People love leather shoes because they spend a lot of money on them, no one wants to make them unpleasant. Durable leather boots will last a long time if they have a shiny finish; otherwise, they become a kind of waste. If a person knows how to clean their shoes, then it will be easy for them to keep their footwear good for many years. Shoes may take your time to clean, but if you take care of them, it will save your expenses. Clean the dirty shoes as soon as possible to prevent damage. You do not need to panic if you don’t know anything, this post will assist you.
Let’s make it clear what is grease? Grease is a semi-solid lubricant and has some oil in it that makes the surface tidy. We will provide some methods and tips to remove grease and make your shoes attractive again. Stubborn grease and stains may be absorbed by leather pores and affect the color of the leather.
Let’s move toward the method of removing grease.
Table of Contents
01. Using liquid detergent
Things you will need:
- Things you will need
- Microfiber soft cloth.
- Liquid detergent.
Procedure
Take a liquid detergent and mix it with water to make a solution. Dip a soft cloth in it and gently rub in a circular motion on the grease to remove it. Rub softly until the grease is removed. Then do not store your shoes at this time; give them time to dry naturally.
- If you didn’t get positive results, then repeat the process to clean them better, but do not rub your shoes with a force that may not be suitable for leather.
Method # 02
Things you will need:
- Dish soap
- Leather protector
- Soft microfiber cloths
- cornstarch or white talcum powder.
Procedure
Step # 01. Clean the grease
When you know that your shoes have grease marks, then you should remove them with a clean cloth softly. Do not rub the cloth because it will absorb the leather and it will become difficult to remove.
Step #02. Sprinkle powder or cornstarch.
When you sprinkle the cornstarch or white talcum powder on the grease, it will absorb the moisture. Leave it for about 12 hours, then brush the powder and you will notice the grease-free shoes. This will work if the stain is new.
Step # 03. Use of dish soap
Suppose you haven’t gotten grease-free shoes after applying powder or cornstarch, then you can use dish soap with a cloth. Gently rub the soap on the stain and make a lather. Then wipe off the lather with a cloth. Now your shoes have become grease-free, so keep enjoying them and make your personality more confident.
Method #03
You can use some kitchen remedies to treat the grease stains of leather shoes.
Home-made remedies
Things you will need
- 3/8 cup of water.
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda.
- 1/8 cup of sea salt.
- 12 tablespoons white flour.
Procedure
- Take a bowl and put all these ingredients in it. With the use of a spoon or fork, you have to mix the ingredients such as salt, water, flour, and baking soda to make a paste. This is highly efficient and effective in lifting grease from your leather shoes without affecting the leather. Now mix the paste thoroughly in a bowl.
- Do not forget to do a patch before going to the next step.
- Now dip the cloth in the paste and gently dab on the grease area. Do not scrub. It can harm the leather. Dap until the grease has gone.
- Now wipe off the leather with a cloth and allow it to dry. If you notice any grease stains still, you can again use this method.
Method # 04 Using vinegar
Procedure
Vinegar is a powerful cleaning agent and it not only cleans oil stains from leather but also works as a good leather conditioner. Due to acetic acid, white vinegar is an effective stain remover. When you mix the vinegar with water, it protects the leather from its corrosive properties. Make a solution of an equal amount of water and vinegar. Soak a cloth in it and apply the solution to the grease in a circular motion gently to remove the stain. After removing the grease, you need to allow it to dry.
Alternatives
Other alternative methods that you can apply are given.
- 1 part of vinegar to 2 parts of linseed oil.
- The same quantity of lemon juice and cream of tartar.
- Using a Leather Stain Remover.
Methods to remove grease from faux leather
Faux leather is artificial leather but it has the feel of real leather. But it is not made of animal hide, which is why it reacts differently. So some ingredients may react differently on faux leather than on real leather. To remove grease from faux leather, we provide some methods in this article.
Method # 01. Using rubbing alcohol
Using rubbing alcohol is a quick and effective solution to remove stubborn grease marks without the need to go to a professional. Alcohol has amazing stain-removing properties that help to remove stains from faux leather. It is the most effective item for removing stubborn grease stains. Rubbing alcohol is used to clean the leather shoes with the use of a microfiber towel. Make a solution of water and rubbing alcohol. This will decrease the harmful properties of alcohol. You can apply the solution by applying it on a lint-free cloth and applying rubbing alcohol to the grease-affected area. When you have finished it and you have removed all the stains, you need to use a soft fabric to buff out all the remaining solutions on the faux leather shoes.
Method # 02. Use of nail polish remover
If a non-acetone nail polish remover is applied to the grease, it will remove the grease from leather shoes. But you have to apply this method if the rubbing alcohol doesn’t work for you because this is one harsh product. Do a patch test before applying it to the affected side. With the use of a cotton swab, you can apply the nail polish remover to the affected side and remove the stain. Give time to dry the leather as the nail polish remover takes time to work. Stop applying the solution when you get the final results.
Tips and tricks
- Always do a patch test before applying the solution to the affected area.
- If you do not remove the grease soon, it may leave a permanent mark, so we advise you to clean your shoes as soon as possible.
- You can choose any method from above that is more suitable for you, but removing grease is necessary for you.
- Clean your shoes regularly. If your shoes get grease marks and you can clean them on the journey, then after arriving home, remove them as soon as possible.
- To avoid marks and stains, you should apply a leather protector to your leather shoes. This will make it easy for you to clean and less likely to absorb it.
- It may be difficult to remove grease from your suede shoes as compared to other leather shoes. So, in this case, talcum powder and dish soap methods are the best to try for cleaning your suede leather shoes.
- After cleaning the stains, you can apply the guard to easily remove spills.
- Keep in mind that rubbing alcohol is not ideal for dyed leather.
What will happen if you do not remove the grease from the leather?
Stains on Leather Shoes can come from various sources. If you are in a hurry or on vacation, you may not be able to remove it soon, and these circumstances may damage your shoes. Oil, wax, and grease may take a long time to remove from your leather shoes if they become old. Old and stubborn stains are difficult and may leave permanent stains of grease on your leather shoes. We can’t prevent stains, but we remove them quickly.
Conclusion
You have your lovely boots made of leather and they are often expensive. Hence, no one wants to destroy them. That’s why it’s so important to remove all types of stains and marks from shoes at the right time rather than letting the grease sit and set to leave permanent marks. Protection of leather items will also increase the durability of the items and make them nicer looking. It’s so much easier to get these grease stains out than you might think, and mostly, you can do it with only simple household items. Using these items will save money as well as allow you to clean up grease stains quickly. They are very useful if you do not have a professional leather cleaner at home. Love your items and make them renew after they have been damaged. I hope our article will help you. Best wishes.