How to Clean Leather Shoes: Keep Your Shoes Looking New

Leather is sleek, classy, and sexy, and let’s be honest is just wonderful to wear. The problem with wearing them more often is those classic looking boots or shoes can get dirty and get scuffs and or stains on them. One of the fantastic things about leather boots and shoes is they can last a very long time if you properly care for them. 

That is the sole purpose (get what I did there? Shoes? Sole? Ok moving on) of me creating this article for you. I want this to be your one-stop-shop on caring for your leather shoes. There are so many ways to clean shoes, and I am going to go over all of the most useful methods I could find. So let’s get into how to keep those leather beauties looking fantastic.

Before Starting

I know you want to jump in head first, but there are a couple of things you need to do before you go through any of the cleaning methods I am about to go over. 

Dry Shoes

You want to make the shoes are nice and dry before you begin. 

Brush and Wipe

Take a soft shoe brush, or a clean, dry cloth and wipe the shoes down to ensure you have removed all the dirt and debris that might be on them. 

Remove Laces

If your shoes or boots have laces, this is the best time to remove them. You don’t want to leave them on because some of the cleaning solutions could get trapped under the laces, and for a lot of the methods, you need to ensure you wipe down every surface to remove the cleaning solutions.

The Right Tools

Just like any job, you need a few tools to make your life easier. To be honest, having the proper tools will protect your shoes and they will last longer. It’s worth taking the time to go over a few of the things you will need. I’m only listing out my recommendations and explaining why you need them. If you don’t like the ones I’m recommending, feel free to get what works for you.

Soft Brushes

Large Brush

Dauber Brush

Welt Brush

Cleaning Cloth

Here is a 12 pack of pretty nice microfiber cleaning cloths that I have used in the past that work great.

Brush Kit

Shoe Trees

STOP! Make Sure and Test It!

If you read only one section of my article, I hope its this one. Every piece of leather is different. Every company treats leather in different ways. I want to make sure you understand all the methods below are not going to work for every type and kind of leather shoe and boot. Some will not work; some will be fantastic solutions. It entirely depends on the quality and variety of leather shoes.

I have tested these methods below. I didn’t see any adverse effects on my leather shoes and boots, and the key to that statement is ON MY LEATHER. Not all leather is created equally and not all leather is the same. So please, you don’t want to go to town on your shoes using these methods without testing them. You need to test them first. 

That being said, I want to make sure before you move forward on any of these solutions, you properly test an area that is unseen. If your shoe has a tongue, I recommend testing in that area as it is easily hidden.

Just consider this a word of caution. Just cause it worked for me doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you. Test each method for yourself.

Safest and Easiest Method of Cleaning Leather Shoes

If my last section scared you, I’m sorry that was not my intention. I just want you to get all the facts. If you’re going to play it safe, the best method is just to get a nice shoe cleaning kit and only use the supplies you get with it. I recommend two different kinds and both are very reasonable in price.

If the safe route is what you prefer, then these kits are the way to go. I will go over how to use the tools in these kits throughout the article. I’m not just going to say buy this and leave you stranded.

Methods of Cleaning Leather Shoes

When it comes to cleaning your shoes, here are two good ways to remove everyday dirt and grime.

Saddle Soap

Saddle soap cleans, softens and preserves leather. It is a gentle soap that washes away dirt and grime and even salt stains. It’s a great starting point for general cleaning of your leather shoes. If you do have a problem spot, you will want to treat that area first and then move on to washing your shoes or boots with saddle soap. Follow these simple steps to getting your leather boots clean. 

You’ll Need:

1. Take the lid off of the saddle soap and use it to add about 1/8 inch of hot water in it. You don’t need a lot, just enough to get the brush wet.
2. Take your dauber brush, push it into the water, and get it saturated with water.
3. Then take the brush to the saddle soap and rub the brush on the soap to create a nice lather on the brush. If it doesn’t lather, dip the brush back into the lid of hot water.
4. Once you have a foamy brush, then start to scrub the shoe. For the best result, scrub the shoe in small circles and ensure you get the entire shoe.
5. After you have scrubbed the shoe with the soap, it’s an excellent time to get your welt brush out. Add some soap to the welt brush in the same way as was done with the dauber brush. 
6. Then scrub the welt, which is the part where the leather meets the sole of the shoe. 
7. After the entire shoe has been scrubbed, then take a clean towel and wipe the shoe down. Be sure to wipe all the soap off.
8. Don’t worry if some of the water got into the leather. If your shoes or boots are still wet, you can set them aside to dry.
9. Once done, you can repeat the process with the other shoe.

NOTE: When applying the saddle soap to the leather, you don’t have to be afraid of applying it. Your dauber brush is soft and will not hurt the leather. You can scrub it with a good amount of pressure to make sure you are really removing the dirt and grime.

Mild Soap

If you are in a pinch and don’t have saddle soap, you can use a very mild soap. These steps are going to be very similar to the previous walk-through with saddle soap. 

You’ll Need:

1. Squirt a small amount of mild soap into a dish.
2. Add a little warm water and mix the soap in the dish.
3. Take your brush and get the soapy water into the bristles.
4. Scrub the shoe in small circles and ensure you get the entire shoe.
5. Take your welt brush or toothbrush and get some soap on it to scrub the welt of the shoe, which is the part where the leather meets the sole of the shoe.
6. After the entire shoe has been scrubbed, take your clean towel and wipe the shoe down. Be sure to wipe all the soap off.
7. Don’t worry if some of the water got into the leather. If your shoes or boots are still wet, you can set them aside to dry.
8. Once done, repeat the process with the other shoe.

