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Erasing Shoe Polish Stains on Silk Crepe de Chine: A Stress-Free Guide

Polishing your shoes is a must, but when the shoe polish transfers onto your clothing, it might cause a bit of panic. Don't worry, though! With a few simple at-home steps and a bit of patience, you can erase those shoe polish stains from your silk crepe de chine in no time.

Updated 23 Jun 2023

By Mateuzs Kowalski

Step One: Act Quickly

The faster you act on the stain, the easier it is to remove. If possible, blot the stain with a wet cloth as soon as you can to reduce the amount of time shoe polish has to set into the fabric.

Step Two: Clean the Stain

Create a cleaning solution using lukewarm water, a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent, and two tablespoons of white vinegar. Apply this solution directly onto the affected area and rub it in gently with your fingers. Once you’ve done that, rinse the fabric again with lukewarm water and then blot the excess water.

Step Three: Removing Stubborn Residue

Sometimes, after rinsing off cleaning solution, you may notice a bit of residue still remains. Create a paste of 1 tablespoon of borax dissolved in 1 cup of warm water. Rub this paste onto the affected area with a damp cloth and work it into the fabric. After a few minutes, rinse area off with lukewarm water and let the garment air dry or machine dry it on the lowest setting. Repeat the process if necessary.

Step Four: Disguising Stain

If any traces of the shoe polish stain is still present, you can hide it with a bit of tissue paper. Cut a 4x4 inch square of thin white tissue paper and place it over the stain. Press the sides of the tissue paper onto the fabric with a warm iron. This should help camouflage the stain until you're able to get your silk crepe de chine professionally cleaned.

Conclusion

Shoe polish stains on silk crepe de chine don’t need to be daunting. By following these four easy steps, you can erase those pesky shoe polish stains and restore your clothing to its original condition!

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