How to Remove Shoe Polish The Easy Methods

If you are looking for a guideline in removing shoe polish then you are on the right page. I have a few tricks up my sleeve that will definitely help you with your little problem. Just read on and by the end, you’ll have your shoe back to normal. 

Keeping your shoes looking new is a wonderful experience. However, the process can be a bit troublesome. I mean you can apply the wrong colour or overlap the polish and create some serious smudges. In such a case their only option would be to remove the polish. 

Basic points

There are a number of methods that you could use to remove that polish from your shoes. You just have to be very cautious as doing it wrong could lead to a whole saddle of regret. You might end up losing your favourite pair of shoes. 

Before we start on those methods there are a few points that you have to be aware of. You need to pay very special attention to them if you do not want to end up losing your good pair of shoes. 

1. Before you start to remove the polish, make sure that you remove the laces on your shoes or any other detachable accessories on the shoe. This will help you to work on the surface easily and it will also work to minimize the risk of causing discolouration or damages to the lace.
2. When using cotton pads or cloth to remove polish, you should always make sure that your hands are working in a steady circular motion. This circular motion will allow for a more thorough clean-up contrary to the zig-zag movement that may result in polish overlap once again.
3. When you are done successfully removing the old polish, you should be sure to apply a new layer of polish or shoe conditioner. This will help you to restore the shoes to their glorious pristine conditions.

The Methods 

Since we have covered the basics it is now time that we look at some of the great and basic methods that have been used for so many ages. By the end of this guide, you will have a great bunch of methods to use. 

1. Saddle Soap

Saddle soap is one of the most popular forms of removing shoe polish. It is very easy to use and is also found abundantly and easily in almost every supermarket. You can buy it almost everywhere and anywhere. 

How to apply

• Take a cotton pad or soft cloth and dampen it with water. It is best if you make use of lukewarm water. 
• Gently rub the wet cloth over the shoe’s surface to soften it up.
• Take another damp cloth and wipe it over the saddle soap to create lather.
• Then spread the lather in a circular motion over small surfaces of the shoe at a time, until you have covered the entire area.
• Use the previous cloth to remove the lather.
• You will see that the polish will come right off the shoes onto the cloth.
• Allow some time for the shoe to dry before applying new polish.

Note that you should never let the soap lather sit in the shoe for long as that will cause the leather to dry up and have a white wrinkly look. That is a look that no polish can ever fix up so be sure to leave the saddle soap in long enough for you to just wipe away the polish.

2. Saphir Renomat

Over the years Saphir Renomat has proven to be very effective and has also proven to be one of the most effective cleaning solutions for shoes. It can work for leathers, synthetics, wax, silicones and resins as well. 

How to apply

• Use a cloth to wipe your shoes to remove primary dirt build-ups.
• Carefully apply Reno’mat solution on the shoe surface with a brush / soft cloth (in a circular motion).
• Use another cloth to remove the Renomat deposit, and you will see the polish to come right off.
• Allow 10-15 minutes time before re-polishing the shoe.

You should note that reformat is a chemical agent hence can have a lot of different reactions depending on the material it is used on. It would be better if you used it on a small spot before applying it on the whole shoe. 

3. The Heat Technique

Well just like the name, here you will be using heat. It is said that shoe polish is simply wax build-up. Also wax has a melting point, so you can easily heat up the polish, let it melt and you just wipe the melted layer. However, you need to be very careful about the heat source you use. 

How to apply

• Position your shoe closer to a heat source (e.g., heat lamp, heat gun, or even under the sun).
• Depending upon the intensity of the heat source, leave the polish to melt off for a certain time period.
• Once you are sure that the polish has melted or liquefied, use a dry clean cloth to completely rub it off the shoe.
• Allow some time to dry the shoe before re-polishing.

Again, note that you should be very careful. yourself and your shoe. As too much heat would burn you and destroy your shoe as well. So it would be best to use the safest form of applying heat that you can come up with to avoid any accidents from happening. 

Final Thoughts 

Keeping your shoes sparkly clean is very easy to do. You just need to keep them polished and out of the water. There really is no greater alternative than using polish to keep them clean and shiny and looking new in a long way. 

I would say that using saddle soap would probably be the best way to go at it. It is safer and easier to work with and manage. Other methods tend to be a bit complicated and may cause serious damage if not handled with the right amount of care.