Removing Salt from Leather Shoes

If you are like me and have to experience snowy weather and walking through parking lots and sidewalks, then you know it’s not easy to avoid getting salt stains on your shoes. When your shoes or boots dry, the water evaporates and leaves white lines and blotches of salt behind. Removing salt is relatively easy to do. Just follow these simple steps.

You’ll Need:

1. Get a small bowl and make a solution of two parts water and one part white vinegar.
2. Use a small clean cloth and dip it in the solution.
3. Clean the salt stains with the cloth ensuring you have removed the salt from the leather.
4. Once the salt has been completely removed, take a second cleaning cloth and dampen it with water.
5. Use the cloth to wipe down the shoe to remove any of the vinegar that may have been left behind.
6. Dry with a towel and allow shoes to air dry

Removing Water Stains from Leather Shoes

Water spots happen when you get stuck in rain and inclement weather. These spots can happen pretty easily if you get a drop of water on the top of your shoe. When that drop dries, it leaves a nice little water spot. You’ll be happy to know that there is an easy fix. 

You’ll Need:

1. Fill a bowl with water and let it sit until it is room temperature.
2. Take a soft sponge and get it wet, then wring it out to be damp. 
3. Rub the entire panel of the shoe with the spot. Don’t just focus on the spot of water; get the entire area.
4. This allows the entire area to dry evenly, not to show a single spot.

Removing Scuffs & Scratches from Leather Shoes

Over time, you can get scuffs or scratches on your leather shoes or boots. This is normal wear and tear. There are a few products you may need to buy to get the best results. You will have to do several steps, depending on how bad your shoes are.

Removing Polish From Leather Shoes

To remove scuff marks, you need to remove the already existing polish on your shoes. This is not hard to do. Get Saphir Renomat which is a great product that removes polish, resin, and silicone build-up on your shoes. 

You’ll Need:

1. Put the Saphir Renomat on a clean cloth.
2. Begin to rub the shoe with the cloth in a circular motion
3. Press in with medium to firm pressure and make sure the solution is penetrating the leather. This does take some effort, and you have to work at it for it to do its job.
4. You will see the old polish and residues will be coming off onto the cleaning cloth.
5. Once the shoe has a dull shine, you are done, which means you have removed the old polish from the shoe.
6. Take another cleaning cloth and dampen it with water.
7.  Wipe the shoe down to remove any of the Saphir Renomat that remains on the shoe.
8. Once done, repeat this process with the other shoe.

Look at the shoe and see if your scuffs or scratches are still present. If they are, move to the next step of removing scuffs and marks. 

Repairing Leather Shoes with Scuffs and Scratches

It’s time to rebuild the surface of the shoe. You will need to apply a cream polish to the shoe that has a pigment in it. Saphir Cream Polish is a high-quality product that I recommend. It has a higher amount of pigment replaces the coloring that the scratches and scuffs may have removed from the shoe. Be sure to select a color that best matches your shoes. It’s a pretty simple process once you have the polish.

You’ll Need:

1. Place a small amount on the scratched area.
2. Use a clean cloth first to rub the Saphir Cream Polish into the scratches and scuffs.
3. Then apply another small amount to the shoe and use a large shoe brush to buff it into the shoe evenly.

Repeat this process if there are still signs of scratches or scuffs.

Removing Ink from Leather Shoes

If you get ink on your shoes, don’t worry, there is an effective way to remove ink stains. This multi-step process is dependent on how long the ink has been sitting on the shoe, as well as the amount of ink. You may need to repeat this process more than once. 

You’ll Need:

1. If you have dress shoes or boots, follow the steps from the “Removing Polish From Leather Shoes” section. Removing the polish from your shoes or boots may get rid of the ink.
2. After removing polish (if any), take a cleaning cloth and dip it in isopropyl alcohol.
3. Rub the affected area in a circular motion.
4. Press with medium to firm pressure.
5. You will see the ink start to come off onto the cloth.
6. Keep dipping the cloth in alcohol while changing the areas of the cloth often as well.
7. Once removed, take a small dish and mix a mild soap in the water. You can use liquid dawn soap or a dove soap bar. Get your cloth or a brush soapy.
8. Clean the area with the soapy brush or cloth to remove anything on the shoe.
9. Dry the shoe with another clean cloth.
10. Once finished, set aside and allow to dry.

NOTE: This is an effective method to remove ink, but before doing this, I would refer you to the beginning of this article explaining you always want to test on an inconspicuous area of the shoe first. 

Clean Leather Shoes

I hope you found one of my methods on how to clean leather shoes helpful. Cleaning leather shoes can take a bit of elbow grease and work, but in the end, it’s worth it. Leather shoes are too beautiful to just throw in the back of the closet. They can last much longer than other types of shoes, and it’s worth the effort to put into cleaning them properly.

There are many ways to treat and clean leather. I don’t want you to think these are the only methods that work. I just tried to compile the best things that worked for me. If you have other ways that have worked well for you, share below in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!