# How do I get the salt off of my shoes?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 12, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764 "2007-12-12T18:11:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2007, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/1 "2007-12-12T18:11:24Z")
Egads, my work shoes look disgusting. Ever since the ice storm of a few days ago, they’ve had streaky salt marks on them. I’ve tried a damp cloth, polish, and saddle soap. But like Christmas fruitcakes that I regift, they keep coming back.
Dear Heloise,
Am I basically fucked?
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### Author:  [@Aguecheek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aguecheek)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/2 "2007-12-12T19:30:18Z")
In high school when I had suede shoes that got salted all the time, I used warm water mixed with (white) vinegar. Worked like a charm.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/3 "2007-12-12T19:39:02Z")
Did you go around smelling like a salad all the time?
What ratio did you use?
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### Author:  [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2007, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/4 "2007-12-12T19:41:47Z")
Soak the shoes in gasoline and set them on fire. Once the fire burns itself out, the salt marks will be nothing but a memory.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/5 "2007-12-12T19:45:30Z")
[QUOTE=Winston Smith]
Soak the shoes in gasoline and set them on fire. Once the fire burns itself out, the salt marks will be nothing but a memory.
[/QUOTE]
Hmm.
The problem with that solution is that I will be out some gasoline.
And the salt marks will **still** be there.
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### Author:  [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2007, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/6 "2007-12-12T22:59:02Z")
I second the white vinegar idea. I used it straight out of the bottle, poured onto a sponge. I didn’t notice if I smelled like salad (or a douche bag). If others did, they were kind enough not to mention it to my face.
I believe there are commercial shoe products for salt-stain removal, too. They pobably cost a whole lot more than a jug of white vinegar.
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### Author:  [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2007, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/7 "2007-12-13T04:37:36Z")
Salty shoes?? No wonder you people take them off indoors !!
😛
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### Author:  [@Aguecheek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aguecheek)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2007, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/8 "2007-12-13T15:48:21Z")
[QUOTE=tdn]
Did you go around smelling like a salad all the time?
What ratio did you use?
[/QUOTE]
Never smelt like a salad. More like a fish and chips platter…
To be honest, it’s been so long since I had those shoes, I can’t recall the ratio. Definitely more water; usually there was a faint vinegary smell to the concoction, but nothing offensive. 1:3? I’d start there and work my way up. Don’t worry if you get it wrong the first time. I remember complaining to my mom that her wonderful idea didn’t work at all when I first tried it.
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### Author:  [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2007, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/9 "2007-12-13T15:54:38Z")
1 tablespoon vinegar + water to make a cup.
Use a rag instead of a sponge, so you can keep shifting to a new area of the rag as you go.
BTW, I just this last night. It works.
Oh, and the salty water/vinegared water might leave your leather a bit stiff when they’ve dried. Either polish the shoes or saddlesoap them, or at least rub them with a bit of vaseline.
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### Author:  [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/10 "2007-12-13T17:08:36Z")
[QUOTE=freckafree]
I second the white vinegar idea. I used it straight out of the bottle, poured onto a sponge. I didn’t notice if I smelled like salad (or a douche bag). If others did, they were kind enough not to mention it to my face.
I believe there are commercial shoe products for salt-stain removal, too. They pobably cost a whole lot more than a jug of white vinegar.
[/QUOTE]
And when you use them, they smell an amazingly lot like white vinegar.
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### Author:  [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-get-the-salt-off-of-my-shoes/429764/11 "2007-12-13T17:54:37Z")
I was going to try this last night, but a couple of things stopped me.
For one, all I have is red wine vinegar, so I might come out smelling a bit more like sweet and sour pork. And it’s going to be hard for me to get to a store anytime soon.
For another, we’re supposed to get slammed with snow today. The attempt would be futile.