August 06, 2024
Shoes easily get dirty and marked. From a splash of tea to a stubborn grass stain, knowing how to remove stains from your shoes will help you maintain your favourite footwear for longer. With different stain removal methods for each material, in this guide we'll cover how to get rid of some of the most common types of stains - including:
Mud and dirt stains can take a lot of scrubbing to remove. Whatever you do, don't assume you can throw a pair of dirty shoes in the washing machine - this may damage them depending on their material.
One of the best ways to remove mud and dirt is with laundry detergent. Follow this quick process:
IMPORTANT: For shoes made of suede or nubuck leather, follow this process without the solution - as this may cause water marks. Instead, scrub the mud off using a soft bristle brush.
You'll need to act fast to remove an oil stain from your shoes. As soon as you notice the stain, soak it up with talcum powder or salt if you have any to hand. Follow this process:
Grass stains are some of the hardest stains to remove - particularly from white shoes and canvas trainers. Depending on the material of your shoes, these household items can be effective:
Water marks can cause lasting damage to suede and leather shoes. However, you can also use water to remove these stains. Here's our top tip to remove water stains from leather or suede shoes:
In the winter months, salt stains can play havoc with your shoes. The worst part is they're practically unavoidable when you're walking through snow and slush every day.
White vinegar is one of the best ways to remove salt stains in just a few quick steps:
It's a little trickier to get coffee stains out of suede shoes. Armed with a cloth and a white vinegar and warm water solution, you should be able to get just about any coffee stain out - after a few attempts using this process:
Once you've got those tough stains out, maintaining the appearance of your shoes is key. Here's how you can make sure your shoes stay looking great whatever the weather:
By investing in these products and taking extra care to look after your shoes, your footwear will stay looking its best for years to come.
Check out the shoezone blog for more style tips and footwear suggestions for every occasion.