Boxing Week Sale – Shop Now Free shipping over $120 + Free exchanges

The Forecast Blog

Stay connected through our community initiatives, sustainability updates, styling tips, and exciting partnerships!

How to Get Sharpie off Shoes: Step-By-Step Guide

Have you ever suddenly get into a situation where you are looking for ways on how to get rid of those Stubborn Sharpie marks on your favorite pair of shoes? Don’t worry, though, because we have the top guide for you in hand. Besides using the rubbing alcohol, nail polish remover, and hair spray to remove Sharpie off shoes, you will find something revolutionary here – Vessi shoes.

And not only are our Vessi shoes fashionably comfortable; but we also create them out of a material that is not only stain resistant and machine washable but also 100% waterproof. Never again will you have to spend ages using paint thinner to shave off a Sharpie remark and also you be glad you never bought another pair of shoes with its holes.

But if you don’t own a pair of Vessi shoes, and yours are ruined by Sharpie, we have you covered to make sure you never fret about the Sharpie stain again.

How to Remove Sharpie Stains off Shoes

Sharpies fall into the category of the most widely used and highly selling permanent markers across the globe. Once again, being a permanent pen, Sharpies write on any surface and are water-proof as well as do not wash away.

Cleaning sharpie ink is especially difficult when removing an unwanted drawing on shoes of different materials. But there are ways you can use to remove the stains from your favorite pair. So, how do you remove dried Sharpie marks from different kinds of shoes?

1. Rubber shoes

Remove Permanent Marker from rubber Shoes

Image Credit: thespruce.com

Materials needed

To remove Sharpie stains off rubber shoes, you will need the following materials:

  • Rubbing alcohol

  • Cotton balls or swabs

  • Baking soda

  • Water

  • A clean, dry cloth

Methods for removing Sharpie stains off rubber shoes

a) Using rubbing alcohol

Rubbing alcohol works well for removing Sharpie stains from rubber shoes. Here's how to use it:

  1. Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball or swab.

  2. Rub the cotton ball or swab onto the Sharpie stain. Rub gently but firmly, making sure to cover the entire stain.

  3. Once you cover the entire stain, use a clean, dry cloth to remove excess rubbing alcohol.

  4. Repeat steps 1-3 until you completely remove the Sharpie stain.

b) Use baking soda

Baking soda is another useful way to remove Sharpie stains from rubber shoes. Here's how to use it:

  1. Mix equal parts of water and baking soda to form a paste.

  2. Apply the paste to the Sharpie stain on your rubber shoes.

  3. Rub the paste onto the stain using a clean cloth or toothbrush. Be gentle but firm, making sure to cover the entire stain.

  4. Rinse the shoe with water and dry it with a clean cloth.

  5. Repeat steps 2-4 until the Sharpie stain is gone completely.

2. Leather shoes

Any one who owns leather shoes will agree with me that caring for them is one of the most challenging tasks in the world. Some of the most common and conventional types of shoes are those that are made from leather and unfortunately any kind of shoe that can be dyed with the Sharpie marks easily does get stained. Erasing the Sharpie stains from leather shoes is challenging as well because leather is a delicate material.

Here's how to remove sharpie stains off leather shoes:

Materials needed

To remove Sharpie stains off leather shoes, you will need the following materials:

  • Rubbing alcohol

  • Cotton balls or swabs

  • Leather cleaner

  • Leather conditioner

  • Sunscreen (preferably with a high SPF rating)

  • Magic eraser

  • Dishwasher soap

  • Water

  • A clean, dry cloth

Methods for removing Sharpie stains off leather shoes

a) Using rubbing alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is another efficacious way to remove Sharpie stains from leather shoes. Here's how to use it:

  1. Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball or swab.

  2. Rub the cotton ball or swab onto the Sharpie stain. Rub gently but firmly, making sure to cover the entire stain.

  3. Once you've covered the entire stain, use a clean, dry cloth to remove any excess rubbing alcohol.

  4. Repeat steps 1-3 until you remove the Sharpie stain completely.

b) Using leather cleaner

Leather cleaner is another method to remove Sharpie stains from leather shoes. Here's how to use it:

  1. Apply a small amount of leather cleaner to a clean, dry cloth.

  2. Rub the cloth onto the Sharpie stain. Rub gently but firmly, making sure to cover the entire stain.

  3. Once you've covered the entire stain, use a dry cloth to remove the excess leather cleaner.

  4. Repeat steps 1-3 until the Sharpie stain is gone completely.

c) Using leather conditioner

Leather conditioner is a great option for removing Sharpie stains off leather shoes while conditioning the leather. Here's how to use it:

  1. Apply a small amount of leather conditioner to a clean, dry cloth.

  2. Rub the cloth onto the Sharpie stain. Rub gently but firmly, making sure to cover the entire stain.

  3. Once you cover the entire stain, use a clean, dry cloth to remove the excess leather conditioner.

  4. Repeat steps 1-3 until you fully remove the Sharpie stain.

d) Sunscreen

When people apply sunscreen lotion to protect their skin from the sun they are also using it to remove sharpie stains from leather shoes. Since this method involves rubbing some sort of chemical into the surface of the leather, it is most effective on light colored leather.

