How to Get Shoe Polish Off Car Windows
by Lane Cummings
Maybe you were trying to sell your car. Maybe you were trying to advertise an event. Maybe someone wiped his or her shoe across your window. Regardless of the reason, getting shoe polish off of a car window can sometimes be easy and other times slightly trickier. It all depends on how long the shoe polish has been on your window, drying and setting. The key is to remove as much of the shoe polish as you can without damaging the glass.
Step 1
Mix 1 Tablespoon cornstarch with 1/4 cup of white vinegar. Add the mixture to a spray bottle filled with a quart of warm water. Replace the cap on the spray bottle and shake vigorously.
Step 2
Spray the mixture on the window where the shoe polish is. Saturate the glass and cover the window completely. Allow it to soak for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Scrub off the shoe polish with a soft cloth, wiping away the vinegar and cornstarch mixture. Depending on how dried on the show polish is, you will be able to remove a fair amount of the shoe polish or a lot of it. Scrub hard to remove as much shoe polish as possible.
Step 4
Touch the window gently with your finger. Make sure the glass is still wet from the vinegar/cornstarch mixture. Gently scrape the shoe polish off the surface of the glass with a single sided razor blade. Start at the top of the glass and rake the blade downward to get more leverage. The shoe polish should come off immediately.
References
- "Speed cleaning: tips, tricks & strategies;" Jeff Campbell, Clean Team; 2005
Things You'll Need
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Quart warm water
- Large spray bottle
- Soft cloth
- Single sided razor blade
Writer Bio
Lane Cummings is originally from New York City. She attended the High School of Performing Arts in dance before receiving her Bachelor of Arts in literature and her Master of Arts in Russian literature at the University of Chicago. She has lived in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she lectured and studied Russian. She began writing professionally in 2004 for the "St. Petersburg Times."
