[epl0517]

I used Saphir leather soap (not the harsher saddle soap) to remove grease from a pair of dress shoes accidentally treated several times with the dubbin product of the same brand. Scrubbing with soap made to a good lather was only recommendation I could find for removing grease that had set into a shoe in such a way. The treatment worked, I think, but now large amounts of soap residue remain on the surface of the shoe. Abundant washing with water as well as several treatments with Saphir Reno'Mat have had only minimal effects, though the latter did generate some lather on the first attempt, indicating that perhaps some soap had been removed.

At this point, I am at a loss. I can find no reference for effectively removing the soap residue from the surface of the leather.

I would greatly appreciate any help.

Also, if I did something wrong using the soap to get myself into this predicament, I would appreciate advice.

 

[Langham]

Saddle soap would have been better. I use it on my riding boots to remove horse sweat, which it does very well - I don't find it 'harsh' at all, although there are various makes. Mine is Propert's.

 

[epl0517]

Thanks, but what I really need now is help getting out the residue already on my shoes.

 

[Bamaboots]

Thanks, but what I really need now is help getting out the residue already on my shoes.

Try a little warm water white vinegar mixture. 3-1 respectively. If it happens again try a mild dish soap in warm water, I use Ivory. Leaves little residue and after a clean rinse, nothing. Also, you can treat a grease stain with corn starch or talcum powder. Coat the stain with it, let it sit and brush away.

 

[epl0517]

The diluted vinegar had no effect.

Is there anything else I can try?

Is is possible that the white coloration represents damage to the original material, and not residual cleaning material?

 

[momsdoc]

This won't answer your question, but will help my curiosity. How do you "accidentally" treat the shoes several
times with the dubbin product?

Since it seems you have nothing to lose, if this indeed a soluble soap residue, try something dramatic. Fill a large bucket with distilled water (available at supermarkets in 5 gallon jugs), and let them sit submerged for 24 hours. Then let them drip dry for about an hour. Follow this by firmly stuffing them with newspaper until they are damp, not dry. Then insert shoe trees and put them away for a couple of days until throughly dry. If that does not remove the residue, then I think you have a problem with deep loss of dye, or a water insoluble solute. You might then attempt stripping them with acetone, followed by a good conditioning with Renovatour. Follow this with a re-dying of the color dye of your choice. Recondition, and finish with the appropriately colored wax or cream (or both) depending on your preferences for shininess.

If by then they are not back to an acceptable condition, use them for mowing the lawn, washing the car, etc.

 

[wmm2]

How sure are you that it's a residue from the soap and not a water stain? Depending on how hard the water is that you used before, it can leave a mark just like a salt stain. Without a picture of the affected area, we're all just guessing here.

If you are fairly sure that it's soap residue, have you considered a hair of the dog treatment? Clean them again with the same soap that you think has left the residue. The new, wet soap should dissolve any existing residue from the prior treatment. Before the soap has a chance to dry, flush the outside with clean water to remove the new soap along with the dissolved old soap. Let them dry and see if the mark is gone.

I'd try one last gentle method before resorting to momsdoc's nuclear option. As he pointed out, it's what you do if you have nothing to lose. Any time I've submerged the leather for an extended period, when it dried, it was stiffer, and never the same.

 

[epl0517]

The water in my area is very hard. How would I test the hypothesis that the stains are from hard minerals in the water, and how could I remove them?

 

[wmm2]

The water in my area is very hard. How would I test the hypothesis that the stains are from hard minerals in the water, and how could I remove them?

I think you've already done that. The vinegar should soften or dissolve the minerals ("lime") that cause hard water and leave white marks. If the vinegar didn't reduce the white mark, then it probably isn't from either salt from snow, or hard water. You could use vinegar again that is not as diluted and see if it has any affect; but only if it helped a little bit before. But the stronger the solution of anything that you use, the more danger of damaging the leather. That's why momsdoc suggested what he did as a last resort.

My past experience with getting leather soaking wet for a long time is that it pulls some oils out leaving the leather stiff. I think it can also remove some of the dyes, based on what the water looked like after I soaked the leather.

If you just got the treatment on the outside of the shoe, I would try to avoid getting the inside of the shoe soaking wet; at least until you're at the point of nothing left to lose.

By the way, what color are these shoes, and how good are they?

 

[epl0517]

The shoes are black calf from C&J.

I have tried progressively stronger vinegar solutions, without success. I have also tried replacing tap water with purified water as a diluting agent, but I observed no change.

While the surface is wet, the color is black, but the white always returns when the water dries.

Is it possible that the combination of the soap and Reno'Mat caused some interaction which has created this odd situation?

