How to Remove Glue Trap From Shoe

How To Remove Glue Trap From Shoe
How To Remove Glue Trap From Shoe

Well, I did it, I stepped in my glue trap and these are my favorite shoes.  I’m also thrifty so I don’t like throwing good stuff away.  So when I stepped in my mouse glue trap I knew I had to figure out a way to get that sticky thing off my shoe…

How to Remove Glue Trap From Shoe

Tools/Materials Needed:

Step 1: Peel the glue trap off your shoe.

There’s nothing pretty about this.  Do you best and try to avoid getting it on your hands if you can!

Peeling Glue Trap Off Shoe
Peeling Glue Trap Off Shoe

Step 2: Use a knife to scrape the majority off your shoe.

I used my pocket knife that has a smooth thin blade that wasn’t razor-sharp.  We’re not going to be “cutting” the glue off but bluntly scraping it off with the edge of the knife at pretty much a 90-degree angle to the surface of the shoe.  Scrape the glue towards the middle as to not spread it out.  It will ball up in the middle for you:

Scrape the glue into a ball towards the middle
Scrape the glue into a ball towards the middle

and then you can get it off:

The majority of the glue is off now
The majority of the glue is off the shoe and on my knife

Wipe off the glue on a paper towel.  You should scrape some more and make another ball and repeat.

Step 3: Work Goo Gone into the glue.

I’ve seen people prescribe vegetable oil for some situations but I didn’t want my shoe oily on the bottom so that is why I went with Goo Gone.  Spray some on the shoe and work the Goo Gone into the glue with your fingertip:

Goo Gone Applied to Glue on Shoe
Goo Gone Applied to Glue on Shoe

I tried putting a layer of tape around the perimeter of my shoe to keep the goo gone from leaking over the edge but goo gone works good on adhesives, duh!  The tape didn’t work and came off.

Step 4: Use your knife to scrape the surface of the shoe clean.

Use short scraping motions, working your way across the sole of your shoe.  When you accumulate enough on the blade of your knife wipe off on a paper towel.

Scraping Off Glue with Knife
Scraping Off Glue with Knife

It’s coming off:

Glue on knife removed from shoe
Glue on knife removed from shoe

Step 5: Repeat Step 3 and Step 4

After completing Steps 3 and 4 and allowing the shoe to dry I could tell that there was still more glue on the shoe.  At this point we are trying to work out the glue from the pores of the shoe.  Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to work the rest of the glue off the shoe.  If you see any shiny places, that is an indicator that there’s some glue still on it.  I had to work it out of the seams and cracks but it was not that difficult really.

Step 6: Put on your clean shoe

I was able to get it clean!

How To Remove Glue Trap From Shoe-Clean Shoe
I cleaned the glue trap glue off my shoe!

 

 

 

 

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8 Comments

  • Thanks Don Corbn, Lep in Texas just tried your method with much success. I saved my $200 shoes that I bought last week. And so help me, I will never buy one of those sticky things again.

  • Thank you,i just did the same as you….having a real problem to catch a smart
    Mouse…got a tip for me

  • I laid some hand tools down on one of those pesky, not to mention inhumane, sticky traps one night at work. Admittedly, it works very well. After picking them up I had the strange, then alarming predicament of being unable to let them go! But, after regaining my composure, I went to my tool box and retrieved the second most important thing in every mans toolbox (with duct tape being #1, of course) WD-40! After a couple of quick blasts followed by a thorough wipe down with some shop cloth they were not only clean and sticky free, but also well oiled…..AND they smelled great!

    • Thanks for sharing Don! There’s always more than one way to solve a problem and hopefully your alternative solution will give a reader an option if they don’t have goo gone on hand.

  • Thx for posting this. I stepped in the trap in our pantry, you’d think I was 12 years old and did it on purpose the way hubby reacted. He thought my shoes were toast. I had the last lol
    👟👟

    • Where there’s a will and an Internet connection, a way is just a Google search away! I’m glad to have helped save your sneakers and your marriage. All in a days work here at Share Your Repair — lol.

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