How to clean snow/dirt out of medallions?

[jslade]

Hi fellas,

I didn't have a choice but to walk around in some dress shoes with medallions today. Unfortunately it was snowing hard last night, and the weather was nasty in the morning. I tried to avoid stepping in the salt that wrecks shoes, but my foot sunk into the snow a few times.

I let my shoes dry out after getting home. They look fine, but there's a build-up of this whitish gunk in the medallions towards the tip of my shoes. They're not unmelted snow... seems more like some sort of dirt residue that gets left behind.

Does anybody have any recommendations on the best way to clean these medallions out? It really affects the look of the shoe.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts!

 

[Godot]

The prevailing Internet solution is a mixture of 1-2 teaspoons of white vinegar with a cup of water and rub salt stains out. This should be done as quickly as possible. Regular polishing will give give some protection against salt stains, but when exposed it's remove and polish again.

 

[jslade]

Godot,

Thanks for the advice. I'm applying this mixture to my shoes currently. Do you have any thoughts on how to get into the tiny medallions that have salt residue still stuck in them? Cotton balls and q-tips don't seem to be able to squeeze into such a small space.

 

[joshuadowen]

Godot,

Thanks for the advice. I'm applying this mixture to my shoes currently. Do you have any thoughts on how to get into the tiny medallions that have salt residue still stuck in them? Cotton balls and q-tips don't seem to be able to squeeze into such a small space.

I tend to use one of those rubber-tipped gum massagers.

 

[upnorth]

Just use an old toothbrush.

 

[MyOtherLife]

Terrycloth will reach into these areas with a circular motion. Also when usung the vinegar'd cloth, try not to use the same cloth real estate for all areas. Keep switching the cloth as you go. This will improve the cleaning that Godot has suggested. If the residue persists after drying, repeat as many times as is necessary. Eventually you will prevail.

 

[jslade]

Thank you all for your help! I really appreciate it. I think that most of it has come out. Will keep on working at it. You guys really are a tremendous resource.