Here's how to use sunscreen to remove Sharpie stains from leather shoes:

  1. Apply a pea-sized amount of sunscreen onto the Sharpie stain.

  2. Rub the sunscreen directly onto the Sharpie stain with a cotton ball or swab. Rub gently but firmly, making sure to cover the entire stain.

  3. Once you cover the entire stain, let the sunscreen sit on the stained area for a few minutes.

  4. Rinse the stained area with warm water and dishwasher soap.

  5. Use a clean, dry cloth to remove the sunscreen.

  6. Repeat steps 1-4 until you completely remove the Sharpie stain.

e) Using a magic eraser
Magic eraser

Image Credit: hunker.com

If you get a permanent marker stain on leather or fabric shoes, a magic eraser is perhaps the best solution you can employ. It is highly recommended to try the use of magic eraser especially if you are faced with marks made using the permanent marker ink on leather as well as fabric parts.

  1. Wet the magic eraser by running a clean sponge under cool water and then squeeze any excess water.

  2. Use circular motions to gently rub the Sharpie ink marker stain using gentle but firm pressure. Do not rub too hard to avoid lifting the coloring of the leather.

  3. Rinse the stained area with water and mild soap using a clean cloth.

3. Plastic shoes

remove stains

Image Credit: bhg.com

Plastic shoes are easy to wear, long lasting and easy to clean but one can easily get stained by sharpie marks. This is perhaps a little difficult to accomplish but it can be done easily if you have the right tools and more importantly, the right techniques. Here are the steps to undertake to get rid of Sharpie stains on plastic shoes.

Materials needed

To remove Sharpie stains off plastic shoes, you will need the following materials:

  • Rubbing alcohol

  • Cotton balls or swabs

  • Nail polish remover

  • A clean, dry cloth

Methods for removing Sharpie stains off plastic shoes

Clean with White vinegar

Image Credit: realsimple.com

Among the traditional ways to get a permanent marker off of plastic shoes, one of the effective methods has to do with writing with permanent markings using a non-permanent dry erase marker. It erases the permanent ink labels as the solvent is the permanent marker it requires a clean cloth or paper towel to wipe the stains out.

However, if the dry-erase marker method has not worked, then further possibility of getting rid of such stains is available. They include:

a) Using rubbing alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is another proper method for removing Sharpie stains off plastic shoes. Here's how to use it:

  1. Pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol onto a cotton ball or swab.

  2. Rub the cotton ball or swab onto the Sharpie stain. Rub gently but firmly, making sure to cover the entire stain.

  3. Once you cover the entire stain, use a clean, dry cloth to remove excess rubbing alcohol.

  4. Repeat steps 1-3 until you completely remove the Sharpie stain.

B) Using nail polish remover

Nail polish remover is another reliable way to remove Sharpie stains from plastic shoes. Here's how to use it:

  1. Pour a small amount of nail polish remover onto a cotton ball or swab.

  2. Rub the cotton ball or swab onto the Sharpie stain. Rub gently but firmly, making sure to cover the entire stain.

  3. Once you cover the entire stain, use a clean cloth to remove excess nail polish remover.

  4. Repeat steps 1-3 until you can no longer see the Sharpie stain.

Tips and Tricks for Removing Sharpie Marks

Remove Permanent ink

Image Credit: realsimple.com

When trying to remove sharpie marks off shoes there are some few techniques that you could possibly apply.S If the necessary precautions are taken, one can be confident they are eradicating all the permanent marker stains from any type of shoe fabric.

  • Check the shoe labels before treating your shoes to avoid causing any damage to your shoe's materials. If there are no instructions, read about the fabric to determine the best method of removing stains.

  • Remove sharpie marks while they are still fresh instead of waiting for a long while. If you can't treat your material immediately, you should soak it in cold water to prevent Sharpie ink from penetrating too deeply into your shoe.

  • Like with any cosmetic fix, you should test on a small area of your shoe before trying any removal method.

  • Avoid rubbing sharpie stains since it only pushes the sharper ink through the shoe fabric. Instead, lay the stained side facing down on clean cloths or paper towels and tackle the stain gently from the backside.

  • When using removal methods such as an acetone nail polish remover or WD-40, ensure you work in a well-ventilated area.

Conclusion on How to Get Sharpie off Shoes

Remove Marker stains

Image Credit: reddit.com

The moment you begin to think about a Sharpie stain on shoes, the very idea to remove it sounds rather intimidating. Well, with the methods that we have discussed today you can get the work done for erasing those Sharpie marks like a professional.

They say there is a solution for every type of shoe material: rubbing alcohol for rubber shoes, nail polish remover for plastic shoes, and sunscreen for leather shoes. However, there are measures that can be taken in order to digress the chance of getting stains, for instance not to left Sharpies, spraying a closed shoes, or wearing stain proof shoes like Vessi.

Well next time you are faced with Sharpie stain on your favorite shoes, relax. Some of the effective techniques that might help you remove the marks from your shoes and make the shoes look brand new are not difficult to perform and require only some of the content that might be used in every household. Whether you are going to work, school or out for a night out you can definitely step out In style all thanks to the Sharpie removal mastery.

← Older Post Newer Post →

Seek Adventure.
Innovate.
Live Your Best Life.

Sign up for our newsletters to follow The Forecast, our new arrivals, and exclusive promotions.

Recent Posts

Your Cart

Filling Cart