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How to Remove Shoe Polish From Skin

Amanda Flanigan

Shoe polish cleans and fills in small scratches on footwear, making the shoes look their best. Since shoe polish is a bonding agent, it can stain the skin that it comes in contact with. Removing shoe polish from your hands or other areas of your body can be quite difficult.

Shoe polish can restore the look of your footwear but it can also stain skin.

Fortunately, there are a few home remedies for removing shoe polish from your skin. However, some shoe polish stains cannot be removed and will wear off the skin over time.

  1. Wash the skin with grease-cutting dishwashing liquid. Scrub the dishwashing liquid into the skin using a cloth. Rinse the skin with warm water.

  2. Rub the stained skin with facial cold cream. Allow the cold cream to sit on the skin for 15 minutes. Rub the cream into the skin in a circular motion. Rinse the cream off with warm water and pat dry.

  3. Apply vinegar to the skin and gently rub with a soft cloth. Continue until the shoe polish stain is gone.

  4. Wash the skin in automotive soap. Automotive soap is popular with mechanics who get oil and grease on their skin on a daily basis.

  5. Saturate a soft cloth in rubbing alcohol. Rub the skin gently with the cloth. Reapply rubbing alcohol is needed. Continue rubbing until the shoe polish stain is gone.

  6. Tip

    Use gloves when shining shoes to prevent shoe polish stains on your hands.

The Drip Cap

  • Shoe polish cleans and fills in small scratches on footwear, making the shoes look their best.
  • Fortunately, there are a few home remedies for removing shoe polish from your skin.
  • Scrub the dishwashing liquid into the skin using a cloth.
  • Apply vinegar to the skin and gently rub with a soft cloth.
  • Continue rubbing until the shoe polish stain is gone.