What you are reading below is, I hate to admit, not my own work - I am no expert at keeping my uniform good. What is there is lifted from other sites on the net, and, of course, I found many conflicting opinions. So, what I have done is pick what I think is the best. If I wasn't sure, I put both the methods down. If you to are not sure, the best thing to do would be to go and ask and NCO on your next parade night.

If you're considering joining cadets, or are a new cadet, don't worry about all this stuff. Unless your potential squadron is very strict, you will not be expected to be perfect the minute you join. Your uniform is simply expected to improve as you progress in cadets. When you get your new uniform, the most important thing is to get it home and wash it - you don't know where it's been. After that, follow all the instructions below on all your uniform - it'll be hard, but it's the only time you'll have to do it all at once, and it's worth it. Later on, you'll just need to do each bit as needed.

Uniform List:

Working Blues
1. Parade Shoes
2. Black socks
3. Belt
4. RAF Grey/Blue Trousers
5. Working Blue Shirt
6. Jumper (September-May)
7. Beret
8. Brassard

Number 1 Uniform (Normally worn by band members and CWOs)
1. Parade Shoes
2. Black Socks
3. Number 1 Blue/Grey trousers
4. Belt
5. No 1. Jacket
6. Cap (Peaked cap for female cap)

Wedgewood Blues
1. Parade Shoes
2. Black Socks
3. RAF Grey/Blue Trousers
4. Belt
5. Wedgewood Blue (Light Blue) Shirt
6. Tie
7. Jumper in cooler months
8. Beret
9. Brassard

DPM (Night Exercises, Camouflage and Concealment or anything else needing camouflage).
1. Combat Boots
2. DPM (disrupted pattern material) trousers
3. Olive green or black shirt
4. OG ribbed jumper
5. Combat Jacket
6. Scrim netting around neck
7. Beret

OG (Olive Green) Uniform (Shooting and non-camouflage exercises)
1. Combat boots - Shiny
2. OG trousers
3. OG shirt
4. Combat Jacket
5. Beret

Uniform Care:

1. Parade Shoes
To make sure that you have a suitable surface to bull on, the shoes/boots have to be free of dirt and polish deposits. If the shoes/boots are particularly dirty, clean them off and leave to dry if necessary. If the shoes/boots have large amounts of cracked, old polish on them, use a candle to "burn" off the polish. Take the shoe/boot and hold it over the flame briefly and wipe off the polish. You should only do this when you first get your shoes or if the polish has cracked.When you have done this you will have a suitable area to bull onto.
Note: ATC Regualations state that DMS Parade shoes should be "highly polished", this does not necessarily mean that they have to be "bulled". Most Squadrons encourage thier Cadets to "bull" thier shoes. There are all sorts of methods of bulling, the most common are explained below:

1. This is the method I use. It takes a long time, but it works. I would recomend this if you have new shoes.

Note: The toecap is the only part of your shoe that you will ever have to 'bull'. The other parts of the shoe should simply be clean. I have found that the best way to clean it is to rub on some polish with a rag, then buff gently with a clean duster. This gives you a dull shine, that should be sufficient.

• You will need a good quality duster, preferably Kiwi Black or Kiwi Parade Gloss and water or spit.
• Ensure that the toe cap is clean and free of old polish
• Take the duster and "wrap" your finger around it so that you have a smooth surface on your finger
• Open the polish and put a fairly large amount on the cloth on your finger
• Apply the polish to the toe cap in a circular motion.
• By doing this you are rubbing the polish into the leather and therefore beginning to build up layers of polish.
• You will notice "polish swirls" appearing on the toe cap. Do not be alarmed, this is supposed to happen.
• Continue rubbing in the polish in a circular motion
• If you think that the polish has become dry, dab the polish on the cloth on your tongue. This may not be particularly appealing but it does get the correct amount of water onto the cloth. If you wish to use water do so but I find that it puts too much water onto the leather.
• If you find you have put too much water on, put more polish on the cloth and continue to polish and that will sort out the water problem.
• Once you see the polish swirls start to disappear, it is time to add more polish.
• Put more polish on the cloth and start to polish in the next layer.
• As you apply more and more layers, the surface of the toe cap will start to smooth out and the toe cap will start to shine Continue to do this until you think that the toe caps are bulled.
• A good test is to put your middle finger just above the surface of the shoe and see of you can see your knuckle. If you can, your shoes are more than likely finished.

This method has its good and bad points:
Good points: Ensures that you get a build up of polish which will last for up to sixth months. Warrant Officers love it.
Bad points: This method is time consuming. A good way to pass the time is to sit in front of a good film and polish, it takes your mind off it and when the film is finished your shoes should be perfect!!

