How to Clean Salt Stains off of Your Shoes

It’s almost like a badge of honor: “I survived the Rochester winter”.  But in the process we seem to ruin at least one pair of shoes a year with the ridiculous amount of salt that the campus slathers all over the roads. This article will be a guide to saving those expensive boots you bought over the summer; while totally forgetting about the harsh reality of Rochester’s winter. 

Leather Boots

Always, always, ALWAYS waterproof your boots before winter starts. Water can be detrimental to leather and the easiest way to avoid that is to buy waterproofing product. This will help your shoes avoid damage from both water and salt.  Even after you do this, salt is still going to end up all over your shoes. Here are a few ways to stop it from doing any permanent damage.  

1. Wipe your shoes immediately with a wet paper towel.  This will remove the obvious salt stains, but isn’t 100% effective unless you do this every time you walk outside. 

2. Create a mixture of two parts water and one part vinegar. Soak a clean rag in the solution and wipe your shoes with it.  Then wipe them down with a wet paper towel, and the stains should be gone!

3. If you’re feeling fancy use saddle soap to clean your shoes.  This is a product made especially for leather and conditions as well as cleans! Put some soap on a wet sponge and buff in into the shoes.  Then clean off the shoes and you’re all set.

You’re always going to be able to find a “miracle” product online, but if you follow one of these instructions you should be all fine!

Suede Boots:

We all love our Ugg boots. They are the most comfortable (and warm!) shoes to wear in the winter. However these shoes are also liable to get salt all over them.  Again, before winter starts, WATERPROOF YOUR SHOES. I cannot reiterate this enough. The easiest way to save your shoes from a salty death is to spray them with waterproofer before you even step outside. 

1. Wet mixtures don’t work as well on suede as they do on leather, but in a pinch this will still do. Mix two parts water with one part vinegar, and apply it to the afflicted area.  Then wipe the vinegar off (it can bleach the suede!) with a wet paper towel. Make sure your shoes are completely dry before stepping outside again!

2. Another wet solution involves dish soap. Mix a small amount with water and grab a clean rag.  Blot the salt stains with the rag, don’t scrub! Scrubbing may remove color.  Allow your shoes to dry overnight.

3. With suede, DIY remedies won’t be as effective.  I highly recommend buying a suede cleaner and using that. However these solutions will work in a pinch!

I hope this was helpful to you all! Remember, when in doubt, buy a ticket to California and leave the Rochester winter behind.