Tested: How to Get Asphalt Out of Ties Fast (2026)

Immediate Action (first 5 minutes)

Stop. Don't rub it. Asphalt is a petroleum-based binder that melts deep into fabric fibers when exposed to friction and body heat. If you're rushing to a wedding and brush your silk necktie against a freshly sealed driveway, or if your kid steps in hot tar and wipes their shoelaces, your first five minutes dictate whether the tie is saved or trashed.

In my experience restoring vintage clothing for the last decade, heat is your absolute worst enemy here. Do not use hot water. Do not grab a hair dryer. You need to drop the temperature of the asphalt immediately to make it brittle. Grab an ice cube from the freezer. Wrap it in a thin plastic sandwich bag so you don't introduce excess moisture to a delicate silk necktie. Press the ice directly onto the tar spot for exactly 3 to 5 minutes.

You'll feel the asphalt harden under your fingers. It changes from a sticky, gummy mess into a stiff, crusty scab. If the asphalt is still tacky after 5 minutes, swap in a fresh ice cube. I've tested this on my own shoelaces after repaving my driveway last summer, and freezing it is the only way to stop the stain from spreading. Once it's hard, you can move to the physical removal stage.

What You'll Need (tools/products)

Gathering the right supplies before you start is crucial. You don't want to run to the garage with a half-treated tie dripping solvent onto your carpet. Here is the exact kit I keep under my sink for petroleum stains.

Item	Purpose	Estimated Cost	Recommended Brand
Ice cubes	Hardens the tar	Free	Any standard freezer tray
Dull butter knife	Scrapes crusty tar	$2.00	Oneida stainless steel
Citrus solvent	Breaks down petroleum	$5.50 - $8.00	Goo Gone Original
Dish soap	Cuts the oily residue	$3.50	Dawn Ultra Platinum
Microfiber cloths	Blots the stain	$12.00 (6-pack)	Amazon Basics 12x12 inch
Cotton swabs	Targets tiny tar flecks	$2.50	Q-Tips Precision Tips

I recommend Goo Gone Original because the d-limonene (citrus extract) breaks down asphalt bonds without instantly destroying silk dyes. This isn't the cheapest option, but cheap solvents often contain harsh acetones that will strip the color right out of your favorite necktie. For shoelaces, you can be a bit more aggressive. If you're working on 100% cotton white shoe ties, you can swap the citrus solvent for WD-40 Specialist Degreaser ($6.98 at most hardware stores). Keep your Dawn Ultra nearby. You'll need it to wash out the oily solvent residue, or you'll just trade a tar stain for a massive grease ring.

Step-by-Step Removal (4-7 steps)

This process requires patience. I'll be honest, this takes elbow grease, especially if the asphalt has been sitting on the fabric for more than a few hours. Hot-mix asphalt used in the summer is sticky, while cold-mix used for winter potholes is crumbly but heavily saturated with volatile oils. Both require the same fundamental approach.

Step 1: Scrape the hardened asphalt

Take your dull butter knife and gently scrape the frozen tar at a 45-degree angle. Work from the outside edges of the stain toward the center. You'll see little black flakes peeling off. Don't dig the knife into the fabric weave. If you're cleaning a delicate silk necktie, use the edge of a plastic credit card instead of a metal knife to avoid snagging the threads. Throw the flakes into a trash can immediately so they don't melt onto your floor.

Step 2: Test for colorfastness

Before applying any solvent, you must test it. Dip a cotton swab into your Goo Gone. Rub it on a hidden part of the tie, like the inside back tail or the aglet end of a shoelace. Wait 60 seconds. Blot it with a white paper towel. If the dye transfers to the towel, stop. You'll need to take the necktie to a professional dry cleaner. If the towel stays clean, proceed to step three.

Step 3: Apply the solvent

Lay the tie flat on top of a thick stack of white paper towels. The towels will absorb the dissolved tar from underneath. Apply a few drops of Goo Gone directly to the remaining asphalt stain. Let it sit for exactly 4 minutes. You'll actually see the black stain start to turn brown and liquefy as the citrus oils penetrate the petroleum.

Step 4: Blot, don't rub

Take a clean microfiber cloth and press it firmly onto the stain. Lift it straight up. You'll see the brown tar transfer to the cloth. Shift to a clean section of your cloth and repeat. Never scrub in circles. Scrubbing pushes the dissolved asphalt deeper into the backing material of a necktie, which ruins the interlining. Keep blotting until no more brown transfers to your cloth.

Step 5: Flush with dish soap

Now you have a greasy citrus stain instead of a tar stain. Squeeze a pea-sized drop of Dawn Ultra Platinum directly onto the spot. Gently massage it in with your fingertips for 30 seconds. The surfactants in the Dawn have a hydrophobic tail that grabs the oil and a hydrophilic head that grabs the water, effectively encapsulating the oil molecules so they can be rinsed away.

