First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape off as much of the tar as you can.
- Don't rub the stain; it spreads.
- Pretest any remover on a hidden area.
Tar on shoes is greasy and sticky, and rubbing it with a cloth or your fingers only spreads it across the upper. Fresh tar lifts far more easily than tar that has hardened, so check how long it has been there before you begin. Leather and suede need gentler handling than canvas, and heat is off the table for every type.
Removing tar stains from shoes goes best when the method matches the material, so check the upper before you start. Sneakers can take a firmer touch than leather, but suede only gets a soft brush and a light blot. If the tar on army boots has hardened, a prewash stain remover spray or stick is worth testing on a hidden spot first.
Before you start
What shoes & sneakers can take
Use with care5
- Water
- Soaking
- Enzyme cleaners
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid3
- Hot water
- Chlorine bleach
- Heat, once the stain is out
7 items
What you'll need
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- Dull knife or spoon edgeTo lift off the loose tar without digging into the material.
- Dry, soft-bristled brushTo brush away loose dirt without scratching. (opens Amazon)
- Clean clothsOne for dabbing and a fresh damp one for lifting away the soap.
- Mild soapA little, mixed into cool water. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaFor the paste on white or light shoes. (opens Amazon)
- Dry microfiber towelTo blot up moisture without rubbing. (opens Amazon)
- Crumpled newspaper or a shoe treeTo hold the shape while the shoes air dry. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Scrape and brush off loose tar
Start with a dull knife or the edge of a spoon and lift off as much of the tar as you can. Then brush away loose dirt with a dry, soft-bristled brush. Work from the edges toward the middle so the tar doesn't spread.
Careful. Don't scrub leather hard; it can damage the surface.
Step 2 of 6
Check the label and test first
Look for a care label or tag and follow it over general advice. If there's no tag, don't guess; use the gentle steps here and test a hidden spot before anything else touches the stain. Pretest any remover on a hidden area, such as inside the tongue, and if dye transfers to the cloth, stick to spot cleaning.
Step 3 of 6
Dab with cool soapy water
Dampen a clean cloth with cool water and a little mild soap. Gently pat or dab the tar, and don't rub.
Tip. Switch to a clean section of the cloth as it picks up tar.
Careful. Keep the water cool; hot water can affect the dye on mesh.
Step 4 of 6
Lift the soap away
Pat again with a fresh damp cloth to lift away the soap. Keep going with clean cloth until nothing soapy comes away.
Step 5 of 6
Brush baking soda paste into light shoes
This step is for white or light shoes only; skip it on dark shoes. Mix equal parts baking soda and water into a paste and work it in with a soft brush. For sweat marks, leave the paste on about 15 minutes, then dab it away with a damp cloth.
Step 6 of 6
Blot and air dry completely
Blot with a dry microfiber towel or soft cloth to lift moisture and dirt, without rubbing. Stuff the shoes with crumpled newspaper or a shoe tree to hold their shape, then air dry them completely at room temperature. Shoes can take at least 8 hours to dry, so don't rush it.
Careful. Never use a dryer or hair dryer; heat can permanently misshape shoes.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for tar on shoes & sneakers
Look for a product labeled for the boot's material, whether leather, suede or fabric, rather than a general solvent.
Utopia Kitchen White Flour Sack Towels
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on shoes & sneakers, 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 →How to tell it's working
The spot is lifting when each pass picks up dark tar and the area looks lighter on the next pass. Once the cloth comes away clean and the spot looks even after drying, you're done; if it's still tacky or darker, repeat the dab step.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your shoes & sneakers
Sneakers
Sneakers usually have mesh or knit panels, so keep the water cool and the brushing soft. Knit yarn snags easily, so brush gently and never scrub. White or light sneakers can use the baking soda paste, while dark ones skip it.
Swap in a clean section of cloth often, so the tar doesn't go back into the knit. Let sneakers dry fully before you judge the result, since the spot can look darker while it's still damp.
Leather shoes
Leather needs the lightest touch: brush it lightly and dab with cool soapy water. Keep alcohol and solvents off the leather, and skip the baking soda paste unless the shoes are light colored.