 

[momsdoc]

Oh my that's not residue. You've removed the dye, and the oils. Looks like you've already done your own nuclear option. I think your only option now is to dye them and give them as much Renovator as they will suck up, before cream and wax. Just be gratefull they're black, so the job will be easier. From the looks of the edges, I bet you've dried out the soles also, time for leather honey.

Personally with shoes of C&J prices, I'd send them back for a full recrafting, or off to B.Nelson. DYI has not been good to you. Time to bring in the Pros.

 

[momsdoc]

It's too late now but, why, oh why, did you put dubbin on a fine pair of calf C&Js?

That picture is too painful to view, I think I'm going to be sick.

You do realize that in Northampton, that kind of treatment of shoes is punishable by up to 5 years in prison?

 

[wmm2]

Oh my that's not residue. You've removed the dye, and the oils. Looks like you've already done your own nuclear option. I think your only option now is to dye them and give them as much Renovator as they will suck up, before cream and wax. Just be gratefull they're black, so the job will be easier. From the looks of the edges, I bet you've dried out the soles also, time for leather honey.

Personally with shoes of C&J prices, I'd send them back for a full recrafting, or off to B.Nelson. DYI has not been good to you. Time to bring in the Pros.

I don't want to put words in Momsdoc's mouth, but I would reiterate to have an experienced professional dye them. The amount of coloring that has been removed isn't going to be restored by the average home use products. Also, prepare yourself for the possibility that after dyeing and conditioning as suggested, they may be so dry that they still might crack when you wear them. Momsdoc's advice on your next steps should minimize that possibility, but it might still happen. Those are nice shoes and deserve a chance to be restored.

Use this as a lesson that we sometimes hurt our shoes more by trying to improve them than we do by neglect. If you haven't read Shaver's post about not using any product on shoes, here is the link. His pictures make a good case for greatly reducing the amount of products we use on our shoes.

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?190599-The-Calfnkip-Project-(or-Polish-Off)

 

[epl0517]

I believe that it is wisest to consider this pair ruined and to discard them, but at this point the question I am trying to ask is, given that the prevailing wisdom offered by the previously mentioned pros is that added grease cannot be removed from shoes once applied, is any safe remedy available in such situations?

 

[wmm2]

I believe that it is wisest to consider this pair ruined and to discard them, but at this point the question I am trying to ask is, given that the prevailing wisdom offered by the previously mentioned pros is that added grease cannot be removed from shoes once applied, is any safe remedy available in such situations?

I think those shoes have too much potential to throw away without at least investigating the cost of having them re-dyed. As long as the leather hasn't gotten "crunchy", dyeing them may restore most of their former glory. They'll probably still be a lot stiffer than they were.

I don't know which products you used, or what the culprit might be, but I suspect the leather soap. In the past I've used "saddle soap" to clean shoes. A small amount might remove the excess conditioner, but too much starts removing dye. If you want to gain experience to avoid damaging expensive shoes again,

I'd suggest buying some shoes from thrift stores to practice on. It doesn't matter much if they fit you, or if they have nicks or cuts. See if you can find some very cheap ones that are real leather and practice on them. That will give you a feel for what effect each product will have on leather. Plus you can test what you can do yourself with polishes etc. to repair any minor damage that you cause. $20 would probably buy a couple of pairs of brown and black shoes to see how the different colors behave .

 

[Fred G. Unn]

Scrubbing with soap

^^^ I think this was the problem. I don't think I've ever scrubbed a pair of shoes with soap, and whatever you did was way too abrasive. You could send them to be professionally re-dyed as others suggested, but I'd give it a try yourself first. If it doesn't work, you are only out a few cents in polish, and if it does work you've saved the cost of the dye job. I would brush, condition the leather, let dry, brush again, and then apply some black cream polish (maybe Saphir if you have it), let dry, brush, and repeat as needed. If that evens out the color, then I'd use a wax at the end. If it doesn't work, then have a pro re-dye 'em.

 

[Langham]

I believe that it is wisest to consider this pair ruined and to discard them...

The shoes do have a quite forlorn look. You must have worked at them quite hard, but I suspect it would be possible to revive them with the investment of a similar degree of effort.

 

[CLTesquire]

In a weird twist of fate, at this point that leather is so dry it may actually need some Dubbin.

 

[epl0517]

I don't know which products you used, or what the culprit might be, but I suspect the leather soap. In the past I've used "saddle soap" to clean shoes. A small amount might remove the excess conditioner, but too much starts removing dye.

^^^ I think this was the problem. I don't think I've ever scrubbed a pair of shoes with soap, and whatever you did was way too abrasive.

So for edification, scrubbing to a lather and using non-saddle soap from Saphir were both errors?

It might be useful for someone to name products and describe techniques that would have been better suited to the particular problem.