Getting dirt off your sneakers is a simple task. However, some things can get in the way of cleaning your shoes as thoroughly as you’d like. If you’ve ever had a stubborn stain on your shoe that wouldn’t come off, it’s easy to see why. 

In this blog post, we’ll show you the best way to get those stubborn stains off your shoes as well as teach you how to avoid getting tar on your shoes in the first place.

We all know how annoying it is when your sneakers or sneakers get dirty. It’s almost impossible to get all the mud out from the bottom of your shoes, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with it.

Here we’ll show you exactly how to get tar off your shoes as quickly as possible.

How to Remove Tar From Shoes?

I know you’ve all heard this advice before, but it bears repeating: never use WD-40 on a shoe.

I tried the WD-40 trick for the first time after being told by an elderly gentleman to “get that stuff off of there”, and it didn’t work. Instead, it made the shoes smell even worse, and I still have to do some scrubbing to get rid of the stink.

For some reason, WD-40 is especially bad for shoes, and I don’t know why (other than the fact that they’re full of tiny holes), but it just won’t work.

How to Remove Tar From Shoes

Here’s another way to fix that sticky mess:

Sand the Surface of The Sole of Your Shoe:

The first stage is sanding off the surface of the sole of your shoe. This will give your sandpaper something to grip on and make it easier to sand without sliding. Before starting this process, you will have to make sure that your sandpaper is new and not too worn.

You can always go for a less abrasive grade of paper if it is becoming too worn, but you will have to go through the process of sanding down more of your shoes. Start by placing a piece of sandpaper on top of the sole of your shoe and then, holding onto the edges of the shoe with one hand and the edge of the sandpaper with the other, carefully sand away the entire sole of the shoe. Repeat this step until all the rubber has been removed.

Remove the Rubber from the Top of the Sole of your Shoe:

The first stage is sanding off the surface of the sole of your shoe. This will give your sandpaper something to grip on and make it easier to sand without sliding.

Before starting this process, you will have to make sure that your sandpaper is new and not too worn. You can always go for a less abrasive grade of paper if it is becoming too worn, but you will have to go through the process of sanding down more of your shoes.

Start by placing a piece of sandpaper on top of the sole of your shoe and then, holding onto the edges of the shoe with one hand and the edge of the sandpaper with the other, carefully sand away the entire sole of the shoe. Repeat this step until all the rubber has been removed.

Remove the Rubber from the Bottom of the Sole of your Shoe:

I hope this is clear, but I’ll still say it again: make sure that you remove only as much rubber as you need to. You are not trying to completely remove the rubber on your shoe. If you sand away more than you need to, you may end up ruining your shoe by removing all the leather. If this does happen, I suggest buffing the shoe back together with your leather glove.

Sand the Rubber from the Top of the Shoe:

This is a pretty easy step because it is the same as sanding the sole of your shoe. You just need to use a soft scrubby brush to remove any remaining rubber from the top of your shoe. If you are having trouble getting any rubber off, use your steel wool again to make sure that you get all of it.

Sand the Rubber from the Bottom of the Shoe:

Again, it is pretty simple. You will be using a soft scrubber to remove any remaining rubber from the bottom of your shoe. Start at the back and work your way forward. Be careful to avoid your cloth, because you don’t want to get any dirt or grime on your new cloth.

Buff the Whole Thing with an Old Leather glove:

Buff away the dirt and grime that is on your finished product. This can be a very time-consuming process. If you find that the glove has started to wear out, it might be time to buy a new one.

Clean up the Dirt and Grime that is on your Shoe:

This is an easy step if you have a little elbow grease. Just take your scrubby brush and start working around your shoe. When you get to the areas where there is no rubber anymore, use the steel wool and sandpaper to remove any remaining grime and dirt.

Materials You Will Need:

You will need the following items to remove tar from your shoes.

  1. A soft scrubby brush (you could also use a clean, wet rag, but it is important to use a soft scrubber)
  2. Fine grade steel wool
  3. Clean, white cloth
  4. A container for your finished product

Wrapping It All Up!!!

How to get tar off shoes is not a simple task. The only way to solve this problem is by using effective shoe polish. This will not only clean your shoes but will also protect them against extreme weather conditions.

If you are looking for a shoe polish that will help you remove tar then it is time to take the right steps. You can always check out the reviews from other customers. Once you have chosen a shoe polish, you must use it according to the instructions provided.

Jiskcosn
I'm Jiskcosn author of ShoeSelector.com. You can find me on the Internet, sharing information about Shoes & Boots that will help you make decisions about your footwear needs. I love writing about my favorite shoes! Ever since I was little, I've been obsessed with shoes. It's not unusual for me to have more than 100 pairs in my closet at any given time. My girlfriend always teases me about it, but she secretly loves when I buy her new heels! I've been running ShoeSelector since 2020. My goal is to provide you with all of the necessary knowledge needed before making your purchase decision and provide all this information in one place for those who are looking for it! I run this website with my team of like-minded individuals who share my passion for footwear. It's really important that we provide our readers with unbiased reviews and a Detailed Buying Guide so when you read something on this site it's always coming from someone who has actually worn them out there in the real world. You are more than welcome if you wish to connect and share your ideas. I am ready to help you with any questions about shoes that you may have, just leave me a comment.