The Best Way to Remove Scuffs From Shoes
If you don’t do your best to keep your shoes looking their best, they’re likely to accumulate scuffs from everyday wear and tear. But the good news is that for the most part, these stains are temporary and are usually fairly easy to remove. Here are some of the best ways to do it.
How to remove scuffs from shoes
The best way to get rid of scuffs on your shoes depends on the material they are made from and their general condition. Today we will talk about shoes with light to moderate scuffs, as opposed to situations where the shoes are irreparably damaged. Here’s what to do.
Leather boots
In the recent past, buying a good pair of leather shoes was considered an investment that would last for years with proper care. This usually involved cleaning and polishing your shoes with shoe polish and/or other conditioner (or paying someone else to do it for them) – and remains the best way to rid your leather shoes of scuffs today.
The full process usually takes 15 to 20 minutes, but you can get some pretty impressive results with a one minute “quick brush” as shown in this video .
Sneakers/sports shoes and other footwear made of rubber or suede
The easiest way to remove scuff marks from shoes in this category, as well as from nubuck, vinyl and patent leather shoes, is to gently polish them in a circular motion with a white rubber eraser (for example, in the school/office department). Many people swear by this method, with the exception of using the Magic Eraser (or its generic equivalent) instead.
If that doesn’t work or you don’t have an eraser handy, mix baking soda and warm water to make a thick paste, apply it to the scuffs with a rag or cloth, then buff in a circular motion. . Or, if you have some white toothpaste (not gel or some combination), you can use that instead of baking soda paste.
Another option is to quickly spray them with an all-purpose cleaner and then wipe them down with a rag or paper towel – provided you’ve tested and this method is safe for your shoes.
Vinyl shoes
A quick spray and wipe with window cleaner or other all-purpose cleaner (not containing bleach) should make your vinyl shoes look like new.
Patent leather shoes
Pour a small amount of nail polish remover onto a paper towel (never directly on the shoes), then wipe the scuffs off the patent leather shoes. Rubbing alcohol works too.