Remove polish from brown leather?

[matei]

Hello all,

Without realising it I've used a darker brown polish on a pair of tan to medium brown shoes. The light was kind of dim and I didn't really notice until I got outside the next day.

Has anyone ever removed polish from brown leather shoes before? I've had success using white spirit (like paint thinner) but that was on a pair of black shoes.

 

[matei]

Okay, an update. I used white spirit and it took off quite a bit of the darker polish. I still have to go back over - there is about 20% that remained behind.

So, white spirit does work - but it stinks to high heaven.

 

[Cobden]

I was always told to hold a spoon over a candle then go over the shoe with the spoon. You have to get the spoon hot enough to melt the polish...

 

[Byrne Sherwood]

Shoe repair shops usually sell some sort of a cleaner that can be used for this specific need, but it too is a bit smelly and requires ventilation.