
Carolyn asked: I stepped in a water puddle that made a dark mark at the bottom of my white satin shoes. I have to give them to my daughter. How can I remove this water stain from shoes?
Table of Contents:
Water stains can be difficult, if not impossible, to remove from satin shoes, but don’t give up hope. The following method has been met with a great deal of success and should improve the look of your shoes, if not remove the stains altogether.
You Will Need:
- Woolite Extra Delicates Care
- Warm water
- Bowl
- Clean washcloths
- White paper towels
- White vinegar
- Sponge
Steps to Remove the Stain:
- Mix a small amount of Woolite with warm water in the bowl to create a light cleaning solution.
- Use one washcloth to gently blot the stain on the shoes. Without scrubbing, try to work some of the dirt out of the fabric. You can use a fingernail to encourage the dirt to release, but take care not to ruin the satin.
- Next, with a clean portion of the washcloth, blot the entire satin surface of the shoe. Your goal is to get it evenly damp without soaking it.
- Once the shoes have been moistened, stuff each shoe with a clean, dry washcloth to help it maintain its shape.
- Wrap each shoe tightly with white paper towels and allow them to sit until they are dry.
- Finally, to restore shine, mix a bit of white vinegar with warm water. Dip the sponge in the solution and gently rub along the direction of the weave. Allow the shoes to sit for a few more hours until they have dried completely.
Additional Tips and Advice
- If any marks remain on the shoe after cleaning, there is something you can do. Remove the crust from a piece of white bread and ball the bread up. Rub the ball over the stains and you should see an improvement.
- If you are unable to remove the stains or if the shoes are of great monetary or sentimental value, it may be best to call in a professional. Opt for a high end shoe repairman rather than a general dry cleaner for best results.
After reading “How to remove water stains from satin shoes,” I got to work to remove a water stain from my satin evening gown. Working under a fast fan, what I did was put a towel inside the gown so the water didn’t reach the back, then I got a damp sponge with only water in it (no detergent) and sponged the area right out to the seams. I then towel dried the area and let the fan do the rest, occasionally returning to towel dry a bit more – just to be sure! It worked quite well.
Followed instructions on “How to remove water stains from satin shoes”. I tried this on a pair of green satin shoes and it worked. Obviously some of the green dye came out, but the water stain disappeared – brilliant. Many thanks.