How to remove scratches from leather shoes at home?

Even if you wear your favorite leather shoes, shoes or boots carefully, they can suffer due to the poor condition of sidewalks, roads, clumsy fellow travelers on public transport or your own carelessness. Also, the appearance of cracks depends on the original quality of the material and proper storage. There are several tips on how to remove scratches on shoes to save nerves, money and time looking for a new pair.

Where do scratches come from and what to do before removing them?

They usually appear at the most inopportune moment. The causes are varied:

• A manufacturing defect caused by the manufacturer;
• Contact with various sharp objects when riding in vehicles or walking;
• Exposure to natural phenomena such as snow, rain, hail, etc.
• Poor quality of roads.

Once you see a scratch, you first need to assess the extent of its damage. This is very easy to do: you need to run your hand along it first in one direction and then in the other. If the roughness is felt only in one direction, this means that the leather of the shoe is damaged and the scratch is deeper. If roughness is felt in two directions at once, then in this case only the paint is scratched, which means the damage is not so significant.

Before you start removing scratches, you need to remove large protruding pieces of fabric using nail scissors or tweezers and carefully trim the surface. There is no need to throw them away.

Next, the shoes need to be thoroughly cleaned with a clean cloth, using alcohol or specialized cleaning agents.

Impact with improvised means

Olive oil

Many oils can perfectly mask defects, and some can help heal a scratch. Olive oil does this job perfectly. To do this, follow these steps:

• Soak a cotton swab in olive oil and rub it into the damaged area in a circular motion.
• Then leave the shoes for 1 hour so that the oil is well absorbed and dry. After this time, wipe off excess oil with a dry cloth.

ADVICE! If damage still remains, we recommend using more oil. You need to leave your shoes for a longer period of time to soak in.

We use an iron

The essence of the method is that natural oils and dyes evaporate from the skin under the influence of heat. After such treatment, there is a high probability that the damage will heal on its own. Moisture and the high temperature of the iron sole will help correct the appearance while maintaining the quality of the shoes.

• Place a damp cloth on the damaged area.
• Roll the heated iron over the napkin for 10–15 seconds.
• Then replace the wet wipe and repeat the heat treatment process again.
• After this, treat the shoes with protective cream and leave for 12 hours to soak. Now the scratches and small cracks from the shoes have completely disappeared!

On leather shoes

Many people prefer shoes made of high-quality real leather. This is easily explained, since leather shoes are suitable both for everyday wear and as an evening option for going out to a fashionable restaurant, corporate party, etc.

How can you remove scratches?

There are different methods.

"Emergency" methods.

Use only if the damage is minor and needs to be repaired quickly. For this purpose you can use:

• Marker. You just need to match it to the color of your shoes and paint over the scratch.
• Shoe polish. You need to carefully apply it with a special brush to the damaged area. It is ideal for minor, small scratches, covering them up and making them invisible.
• Superglue "Moment". To apply it, you need to use the following scheme: take a toothpick, apply a little varnish to it on the torn piece of the product and on the base underneath it. Wrap a piece of fabric around your finger and press the torn piece into its rightful place and the skin should stick well.
• Women's nail polish. Both colorless and black varnish are suitable. The principle of application is the same as in the case of glue.

How to get rid of small scratches

Leather shoes often develop small cracks that look like stripes. But upon closer inspection, you can see that these are defects. They must be eliminated, as they may subsequently increase.

Removing scratches with acetone

For this method you will need a bandage, cotton wool, rubber gloves and acetone.

IMPORTANT! Test the material of your shoes to know how it reacts to acetone. To reduce the aggressive effects of the solution, use it to a minimum.

The procedure for eliminating minor defects is as follows.

• Put on gloves and wrap a small amount of cotton wool in a bandage.
• Then soak the cotton wool in a small amount of acetone. Squeeze to remove excess substance.
• Next, you should move the swab over small cracks. It's better to do this in a circular motion.
• When the defect disappears, wash the boots with soapy water and wipe dry. Now there are no more scratches on them!

If the leather is patent

To remove the damage we need:

• cotton rag;
• knife;
• wax candle;
• hairdryer

Shoe processing

Follow our instructions to remove scratches.

• Using a knife, scrape a small amount of wax from the candle.
• Then place the boot with the damaged areas facing up.
• Apply a small amount of wax shavings to cracks and minor defects.
• Next, you need to heat the wax with a hairdryer. When it starts to melt, take a cotton rag and start rubbing the wax onto your shoes.
• After this, you should warm up the boot again with a hairdryer and polish it well with a cloth. All small scratches will be filled with wax and will not be visible at all.

On shoes made of artificial leather

Shoes made of leatherette, like genuine leather, require careful care.

The best method for faux leather shoes is using decoupage glue - Mod Podge. It combines the properties of glue, sealant and varnish.

