How to Remove Tar From Shoes – Handy and Effective Ways!

Michael Weinstein

Entrepreneur

Michael Weinstein is a seasoned writer and a dedicated expert in work safety, footwear, and popular shoe brands. With years of research and expertise, he's...Read more

Michael Weinstein

Entrepreneur

Michael Weinstein is a seasoned writer and a dedicated expert in work safety, footwear, and popular shoe brands. With years of research and expertise, he's...Read more

Tar is a threat to all shoes. It’s not like someone chooses to get tar on their shoes; in some cases like asphalt works,  it’s simply unavoidable to prevent tar from sticking to asphalt work boots.

However, Removing tar takes a lot of patience, and you’ll need to be well-versed in order to carry out your cleaning strategy. Depending on the type of tar and the type of shoe, you must determine the procedures and tools to employ.

Here, I discussed some effective techniques about how to remove tar from shoes in this article. These discussed techniques are quite easy and familiar. Hopefully, these will help you to get a clean pair of shoes.

Will Rubbing Alcohol Remove Tar?

Of course, as a solvent, rubbing alcohol can remove tar from the bottoms of shoes. It is particularly excellent in removing stains because it dissolves them. So, if you are thinking of how to get tar stains off shoes, It can be your perfect solution. You can use it in two ways:

For Tar, All you have to do is soak a piece of cloth in rubbing alcohol and apply it to the tar on your shoes. After that, allow for a few moments before scrubbing the tar away with a toothbrush.

Again, to remove stains, dab the spot with a cotton ball or paper towel dipped in rubbing alcohol. Continue until the stain has vanished.

How to Remove Tar From Shoes

Here I am describing how to remove tar from both the bottom, Sides, and Top of the Shoes in detail.

2 Easy Methods to Get Tar off from the Bottom of the Shoes

If the tar is stuck to the bottom of the shoes, it can be scraped out in a few minutes with softener, dissolvents and brushes. For removing tar from the bottom of your shoes,

The tools you will need are –

• A picnic knife or a disposable plastic knife – It is for removing the large chunks of tar.
• A Toothbrush – It is for scrubbing the softener and dissolvents in the stains.
• A Softener – If the tar gets strong, it will help to make the tar soft on the shoe surfaces and allow you to remove it without damaging the shoe’s sole. Olive oil, lard, petroleum jelly, eucalyptus oil, mineral oil, vegetable oil, margarine, and peanut butter are all common softeners that most people have on hand.
• A Solvent – It will help you to get rid of black stains caused by tar. Kerosene, WD-40, turpentine, gasoline, and lighter fluid like rubbing alcohol are all common solvents for removing tar.
• Dish Detergent – It helps to clean the rest stains after removing tar.
• Soap and Water – At the end of the process, soap and warm water are required to remove any residual solvents and restore the appearance of your shoe.
• A Clean Cloth – For final cleaning of the shoes.

Alright, now it’s time to know and apply the methods for removing tar from the bottom of your shoes.

1. Freeze the Tar Method

This method is a bit weird but pretty effective for removing tar from the sole. For doing this-

• First, Wrap the shoes in a plastic container or a plastic bag and freeze them for at least four hours.
• Remove the shoes from the bag once the tar is frozen.
• Then, take a plastic knife and scrape the large chunks of tar.
• After removing most of it, use olive oil or any of the softeners with the toothbrush to soften the rest of the stubborn tar.
• Now, you will find black stains. You will have to use the solvent to remove the stains.
• Take some paper towel and dip it in the solvent, suppose rubbing alcohol. Then dab the spot with it several times.
• Continue until the stains vanish.
• Then take a bowl of warm water and add some dish detergent in it. Put the shoes in the water and wash them well.
• After washing well, wipe them with a clean cloth.

That’s a technique by which you can remove tar from the bottom of your shoes.

