How to Remove Olive Oil Stains From Leather Boots

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We've all had it happen. You go to a party or some other event, and someone spills salad dressing or olive oil on your brand-new leather boots, ruining your day. You're sure your boots are headed to the trash can, but they don't have to be. With a few simple steps and some quick thinking, your boots may still be saved.

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Things You'll Need

  • Clean, dry cloths

  • Powder, such as cornstarch, baby powder, foot powder or talcum powder

  • Small brush

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Step 1

Assess the damage. Check your boots to make sure there's only one stain. Liquids like olive oil can splatter, and you don't want to go through the process of removing one stain only to find out you missed another one later.

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Step 2

Take a clean, dry cloth, and blot it against the stain if the oil is fresh. Be sure to blot your oil-soaked boot with a new, dry portion of the cloth each time. Do not place a section of oil-soaked cloth against an oil stain. Putting more oil on an oil stain will not remove it.

Step 3

Dust the oily area with some form of powder after you've blotted away as much of the oil as you can.

Step 4

Leave the powder to sit on the boot for about an hour.

Step 5

If you have smooth leather boots, take the second dry cloth and wipe the powder off. If your boots are suede, you may want to use a small brush, like a toothbrush or shoe brush, to remove the powder from your boot.

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Step 6

Visit a local shoe repair shop if you find a slight stain remains. Such shops normally carry a variety of cleaners that will remove light stains.

Tip

After you brushed the powder away on suede boots, you may want to take a clean brush and use it to realign the fine hairs of the suede.

Warning

After sitting for an hour, the powder on your boot may be slightly moist from soaking up the olive oil or salad dressing. It may also have taken on a faint yellowish tinge. These effects are common.

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