It's a known fact that it's easier to clean things when they're wet. To do so, people will usually use soapy water or a chemical cleaning agent. However, soap, cleaning agents, or even water might not be on hand to use in a situation where something must be shined up. That, or the character just doesn't find reaching for those things necessary, knowing that they always have a liquid conveniently at hand to use -- their own saliva.

This trope might manifest in a character using their saliva to scrub a table or counter until it shines, to quickly style or smooth their eyebrows (or the eyebrows of someone else, especially if that other person happens to be their child), or to wipe unsightly dirt off someone's face. Doing this may be seen as pretty [[{{Squick}} squicky]] to some, but it can still get the job done all the same.

Unrelated to SpitTake and SpitShake.
----
!!Examples:
[[folder:Film — Animated]]
* Mushu tries shining up WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'s armor to cheer her out of her HeroicBSOD. It doesn't work.
* In ''WesternAnimation/Cars1'', Mater offers to clean off a spot of tar on Lighting [=McQueen's=] hood, and he starts hocking before [=McQueen=] hastily declines.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/EskimoDay'', Simon spits on his elderly father's suit to clean off some dirt, which causes some indignation.
--> '''James:''' I wondered where I'd draw the line! Being spat on.
* Some servants do it with the ''royal crown'' in ''Film/TheMadnessOfKingGeorge''.
* ''Film/SpaceJam'': The WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes gang cleans their gym this way.
* Ragetti does this with his wooden eye a couple times in ''Franchise/PiratesOfTheCaribbean''. Later on, Barbossa gives the thing a ''really'' good slurp and shoves it back into Ragetti's empty socket. The poor man looks terrified.
* Blaze and King Charles II have a bonding moment spitting to shine their leather boots in the French comedy ''{{Film/Delusions of Grandeur}}''.
* In ''Film/AFieldInEngland'', Friend does this to Whitehead's hand after getting dirt on him.
* In ''Film/TheIcePirates'', due to water being in short supply (water/ice is used as a commodity), the shoeshiner says no more spit for the shine until more water is released to the public.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* Jayne of ''{{Series/Firefly}}'' does this with a knife, combining this with LickingTheBlade. This...disconcerts the rest of the crew.
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': Raj uses his spit to clean off dirt from the crotch area of an Comicbook/{{Aquaman}} action figure bought in a garage sale.
* On an episode of ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'', where George is forced to be a butler for his parents, Frank orders George to shine his shoes, and George spits on the shoe once Frank's back is turned.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Theatre]]
* In ''Theatre/AVeryPotterSequel'', Neville begins spit shining Harry's shoes while Dean gives Harry a massage. Ron quickly chases them off and then takes over both duties, [[RuleOfFunny spit shining Harry's back]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* The bartender in ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland2LeChucksRevenge'' used his spit to clean the glasses.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Done by Hank when he must shine his father's shoes as punishment on an episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers''.
[[/folder]]
----