I have put some dubbin on some shoes that shouldn't have had it on as they are smart shoes. Now they look a little white and crumbly to the touch. What can I use to remove this dubbin that won't harm the leather underneath.
Thanks
elbow grease?
Have tried that time and time again with a damp Microfibre cloth. They look fine and then next time I come to put them on they look white and bitty again. I think there is a residue of dubbin on them still.
Ben Short wibbled on Monday 29 March 2010 22:06
Perhaps go over them with a cloth soaked in liquid Nikwax (not the solid version). That has some solvents in it that might shift the dubbing safely. If most of the Nikwax is wiped off, it will take a shoe polish quite happily afterwards.
Other option might be white spirit. Probably shift the dubbin by might be more detremental to the finish.
For next time, you are probably better of with solid Nikwax rather than dubbin. Serves a similar purpose but it's rather more manageable.
Gently steam and wipe frequently. When no more dubbin comes off deep polish with a quality wax boot polish
What do you have handy in the way of solvents? I'd use cyclohexane and rags, you might be reduced to using white spirit. If the leather has a smooth surface, I'd also rub them with fuller's earth as a grease absorber.
Don't use water (unless the leather is already as dark as it's going to go). Won't achieve much anyway.
Don't use petrol, you'll never get the smell out.
Personally I don't ever use dubbin, but prefer the waxes like Nikwax.
Yiou can rip grease out of leather with any good fast evaporating solvent. Petrol eventually loses its smell, but lighter fluid is a better one. Or any of the weird stuff like acetone, or MEK etc etc. But those will tend to attack any plastics.
You will need to put the grease back in afterwards, with boot polish: that can be dissolved in the same solvent and applied wet and sticky to get good penetration.
Thanks everyone as always very helpful.
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