HELP! How to remove cornflour gunk from bottom of leather soft-soled baby shoes?

[Ponymum]

Oh dear, I need some help. DD came home from nursery yesterday with her soft-soled leather baby shoes covered in a dried on mixture of cornflour and water. Apparently they were playing with cornflour and she has clearly walked around in it and it has dried to a thick shiny gunky flim on the suede soles. This means she can't wear the shoes as she slips over because there is no longer any grip.

DD (18 mths) is walking but we can't yet convince her to wear any other shoes than these so I'm really stuck! They are Robeez shoes (like this).

I have tried scraping and scrubbing with a stiff brush but it's not moving. Help!

I think I would resort to using some water - dampen or even wet the soles and then try scrubbing it off. If that doesn't work then maybe soak them in tepid water, squeeze them dry in a towel, stuff with newspaper and allow to dry away from direct heat.

The soles may be a bit stiff after but will soon soften out. I have washed a pair before and they were fine!

Thanks deux Right, I am going to take the plunge and try some water. I'll be so cross if this ruins the shoes (like they're not ruined already). Why on earth didn't they take their shoes off before playing with this gunk?

Yes, feet or socks so much easier to wash! I think I'd probably be thinking too that the shoes were unwearable so I'd probably take the risk.

I sympathise with the shoe thing. My DD, now 19 months, screamed and cried and had a tantrum when I tried to get her to wear shoes and was in the soft leather ones until just a few weeks ago. Good luck!

do you think you could let them dry first and then it will flake off like mud? put them on a radiator for speed.

ppf That's what I tried to start with - didn't work. I have done the scrub with water thing and it seems to have worked. I mean, they'll never be the same again as they are a bit stiff and yucky, but at least they will be wearable for a few more weeks until we can convince her to wear proper shoes!

Thanks both.