First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Put on rubber or disposable gloves before you touch anything.
- Wipe up the solids with paper towels and seal them in a plastic bag.
- Blot the excess. Don't rub it.
- Keep the shoes away from heat until the stain is gone.
Vomit on shoes can leave a faint mark because the stomach acid in it can permanently change the color of the material. The longer it sits, the harder it is to lift, so a fresh spot on a sneaker comes off far more easily than one you find the next morning. Suede and leather need their own care, so check the material before anything wet touches the shoe.
Vomit on shoes that has dried needs patience, so don't scrub harder just because it isn't lifting. Soaking the shoe usually pushes the mess deeper and can leave a smell behind. If the smell won't leave, a stain remover made for shoes is the product to reach for.
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
8 items
What you'll need
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- Rubber or disposable glovesKeeps the vomit off your skin while you clear the solids. (opens Amazon)
- Paper towels and a plastic trash bagPick up the solids without spreading them. (opens Amazon)
- Soft-bristled brushLifts loose dirt without roughing up the material. (opens Amazon)
- Clean white clothsOne cloth for the dye test and one for the soap pass, so you can see any transfer. (opens Amazon)
- Mild liquid dish soapLifts the stain in the soap pass without the harshness of stronger cleaners. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaMakes the paste for white or light shoes. (opens Amazon)
- Dry microfiber towelPulls moisture and dirt out of the shoe during drying. (opens Amazon)
- Crumpled newspaper or a shoe treeHolds the shape of the shoes while they air dry. (opens Amazon)
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6 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 6
Put on gloves and clear solids
Put on rubber or disposable gloves before you touch the shoes. Wipe up the solids with paper towels and seal them in a plastic trash bag so the mess doesn't spread.
Step 2 of 6
Check the label and brush off dirt
Check the care label or tag inside the shoe and follow it over any general advice here. If there is no label or it's unclear, rely on the test below before anything wet. Brush off loose dirt with a dry, soft-bristled brush, then blot or carefully scrape off any excess without rubbing.
Step 3 of 6
Test a hidden spot first
Dampen a clean white cloth with cool water and dab it on a small, hidden part of the shoe, such as inside the tongue. Press the damp spot against a dry white cloth and check whether any dye transfers.
Tip. If dye transfers, stop the wet steps and stick to spot cleaning only.
Careful. Hot water can set the stain by cooking the protein, and it can affect mesh dye, so use cool water only.
Step 4 of 6
Dab the stain with mild soap
Dampen a clean cloth with cool water and a little mild dish soap, then gently pat or dab the stain. Pat again with a fresh damp cloth to lift away the soap.
Careful. A strong soap solution can discolor material or strip natural oils, so keep it mild.
Step 5 of 6
Scrub white or light shoes with paste
If the shoes are white or light, mix equal parts baking soda and water into a paste and work it into the stain with a soft brush. On dark or colored shoes, skip this step and go straight to drying.
Step 6 of 6
Blot dry and air dry fully
Blot with a dry microfiber towel or soft cloth to lift moisture and dirt, without rubbing it dry. Stuff the shoes with crumpled newspaper or a shoe tree to hold their shape, then let them air dry completely at room temperature for at least 8 hours.
Careful. Heat sets stains, so keep shoes away from dryers, irons and hair dryers until the mark is gone.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for vomit on shoes & sneakers
Choose a mild liquid dish soap for the soap pass and a soft-bristled brush for the dry work. Keep a stack of white cloths on hand so you can spot any dye transfer during the test.
Puracy Laundry Stain Remover
ECOS OXO Brite Stain & Odor Remover Pre-Wash Spray
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
When the spot is clean, it looks the same color as the shoe around it and the fabric feels dry with no soap film. If the mark still shows once the shoes are fully dry, the stain has set, so move on to the set-in options below.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your shoes & sneakers
Suede shoes
Suede takes the same dry brushing and blotting, but keep the soap pass lighter, using a cloth that is barely damp and never wet. Once the spot has dried, brush the nap in one direction with a soft brush.