Step 6: Rinse with cool water

Run cool tap water (around 65°F) through the back of the stain to push the soap and oil out the front. For neckties, just use a damp cloth to dab the soap out, as submerging a silk tie can cause water rings and ruin the shape. For cotton shoelaces, rinse them thoroughly under the faucet until the water runs completely clear.

Step 7: Air dry flat

Lay the tie flat on a dry towel. Never put a solvent-treated tie into a hot dryer. Any microscopic tar particles left behind will bake into the fabric permanently at high temperatures. Let it air dry for 12 hours in a well-ventilated room.

Alternative Methods (2-3 backup methods)

Sometimes the citrus approach doesn't cut it, especially with heavily oxidized asphalt that has been sitting on the fabric for days. Here are two backup methods I've used when Goo Gone fails to lift the stain completely.

Method 1: Mineral Spirits (For Polyester and Cotton Only)

If you are trying to save a polyester necktie or heavy cotton shoelaces, mineral spirits work wonders. I use Klean-Strip Odorless Mineral Spirits ($11.48 a quart). It's a stronger petroleum distillate that breaks down stubborn tar bonds fast. Apply it exactly like the Goo Gone, using the blotting technique over paper towels. Do not use this on silk. It will dissolve the natural proteins and leave the fabric looking dull, crinkled, and permanently damaged. Always work in a well-ventilated room, like an open garage, because the fumes are no joke.

Method 2: The Peanut Butter Trick

This sounds like an old wives' tale, but the natural oils in peanut butter break down tar effectively. It's highly useful for small flecks of asphalt on shoelaces when you don't have commercial solvents on hand. Smear a thick layer of creamy Jif or Skippy over the stain. Let it sit for 15 minutes. The oils penetrate the tar and soften it. Wipe it away with a paper towel, then hit the spot with Dawn dish soap to remove the peanut oil. I don't recommend this for silk neckties, as the peanut oil can leave a permanent grease halo on delicate weaves.

Method 3: Commercial Automotive Tar Remover

Products like Turtle Wax Bug & Tar Remover ($7.99) are formulated to strip asphalt off car paint without ruining the clear coat. They work surprisingly well on heavy canvas shoe ties and work boots. Spray it on, wait 2 minutes, and wipe. It's far too harsh for clothing neckties, but for your kid's Converse laces or your own work boots, it's an absolute lifesaver that requires minimal scrubbing.

Prevention Tips

You can't always avoid freshly paved roads, but you can protect your gear proactively. If you wear expensive silk ties to outdoor events or summer weddings, treat them with a fabric protector. I use 3M Scotchgard Water and Sun Shield ($13.99). Spray it lightly from 8 inches away and let it cure for 24 hours. It won't make the tie completely tar-proof, but it buys you a crucial 10-minute window to wipe off a splatter before it soaks into the fibers.

For shoelaces, consider swapping cotton laces for synthetic waxed laces or silicone no-tie locks. Asphalt cannot penetrate silicone. If you're doing driveway work, wear dedicated work boots with paracord laces that you don't mind throwing away. When your landlord inspects the property next week, or you're walking down a newly sealed suburban street in July, just keep your eyes on the ground. Fresh tar has a distinct, shiny black appearance that is easy to spot if you're paying attention.

FAQ (3-5 questions)

Can I put a tar-stained tie in the washing machine?

Absolutely not. The hot water and agitation will melt the asphalt and distribute it across the entire garment, ruining the tie and potentially staining your washing machine drum. Always remove the bulk of the tar and treat the stain manually before considering any machine washing, and even then, dry clean only for silk.

Will WD-40 ruin a silk necktie?

Yes, standard WD-40 leaves a massive, stubborn grease stain on silk that is nearly impossible to remove without professional dry cleaning solvents. Stick to citrus-based cleaners like Goo Gone for silk, and save the WD-40 for your cotton shoelaces or canvas sneakers.

How do I get asphalt out of white shoe laces?

Freeze the tar with ice, scrape off the hard chunks, and then soak the laces in a mixture of warm water and OxiClean White Revive for 4 hours. The oxygen bleach will lift the faint brown shadow that the solvent leaves behind, restoring the bright white cotton.

Does dry cleaning remove asphalt?

Professional dry cleaners use perc (perchloroethylene) or hydrocarbon solvents that dissolve asphalt beautifully without harming delicate fabrics. If your tie is expensive or made of delicate silk, bagging it up and taking it to the pros is the safest route. Just point out the tar stain to the clerk so they can pre-treat it before the main cleaning cycle.