00 ± 0.15 g  
90º cone 100.00 ± 0.10 g  
F.4 Procedure  
F.4.1 Take two test sample containers and without removing the lids, condition one at 20.0 ± 0.5 
ºC for 24 h and the other at 35.0 ºC ± 0.5 ºC for 24 h.  
F.4.2 Fit the 60/90º cone and its plunger to the penetrometer.  
F.4.3 Take from its conditioning chamber the container conditioned at 20 ºC and ca rry out the  
procedure set out in F.4.4 and F.4.10 below quickly as possible.  
F.4.4 Remove the lid from the container, and carefully scrape off the top layer of the test sample 
to a depth of 3 -5 mm, leaving the exposed surface smooth and level.  
F.4.5 Place the container on the platform of the penetrometer and so adjust the height of the  
penetrometer that the point of the cone just touches the surface of the sample and is at least 15 
mm from the edge of the container.  
F.4.6 Zero the scale.  
F.4.6 Release the p lunger for 5 s.  
F.4.7 Read the penetration in tenths of a millimetre.   
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 F.4.8 Carry out the test at other points, at least 15 mm apart, on the surface of the test sample  
until three readings are obtained of which the highest and lowest do not differ by more than 3 
units from  the middle reading.  
F.4.9 Repeat steps F.4 ― F.4.9 using the 90º cone and the test sample conditioned at 35 ºC.  
F.4.10 Results  
Report the penetration of the polish:  
a) at 20 ºC as the average of the three readings in F.4.9,  
b) at 30 ºC as the average of the three readings in F.4.10.  
 
  
© TBS  – All rights reserved  14 
  
All dimensions are in millimetres  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Annex G  
(normative)  
Ash content  
G.  1 Scope  
These methods determine the ash contents in waxes, polishes and other related materials.  
G.2 Procedures  
G.2.1 Method A  
Melt a portion of non -volatile matter, prepared as in E. 2, Method A and thoroughly stir. Accurately  
determine the mass of a 3 g sample (to the nearest mg) in a tarred crucible. Burn off the 
combustible  matter slowly and ignite the residue to const ant mass at a dull red heat.  
Ash content , percent =  mass  of residue
mass  of sample ×100 
G.2.2 Method B  
Determine the mass of an amount of sample (to the nearest mg) containing about 2 g of non -
volatile  matter in a tarred porcelain crucible. Evaporate off the volatile matter and burn off the 
combustible  matter slowly by igniting to constant mass.