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How to Get Rid of a Blue Jean Stain on Patent Leather Shoes

Tiffany Raiford

Almost everyone wears blue jeans from time to time, especially when the weather is cool. Unfortunately, in some instances those blue jeans leave indigo dye on your patent leather shoes. The dye used to make blue jeans is susceptible to running and can easily transfer to your shoes or other surfaces during wear. Anytime you find yourself in a situation where your jeans transfer dye onto your shoes, you can try a few tips to remove the dye from your shoes. Because indigo is an ink, you can use the same method of stain removal for jean transfer as you use for other ink stains.

Blue jean dye is difficult to remove from patent leather.

Step 1

Spray aerosol hairspray onto the stained portion of your shoes. Clean it off immediately with a damp cloth. Depending on the severity of the stain, you may need to do this more than once to remove the indigo dye transfer.

Step 2

Apply toothpaste to the dye stain, and rub it in with a toothbrush or sponge before wiping it off.

Step 3

Dip a cotton swab in nonacetone nail polish remover, and wipe it on the dye stain on your patent leather shoes. Rub vigorously until the stain is removed from the leather.

Step 4

Use leather cleaner and conditioner to remove the stain by rubbing it on and wiping it off with a damp cloth.