2. I only found this recently, and I have tried it. It works, but not very well. Only reccomended if you're in a hurry.

• You need a wad of cotton wool, preferably Kiw Black or Kiwi Parade Gloss and water or spit
• Ensure that the toe cap is clean and free of old polish
• Take a small amount of cotton wool and dab it in the polish.
• Dip the wool in water or on your tongue
• Rub in the polish in a circular motion until all of the polish is rubbed in.
• This method does require a lot of water to stop the cotton wool drying out.
• This method is a quick method and only requires a few layers to get a shiny result.
• Continue to add polish until you think you are done

The cotton wool method has its good and bad points:
Good points: A quick result can be achieved.
Bad points: You do not build up a layer of polish. By doing this you are only polishing the surface of the leather. It is difficult to to gain the same result as the "traditional" method.

3. If you're in a really big rush, and you've just discovered that your mums thrown in your cadet shoes with the other shoes (yes, it has happened to me), then you have to resort to desperatre measures. A good method for a tempory shine is simply to run the shoes under cold water and rub with a cotton bud. Don't do it too often though!

Note: There are loads of other ways to polish your shoes. You may hear of painting. This is where you put a glossy coat of black 'paint' onto your shoes. When you have done this, you wont need to bull them, but after about 6 months they will look awful. After you have 'painted' your shoes, you can't polish over them.

2. Trousers
Trousers are another one which had millions of methods of maintenance. This is probably because, along with shoes, they are the hardest to maintain. Below are three different methods, all of which work. It's your call.

1. The first method. This works okay to me, and is the one I have recently started using regularly. Don't be tempted just to iron them with nothing over. Doing this results in big white stains (haha), which are where you have ironed to hard over a lump under the trousers (normally the other leg)

• Make sure that you always use a damp t-towel when pressing your trousers for the first time. Do not soak the t-towel as it will take ages for your trouser to dry afterwards.
• If you get them too wet you can always press them again with a dry cloth which will dry the trousers off and give them an extra press. It is best to press each crease at a time as this will give the best results.
• To do this find the seams of the trousers and put the trousers onto the ironing board. Fold back the top leg to reveal the bottom leg.
• Take the damp t-towel and place it over the crease. Press the crease in "iron" long lengths. Press each section until the t-towel is dry.
• Do not apply too much pressure. Once you have pressed the first crease and you are happy with it, pick up the trousers and turn them around so you can press the first back crease.
• Do as you did with the front and fold back the top leg and proceed as above. Repeat this until you have pressed all the creases

2. This method works fine, though it could be a little heavy on the brown paper.

• The aim is to get sharp creases all the way up the trousers.
• Lie the trousers flat on the ironing board.
• Get some brown paper and lightly wet the sides of the trouser where the crease will go.
• After this, lay the paper over it, hot iron and push the crease in.
• Push down hard - within reason! - and move the iron over the length of the trousers, repeating for each leg.
• The creases should last for a long time.

3. Belt
The belt is relatively easy to polish. First remove the buckle by carefully rotating the bar on the back, with the teeth holding it onto the belt. Now take some metal polish, e.g. - Brasso, and wet some cotton wool with this. Then, in the same circular motion as parade shoe polishing, buff the whole of the belt buckle. After a short while your belt should come to a high shine. N.B. You frequently have to change your cotton wool as it soon goes black.

4. Jumper
This is probably the easiest to maintain. All that is needed to keep it in good condition is, if it starts to get "fluffy" then give it a quick shave, not literally with foam and razor, but by using a small, inexpensive razor. Being careful not to cut the jumper, remove any sticking out fibres.
Note: I don't actually do this, I just grabbed the info off of someone's site. Don't blame me if you slice your jumper in two or something.

5. Shirts
(OG, Wedgewood and Working) These are fairly easy to maintain - just ensure that they stay neatly ironed. There is no need for excessive ironing, All that is required is that no creases where there shouldn’t be, and that there are no marks or stains on it. Ensure there is a sharp crease running from the top of the shoulder to the cuffs, as on a normal shirt.

6. Beret
First, steam your beret, e.g. - over a kettle, being careful not to burn yourselves. Remove from the steam, and when cold enough, place it on your head. Make sure that the beret badge over your left eye, and pull down the right side so that the badge sticks out a little. Then try and make the beret as smooth as possible.

7. Brassard
Iron until flat with no creases.

8. Combat Jacket
Iron until flat. Remember that it's DPM, so creases are hard to see. Iron all pockets flat against the jacket and sew on any missing buttons.

9. DPM Trousers
As above.

10. Combat boots
When on a night-ex. or needing camouflage: Clean with water to remove any dirt off and put on a thin layer of polish. These boots do not have to be shiny. Shooting and non-camouflage boots: Clean the boots with water, then dry. Take 2 brushes and use one to put the polish on and the other to brush it in. Then use the same method as with parade shoes to buff the toe caps.