First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape off excess polish with a spoon or blunt knife, or blot liquid polish with a white cloth.
- Work from the edges toward the center, and blot rather than rub so the stain doesn't spread.
- Test every cleaner on a hidden area first for colorfastness.
- Act quickly, because the stain gets much harder once it has dried.
Shoe polish is built to shine and resist water, so a rinse alone won't lift it. Its waxy, oily base has to be dissolved with a drycleaning solvent before any water touches it. Once polish dries it's often waterproof and much harder to lift, so old marks usually take several passes.
Check the polish with a fingertip first, since a soft, tacky smear responds much better than a hard crust. If you're trying to remove old shoe polish, expect several passes rather than one big attempt. If a boot polish mark has baked into the fabric or leather and keeps resisting, a professional cleaner is the safer call.
8 items
What you'll need
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- Drycleaning solventDissolves the waxy or oily base so the polish can lift.
- White cloths or paper towelsBlot the polish up without spreading it or transferring color. (opens Amazon)
- Heavy-duty liquid laundry detergentWorks into the stain before washing. (opens Amazon)
- Old soft toothbrushWorks the detergent into the spot.
- All-fabric oxygen bleachRemoves the dye left in colored, colorfast fabric. (opens Amazon)
- 70% isopropyl or 90% denatured alcoholFinal sponge for colored fabric, with no added color or fragrance. (opens Amazon)
- Chlorine bleachOptional finish for white fabric only. (opens Amazon)
- Mild dish detergentThe only detergent used on carpet, in a weak solution. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Scrape off the excess polish
Lift off any thick polish with the back of a spoon or a blunt knife, without pressing it deeper into the fabric. For liquid polish, blot it with a white cloth or paper towels instead, working gently so it doesn't spread.
Tip. Slide a clean paper towel under the fabric so the polish doesn't come through to the other side.
Step 2 of 7
Dissolve the waxy base with solvent
Dampen a white cloth with drycleaning solvent and dab the stain. Keep the cloth damp rather than soaked, and blot instead of rubbing.
Careful. Ventilate the room, keep flames and sparks away, and wear rubber gloves when using solvent.
Step 3 of 7
Flush and pretreat with detergent
Rinse the spot in hot water, then rub a few drops of heavy-duty liquid laundry detergent into the stain with an old toothbrush. Work it in until the spot is fully coated.
Step 4 of 7
Wash and check before drying
Wash the item on the setting its care label allows. Then check the spot in good light before it goes anywhere near the dryer.
Step 5 of 7
Bleach the dye out of colored fabric
If color is still there on colorfast fabric, bleach the whole garment with an all-fabric oxygen bleach, not just the spot, for no more than 15 minutes. If the color doesn't lift in that time, bleach won't remove it. Rinse thoroughly, then move on to the next pass.
Careful. Skip oxygen bleach on wool, silk and any fabric that isn't colorfast.
Step 6 of 7
Sponge the rest with rubbing alcohol
On colored fabric, dampen a white cloth with 70% isopropyl or 90% denatured alcohol and sponge the stain. Rinse the spot, then launder the item again before you check it.
Careful. Keep it off silk, acetate, acrylic and leather.
Step 7 of 72 minutes
Finish white fabric with chlorine bleach
On white fabric only, and only once everything else is rinsed out and laundered, apply chlorine bleach to the spot for no more than 2 minutes. Flush the area with water afterward, then launder the item again.
Careful. Never use chlorine bleach on wool, silk or spandex.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for shoe polish
Look for a drycleaning-type solvent stain remover and a heavy-duty liquid laundry detergent, and check that any oxygen bleach is labeled all-fabric.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on these surfaces, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Shoe Polish on every material
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
You'll know the stain is lifting when color transfers onto your cloth and the glossy shine starts to break up. If the cloth comes away clean but the spot still looks shiny or waxy, the base is still there, so repeat the solvent pass before washing.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
White shoe polish on fabric
White polish follows the same solvent and detergent passes as the main method, and it's the one fabric type where chlorine bleach goes last. The oxygen bleach and alcohol passes are meant for colored dye, so skip them on white.
Let the solvent dry between passes so the next one has something to work on. After the wash, check the spot in good light before the item goes into the dryer, since white polish shows up clearly against the fabric.
Colored shoe polish on fabric
Colored polish needs the whole sequence: solvent, detergent, oxygen bleach for the dye, and rubbing alcohol as the last sponge if color remains. Chlorine bleach stays off colored fabric entirely. The sequence ends with a wash after the alcohol pass.
Keep the bleach on the whole garment rather than only the spot, and rinse it out completely before the alcohol pass. Let the solvent dry between passes so you can judge how much is left.
Wool, silk and spandex
Wool and silk can't take the oxygen bleach or the rubbing alcohol, so those passes are out for them. Test the solvent on a hidden seam before you start.