Materials:

• special paint for shoes of a suitable color;
• Mod Podge glue;
• the smallest brush for painting;

Mode of application:

• Having previously cleaned the shoes from dirt and removed all excess material, you need to carefully distribute the shoe paint in the right place.
• Let it dry thoroughly and apply another coat if necessary.
• Using a brush, apply a thin layer of glue to the entire painted area and smooth it gently.

This method does not eliminate scratches, but it does help disguise them.

How to remove medium and deep scratches

If the cracks are deeper, you should proceed differently.

Nail polish

Medium-sized skin lesions can be removed with nail polish. But just don't apply it to the entire area . We recommend that you take a regular brush and slowly cover up all skin damage. After this procedure, the scratches will become less noticeable. Plus, the crack will not spread further.

Repairing a large crack with superglue

The proposed option will help remove deep scratches. This method is considered very reliable

. After such repairs, your shoes will be able to serve you for a long time.

• Open the crack in the leather shoe with your hands and dry the area thoroughly with a hairdryer.
• Next, apply a small amount and straighten the boot back so that the crack closes. At this time, immediately remove any superglue that has leaked out with a damp cloth.
• Finish with shoe polish. It must be applied and left for 12 hours to absorb.

How to care for your shoes to prevent scratches

• During use, shoes should be wiped clean from dust daily and treated with a protective water-repellent cream.
• If leather shoes are put away for storage, they should be thoroughly dried and treated with a special impregnation.
• It is advisable to wipe the products after each walk, as moisture, salt and dirt have a detrimental effect on the skin.
• While walking under the scorching sun, shoes can become very hot and crack. To prevent this from happening, before going out you need to put 3 drops of glycerin on a cloth and rub it on your shoes.

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Preparatory stage

Before you get rid of scratches, you need to prepare your shoes for the process. To do this, thoroughly clean your boots or shoes from dirt and dust. To do this, dampen a cloth in a light, warm soapy solution and wipe the surface. Then go over the material with a damp cloth to remove any remaining soap.

Finally, wipe the products with a dry cloth and leave to dry in a ventilated place away from sunlight, batteries and electrical appliances. To make the inside of your shoes dry faster, you can fill your shoes or boots with newspaper and replace the paper with dry paper as it gets wet.

Inspect dry and clean shoes. Carefully trim any protruding pieces of skin that do not fit back with nail clippers or scissors. After these steps, you can begin the process of eliminating defects.

Care tips for maintaining perfect whites

It is worth following a number of recommendations to ensure that your shoes remain as impressively snow-white:

1. Do not store white sneakers in a place exposed to direct sunlight. They will quickly turn yellow.
2. They should also not be stored in a place where shoes may become covered in dust. The white color will take on a difficult to remove grayish tint.
3. For storage, place clean (only clean) shoes in a bag made of breathable material and put them in a cool and dark place.
4. When washing, you can regularly use a light optical brightener.

Before using any homemade recipe, it is worth testing it on an inconspicuous piece of white leather or fabric. In the future, if you have already proven products, caring for white shoes will no longer cause any particular difficulties.

Removing Scuffs

Olive oil can cope with simpler damage. If there are many abrasions and they are significant, it is necessary to treat the shoes in these areas with a mild abrasive. Then the surface is degreased. When the skin is dry, apply the prepared mixture of wax and paint. This method allows you to hide abrasions of varying depths.

If necessary, the wax and paint mixture is applied several times. Each layer must be polished first with a brush, then with a rag. This method will preserve the attractiveness of your shoes for a long time. However, with prolonged use, it may be necessary to repeat the procedure to restore the surface of the skin.

Second method: glue

It is a little more difficult to remove a defect with glue than with a water-soluble polymer. The “glue” method is ideal for a small flaw.

Apply rubber glue made from natural rubber or a special glue designed for repairing such products to the scratch. Moment glue, BF-2, is also suitable. Cover everything on top with a coloring cream of a suitable color for camouflage.

You cannot use glue that contains acetone as a restoration agent! Such material does not tolerate it, so the item is easily damaged.

Liquid skin

Water-soluble polymers are also among the most effective means in combating even severe damage to leather products. We are talking about both minor defects and deep scratches. It is distributed by large retail chains, shoe stores and outerwear stores. Liquid leather comes in sets made up of liquid polymers in different colors. Before use, they are mixed together to obtain the desired shade.

Method four: wax

Serious damage to regular and varnished surfaces can be removed with special wax or ordinary beeswax. Paraffin from a candle is also suitable.

You need to heat the wax and carefully apply it to the damage, then wipe the area with flannel. If the material is colored, then painting with a regular felt-tip pen or shoe polish, ideally matched to the color, will help make the restoration site invisible.

The processing of patent leather shoes is carried out according to a similar scheme. Once the imperfections have been eliminated, you can apply a care product for the lacquered pair. Then polishing is done with a flannel cloth or velvet cloth.