2. Vinegar-Detergent Solution Method

This method works better with stubborn tar. To use the method, first, take the shoes and test the tar density. Then,

• Take a disposable plastic knife and start scraping the tar off with the plastic knife.
• Between scrapings, wipe the knife. When conducting this first step, keep a paper towel handy because tar can easily transfer from shoe to blade and back.
• Add 1 spoon of detergent and 3 spoons of vinegar with some warm water in a bowl, give it a good swirl to mix well.
• Dip a toothbrush in the vinegar-detergent solution and gently scrub for several times.
• Take a look if any stubborn tar still remains.
• If it remains, then use the WD-40 to get rid of any remaining tar.
• Allow the WD-40 to sit for a few minutes after spraying it on the stained area.
• Scrub the leftover tar with the toothbrush.
• Then take a bowl, add some soap and warm water in it and mix it well.
• Dip a clean cloth in the soapy water and wipe the shoes properly.

You can go through any of these two useful methods for removing tar from your shoes. But, before using WD-40, do a brief test in an inconspicuous location to guarantee it won’t damage anything. Keep an eye out for discoloration.

3 Easy Methods to Get Tar off from the Sides and Top of the Shoes

If the tar has stuck to the sides or tops of the shoes, you’ll need to use a variety of oils, smooth brushes, and the recommended type of ointment solution, which I’ll explain below.

The tools you will need are-

• A Plastic knife or a plastic scraper.
• Paper Towel or Clean Cloth.
• Soft Toothbrush.
• Dishwasher Detergent.
• Leather Cleaner.

Basically, the cleaning of the sides and tops of the shoes varies by It’s type. Here I have discussed 3 methods for three types of shoes.

1. For Leather Shoes

How to remove tar from leather shoes is a very common question. Let’s see how-

• Take a plastic scraper and scrape the large chunk of tar from the shoes with it. But be careful with the leather.
• Then take a cotton ball and add 4-5 drops of tar remover in it.
• Now, smoothly wipe the stain spots on the shoes with it.
• Once you remove the tar completely, use a soft brush to clean it.
• Then take a bowl and some warm water and detergent. Soak a clean cloth and wipe the shoes.
• Then apply 3-4 drops of leather conditioner to restore moisture and gloss to the leather.

2. For Sneakers

Sneakers are usually made of hard clothes. So removing tar from them is a bit easy.

• First, scrape off the possible amount of tar with a plastic scraper.
• Make sure that you scrape off most of the large chunks of tar with it.
• Then take a piece of cotton ball and take a few drops of olive oil or eucalyptus oil in it. You can also use vegetable oil.
• Wipe detected spots of tar stains with it.
• Then wipe the tar and oil with a clean cloth.
• After that, take a spray bottle and add some detergent solution in it. And spray the tar stain areas well.
• Now, Clean the shoes with a soft cloth.
• After that, Place the shoes in a cold, low spin cycle in the washer.

3. For Suede Shoes

Suede shoes are a version of soft leather or velvet. It’s comfortable and easy to handle.

• First, take a scraper to scrape off the tar gently.
• Then, use a suitable brush to remove the remaining tar.
• Then apply a little amount of leather cleaner on the stains of tar.
• Scrubs it until it vanishes completely.
• Then take a clean cloth and wipe the rest cleaner from the shoe surface.
• Then clean the top with a paper towel and allow the shoes to dry.

The following methods will surely be effective in their types.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to the most common questions about how to remove tar from shoes. Let’s check it out.

Does Vinegar Remove Tar?

Answer: Yes, vinegar can remove tar. The solution of vinegar and detergent is very much effective in removing tar and stains.

Does Peanut Butter Remove Tar?

Answer: Slightly yes, peanut butter can soften the tar and make it easy to erase from the shoe surface.

Will Rubbing Alcohol Remove Tar?

Answer: Rubbing alcohol is a pure solvent. It can remove tar and stains effectively.

How Do You Soften Tar?

Answer: Use natural softeners to soften tar. Olive oil, lard, petroleum jelly, eucalyptus oil, mineral oil, vegetable oil, margarine, and peanut butter are all common softeners that most people have on hand.

Does Paint Thinner Remove Tar?

Answer: Paint thinner is a type of solvent. So, it can definitely remove tar. You can use kerosene, WD-40, turpentine, gasoline as tar remover.

Verdict

Cleaning tar stains can be a difficult task until you adopt the proper techniques. Hopefully, you will find all of the methods of how to remove tar from shoes to be useful. However, use caution when scraping tar or using any solvents, as we do not want to hurt ourselves while scrubbing shoes.

Resource: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a21167/heloise-tar-shoes-0707/