Use only the solvent and detergent passes on these fibers, and check the spot after each one. No chlorine bleach goes on any of the three at any stage. If the spot is still visible after that, take the item to a professional cleaner rather than pushing harder.
Liquid, paste and wax polish on carpet
Carpet needs a different approach from fabric. Liquid and wax polish get a warm water rinse after the detergent, while paste polish goes straight to a professional after the detergent pass.
Put the solvent on a cloth rather than the carpet, then blot the spot. Use only the dish detergent solution, no stronger than 1/4 teaspoon per cup of lukewarm water. For the full carpet method, see the Carpet & Rugs guide.
Shoe polish on leather
Leather can't take the rubbing alcohol or the oxygen bleach from these steps, so don't use either one on a leather shoe. Solvent on leather is a different question from solvent on fabric, so don't assume the fabric approach carries over.
Leather needs its own method, which is covered in the Shoes & Sneakers guide. Start there, and pretest any product on a hidden spot first.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old polish is harder to remove than fresh polish, and the procedure often has to be repeated several times rather than done in one pass. Start with the same solvent and detergent passes, and give each one time before you judge it.
Once polish has dried, it's often waterproof and built to hold its shine, so the solvent needs to sit and work through the layer. Let the solvent dry on the spot, reapply it, and repeat as needed before laundering.
If the item has already been through the dryer, the heat has likely set the stain, so expect more limited results. Bleach can only work within 15 minutes, and if color is still there after all that, repeat the solvent and detergent passes before you decide the rest won't come out.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on shoe polish?
Most household remedies are built for other stains, so only a few belong here. The ones in the steps are oxygen bleach and rubbing alcohol for colored fabric, and dish soap for carpet. The others don't reach the waxy base of this stain.
Works2Helps1Skip3
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Chlorine bleach + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
Both makers advise against combining them: OxiClean says not to mix it with chlorine bleach, and Clorox says the two bleaches cancel each other out.
Chlorine bleach + Rubbing alcohol
Bleach and rubbing alcohol can form chloroform, which causes dizziness, nausea and loss of consciousness.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Rubbing alcohol
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Stop and add nothing else; leave the area for fresh air, open windows and keep children and pets away; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if anyone has trouble breathing.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't pour solvent on carpet
Poured solvent can reach the backing and damage the latex that holds the tufts. Overwetting also destroys backing and upholstery foam, so keep the solvent light and on a cloth.
Don't use laundry or dishwasher detergent on carpet
Laundry detergent's optical brighteners can dye carpet fiber, and dishwasher detergent's bleaching agents can destroy dyes. Stick to a mild dish detergent solution instead.
Don't dry it before the stain is gone
Heat from the dryer sets the stain and makes it more permanent, so check the spot in good light after every wash. If color or shine remains, repeat the steps instead of hoping the next cycle finishes the job.
Don't mix chlorine bleach with ammonia
Mixing chlorine bleach with ammonia, or stacking several removers without rinsing between them, can give off hazardous fumes. Rinse thoroughly between every product you use.
Don't use gasoline or lighter fluid
Gasoline, lighter fluid and carbon tetrachloride don't belong anywhere near this stain. Lacquer thinner and acetone turn triacetate fabrics to froth immediately, so keep them off those.
When to call a professional
If the stain is still there after two rounds of solvent and detergent, stop and take it to a professional cleaner. If the fabric can't take the treatments here, a professional is the safer choice, and set-in carpet stains are the most likely to need one.
Questions
How do you get shoe polish out of clothes?
Scrape off the excess, dissolve the polish with drycleaning solvent, then work heavy-duty liquid detergent into the stain before washing. Check the spot before drying, and repeat the solvent pass if color or shine remains.
Can you remove old, dried shoe polish?
It can be removed, but old polish is harder than fresh and usually needs several passes. Let the solvent dry on the stain, repeat it, and only then wash, since dried polish is often waterproof.
Does shoe polish come out of carpet?
It can, but carpet is a separate method with a weaker detergent and no pouring of solvent. Liquid and wax polish end with a warm water rinse, while paste polish goes straight to a professional.
Is white shoe polish handled differently from colored?
Yes, the sequences differ. White fabric can finish with chlorine bleach last, for no more than 2 minutes. Colored fabric uses oxygen bleach for the dye, then rubbing alcohol if color remains.
Can I use bleach on shoe polish stains?
Only on fabric that can take it. Oxygen bleach works on colored, colorfast fabric for no more than 15 minutes on the whole garment, and chlorine bleach is only for white fabric as the last step.
Is rubbing alcohol safe for shoe polish?
Yes, on colored fabric, as the last sponge if color remains. It isn't safe on silk, acetate, acrylic or leather, so skip it on those.
What do I do if shoe polish is on wool or silk?
Use only the solvent and detergent passes, since wool and silk can't take oxygen bleach or rubbing alcohol. Chlorine bleach is never used on these fibers, and if the spot stays, a professional is the safe choice.
Related
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.