How to Remove a Shoe Polish Stain

A shoe polish can make shoes look great, but a shoe polish stain can look nasty on a piece of clothing or a carpet. A shoe stain may also damage the fabric, leaving a permanent stain if not treated early. In order to remove the stain, here are some tips to follow.

Step 1–Blot the Stain

Never leave a shoe polish to dry if a carpet gets stained. This will make the stain permanent. Shoe polish stain on carpets is a ghastly sight, especially if the carpet has bright colors. While the stain is fresh, blot it with a white paper towel. Try not to scrub or rub the stain to avoid it from spreading further. Instead, blot the outside edges moving towards the middle of the stain. If the stain is already dry, use knife or a blunt object to scrape the hardened parts of the stain.

Step 2–Rub the Stain with a Solvent

Use a carpet shampoo or liquid non-bleach detergent to remove the stain. Place some detergent on a piece of cloth and gently rub on the stain. The detergent or the shampoo will act as a solvent to loosen the hardened shoe polish and remove it from the carpet. Use a sponge to remove the residue from the carpet.

Step 3–Removing Stains from Clothes

Use alcohol and water mixture to remove stains from clothes. Shoe polish stains on clothes are hard to remove. It is best to clean the stain as soon as possible. In order to remove a stain from a piece of cloth, make use of a white paper towel to blot the stain. Then mix a 1:2 mixture of alcohol and cold water. Soak the terrycloth towel in the solution and use it to blot the stain.

Step 4–Make a Detergent Paste

Make a paste by mixing powdered detergent and cold water in a bowl or container. Make sure you use just enough water to create a paste. Cover the stain with the paste and leave it for about 20 minutes. The paste should loosen the stain and allow it to be washed off from the cloth.

Step 5–Wash the Cloth

Wash the piece of cloth as you usually do after about 20 minutes. Use a liquid detergent when washing the cloth. If the shoe polish stain is not removed completely, repeat the process until you get the desired results. Do not dry the item until the stain is gone as the heat of a dryer will set the stain. However, if the stain is completely removed, use a dryer to dry the piece of clothing.

Bear in mind that some clothes are not good to clean with alcohol. In order to ensure that alcohol does not bleach the piece of clothing, test the alcohol solution on a small inconspicuous area to see if it effects it or not.