How to clean glue off my blue suede shoes

April 2, 2006 10:01 PM

How can I clean glue residue off my polyester shoes without wrecking them? Difficulty: theres also suede leather on the sheos.

The glue residue is from under the leather stripes on my asics. i undid the stitches and took the stripes off and there was glue-ish stuff holding them on also. I guess putting shoes in the washing machine isnt good for them, or at least not suede leather. I tried wetting them and scraping the glue off with my fingernail and that works a little, but it would take hours. I tried a little soapy water and it didnt seem to make much difference. Anyone know the magic formula to dissolve glue from polyester? Got any links to any 'how to clean anything sites?

posted by GleepGlop to home & garden (7 comments total)

Zippo fluid should be able to take care of that for you.

Safe for polyester, and I've used it on nubuck (unpolished leather) without staining.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 10:04 PM on April 2, 2006

shit, picked the wrong thread - but zippo fluid (naptha) is great for mildly dissolving glues and goops
posted by PurplePorpoise at 10:04 PM on April 2, 2006

I think it depends enormously on the kind of glue. Any idea what it is? It also depends on the actual cloth you're trying to remove it from. Are you sure it's polyester?

For instance, acetone (fingernail polish remover) is a great solvent, but it will also dissolve some kinds of rayon.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 11:42 PM on April 2, 2006

Carbon tetrachloride (or similar) would probably work. But yeah, depends on the glue.
posted by ed\26h at 5:14 AM on April 3, 2006

Yuck. Carbon tet is nasty stuff, and tough to obtain besides. Try to stay away from halogenated solvents. I agree with Herr Den Beste that acetone may be worth trying, but I have no idea whether polyester could stand it. (This site claims that spot tests with a polyester felt indicated no problem on exposure to acetone). Some glues dissolve in ethanol, too. And toluene (paint thinner) is another good general solvent. It may eat polyester, though. And I have no idea how to predict what might affect suede.
posted by solotoro at 7:06 AM on April 3, 2006

Its polyester for sure, I dont know what kind of glue it is, but it -is- removable from just wetting and scraping it (its only a thin layer), its just that to get it all off would take me all day... I'll try some rubbing alcohol perhaps...
posted by GleepGlop at 8:56 AM on April 3, 2006

Yup, rubbing alcohol helped dissolve it so I could scrape it off more easily
posted by GleepGlop at 9:56 PM on April 3, 2006