Skip the baking soda paste on suede unless it is a light color and you have tested it first. If a mark still shows once it's dry, the set-in section covers the white vinegar option.
Leather shoes
Leather needs the lightest touch, so wipe with a barely damp cloth and dry it straight away. Keep the soap pass to a single cloth rather than repeating it over and over.
Skip the baking soda paste unless the leather is white or light, and even then test it on a hidden spot first. For a stubborn mark, the set-in section lists the options that apply to leather.
Mesh sneakers
Mesh holds vomit in its open weave, so give the soap pass a little extra attention. Dab the cloth into the weave, then repeat the fresh damp-cloth pass until the shoe no longer feels soapy.
Keep the water cool through every pass, as the test step explains. Let the mesh dry completely before you wear the shoes.
White or light shoes
After the soap pass, the baking soda paste does most of the work on white or light shoes. Give it a full pass with the soft brush, working over the whole stained area rather than just the center.
Once the shoes are dry, check the spot in good light, since pale fabrics show even faint marks. If a shadow remains, move on to the set-in section rather than repeating the paste over and over.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old vomit on shoes is harder to lift than a fresh spot, so expect more than one round. Repeat the dry brushing, blotting and mild dish soap passes on very dirty shoes, and let the shoes dry between rounds.
If the stain has dried, brush off any crust first with the dry soft brush, then go through the soap passes again. On suede, a cloth dipped in white vinegar can help with a stubborn mark, and only white vinegar should be used since colored vinegar can leave a stain. On leather, try a household cleaning eraser or a leather conditioner.
Don't soak the shoes for a day or two, because common fabric advice doesn't suit shoes. If the stain stays after several rounds and full drying, some color loss may not come back, so stop before you damage the material.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on vomit on shoes & sneakers?
Plenty of home remedies float around for vomit, but most don't suit shoes. Only mild dish soap and a baking soda paste are used, and the rest are either limited to one set-in use or skipped for safety.
Works2Skip2Avoid2
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't wait to treat the stain
Fresh vomit lifts far more easily than a dried spot, so start the steps as soon as you can. Stomach acid can permanently alter dyes, and the longer the stain sits, the more likely some color loss will stay.
Don't put the shoes in the washing machine
Delicate materials can be damaged, and bulky sneakers can damage the washer itself. Clean them by hand with the steps above instead.
Don't mix stain removers
Ammonia and chlorine bleach in particular can give off hazardous fumes when they meet. If you need a second product, rinse the shoe thoroughly between them.
Don't rub the stain
Rubbing pushes vomit deeper into the material and spreads it across the shoe. Blot, dab or brush gently instead.
When to call a professional
Nothing here calls for a professional, and most shoes can be handled at home. If a pair of leather or suede shoes still shows a stain after several rounds, a shoe cleaning service can check it.
Questions
Does vomit on shoes always come out?
Not always. Fresh vomit usually lifts with the steps above, but a dried or old stain may need several rounds and can leave some color loss.
Can I use bleach on vomit on shoes?
No. Chlorine bleach can damage shoe material, so leave it out of the cleaning entirely. Stick to the mild dish soap pass and, on white or light shoes, the baking soda paste, then let the shoes dry fully afterward.
What if my shoes have no care label?
Skip any step you haven't tested, and start with dry brushing and blotting. Test the soap pass on a hidden spot first, and stop if any dye transfers to the cloth.
Will the smell come out along with the stain?
Often it fades as the stain lifts, so work through the steps fully and let the shoes dry completely before you judge. If a smell stays after several rounds and full drying, ask a professional cleaner for advice.
How long before I can wear them again?
Wait until they are completely dry, which takes at least 8 hours at room temperature with the shoes stuffed to hold their shape.
Can I use the baking soda paste on dark shoes?
No, the paste is only for white or light shoes. On dark or colored shoes, skip that step and dry the shoes as usual.
Vomit 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.