Let leather dry fully at room temperature, away from heat. Check the spot by sight once it's dry before deciding on another pass.
Suede shoes
Suede needs the lightest touch, so brush it gently and pat with the cloth instead of pressing. The set-in section has the one suede-specific option for stubborn spots, and it only comes after a hidden-spot test.
Let suede dry fully at room temperature before brushing it up, so the nap isn't pressed flat while it's damp. Use a clean section of cloth so the spot doesn't spread.
Mesh and knit shoes
Mesh and knit uppers need the gentlest soap ratio: a little mild soap in cool water. Brush softly so the knit doesn't snag.
Blot with a fresh cloth often so dye and dirt don't spread back over the mesh. Test the soap on a hidden inner panel first, since dye can transfer.
Dark shoes
Dark shoes skip the baking soda paste, so the soap steps do most of the work. Repeat the dab and pat steps on clean cloth as needed.
Let the shoes dry fully before you judge the result.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old tar that has sat for days or weeks is harder to lift, and the steps above may only lighten it. On fabric uppers, you can try a stronger round: keep a pad moistened with dry-cleaning solvent on the spot and change the pad as it picks up tar.
Once the shoes are dry and the spot is still there, use a dry spotter of 1 part coconut or mineral oil to 8 parts dry-cleaning solvent, tamping it every 5 minutes on strong fabrics. Or alternate lard or mineral oil with dry-cleaning solvent, flushing after each, until the tar is gone.
Be realistic: a set-in stain may fade rather than vanish, and each pass adds a little wear to the upper. Leather and suede need the gentlest handling, so keep solvents and oils off them. If the tar has reached a car floor mat or carpet, the Carpet & Rugs guide covers that surface separately.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on tar on shoes & sneakers?
You'll run into a long list of home remedies for tar, and most of them don't fit shoes. Some remedies suit tar on shoes, some only help in one specific case, and others are ruled out for shoes.
Works1Helps1Skip3Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't machine wash shoes.
Delicate materials can be damaged, and bulky sneakers can damage the washer. Stick to the spot-cleaning steps above, which are gentler on the whole shoe.
Don't use bleach or harsh cleaning products.
Bleach and other harsh products can damage the material, so chlorine bleach is off the table. If the tar is still there, move to the set-in options rather than reaching for a stronger cleaner.
Don't use a strong soap solution.
A high concentration of dish soap can discolor some materials or strip their natural oils. A little mild soap in cool water is the amount to use.
Don't use gasoline or lighter fluid.
They are not spot removers, even for tar. If you use any solvent at all, work in a well-ventilated room away from flames and sparks.
When to call a professional
If the tar is still there after the steps above, and the shoes are leather or suede, stop before trying anything stronger. A second round with the gentle steps is the safe next move, and a shoe repair or cleaning shop can take over if the spot won't lift.
Questions
Will tar come out of white sneakers?
The steps can work on white sneakers, and the baking soda paste is written for white and light shoes, so use it after the soap steps. Keep the water cool and the brushing soft so the knit doesn't snag.
How long before I can wear the shoes again?
Wait until they're completely dry, which can take at least 8 hours at room temperature. Check the spot by sight and feel first; if it still looks tacky or dark, repeat the dab step before drying again.
What if the tar is still there after one try?
Repeat the dab and pat steps on a clean area, letting the shoes dry fully between passes. If the spot survives several passes, the set-in options are the next step, but only on fabric uppers after a hidden-spot test.
Do I need a special tar remover for army boots?
Start with the mild soap method before buying anything. A store product only makes sense as a second step, once the soap steps have been tested on a hidden spot.
Can you clean tar off leather shoes?
Yes, with the gentlest steps: scrape, brush lightly, and dab with cool soapy water. Keep solvents and alcohol off the leather, and remember that the set-in options apply to fabric uppers only.
Can club soda or salt take tar off?
Not as a tar fix, since both are listed for fresh wine rather than tar. Stick with the mild soap method and the pretest, which is the safe route for shoes.
Tar on other materials
Other stains on shoes & sneakers
Start from the bigger picture
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.