Did you ever look down at your pearly white sneaks just to feel that self-conscious sink in your stomach—the result of realizing your sneakers look pretty drab? Don’t feel so bad, it happens to the best of us—though it never has to happen to you, again. Get ready to take some notes on how to clean white sneakers, and breathe some life back into your old pair of dirtied white shoes collecting dust in the back of your closet. Without a doubt, here’s the best way to clean white sneakers:
Use preventative care
Protect your white sneakers so they stay cleaner, longer. Snag a bottle of water and stain repellent at the shoe store, and spritz away before strutting around in your pristine kicks. Simply spray the repellent evenly on the surface of your shoes and let them dry overnight. Give your shoes a nice cleaning and spray session every few weeks.
Clean the soles
When your soles or the rubber detailing on your favorite pair of kicks could use a good scrub, there’s one spot-cleaning method that will slay—and it’s probably not what you think. Pick up a Magic Eraser next time you’re in the store, because it will soon become your go-to for keeping sneakers white. Simply wet the Magic Eraser with water, and rub your shoes in a circular motion to watch the melamine foam work its magic.
Don’t forget the shoelaces
Remove your shoelaces from your sneaks for a soapy bath. Fill your sink with hot water and add a few dashes of your favorite laundry detergent. Massage the laces between your thumb and index finger and watch them turn from drab to fab.
How to clean white canvas sneakers
Ready to put on your chemist hat? Combine baking soda with an equal amount of a mixture that’s half water and half hydrogen peroxide until it forms a paste. After making sure all excess dirt is brushed off of the canvas parts of your sneakers, apply the mixture. Let your shoes sit for around four hours until the mixture has hardened. Shake off the hard stuff and use a crumpled-up paper towel to remove the excess cleaning solution. You’ll notice your shoes are way whiter.
How to clean white suede sneakers
Learning how to clean white sneakers that are suede can be a little tricky. Suede stains pretty easily, but you have to be careful when removing stains because the fabric is very delicate. Use a dry paper towel to blot the stain. Make sure you don’t rub it because that could spread the stain and make it worse. Then, use a soft cloth dipped in white vinegar to gently rub the stain out. If you have one, use a suede brush on the outside of the shoe once they are dry to get the original texture back.
How to clean white leather sneakers
It might sound too good to be true, but getting your favorite white leather sneakers looking good-as-new is as easy as taking a toothbrush with your favorite white toothpaste to the sootier surfaces of the shoe. Just like you would brush your teeth, scrub until you’re satisfied. Use warm water with this method to speed up the process. You can even add sugar to the toothpaste to create an exfoliant effect for any areas where filth seems to be caked on. Now you’ll never have to guess how to clean white sneakers again!
How often you should clean your white sneakers
If you want your white sneakers to always look squeaky clean, you’ll want to wash them every two weeks. Obviously, this depends on how often you wear them. Frequent cleanings can keep dirt, grime, and stains from building up. Remember, the longer you let a stain sit, the harder it will be to remove.
And Here’re some easy ways to DIY homemade cleaners at home for your white shoes
Hack #1 – baking soda and detergent
Twitter user, @sarahtraceyy, shared before and after cleaning pictures of her white Converse shoes along with instructions on how she did it. And the best part? You probably have all the ingredients you need in your cupboard.
What you need
- Baking soda
- Detergent
- Toothbrush
Instructions
Mix 1:1.5 parts baking soda and detergent. Scrub the mixture onto your shoes with a toothbrush. Rinse and put shoes in the washing machine – just make sure you remove the laces and inner soles before washing on the delicate setting. Add some towels to the wash to balance the load and to stop the shoes from banging against the drum.
Hack #2 – Magic Eraser
Another way to get white shoes clean again, particularly if they have grippy rubber soles like Converse, is to use a little cleaning tool called a Magic Eraser. This little cube of white foam can remove almost any mark, just add water and start rubbing!
Hack #3 – baking soda and vinegar
Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and a cup of water. Use a cloth or old toothbrush to scrub your sneakers until clean. Works on leather and canvas. This method also apparently works with 1 tablespoon baking soda and 1/2 a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide/water combo. Use a toothbrush dipped in the mixture to scrub the shoes, wait 30 minutes for the baking soda to work its magic, then rinse with water.
Hack #4 – Micellar water
Micellar water is a revolutionary makeup remover product, and it also cleans shoes! Just pop some micellar water on a clean cloth and give your white sneakers a good rub down. Works on leather, rubber and suede finishes.
Hack #5 – Toothpaste
If it’s good enough to keep your teeth white, then it’s good enough to keep your kicks clean. Add some white-gel toothpaste to an old toothbrush, add a little water and scrub the dirty area of your leather, canvas or mesh shoes, then wipe away excess with a damp cloth.
Hack #6 – toilet paper and water
This method is best for canvas shoes that – despite undergoing other methods of cleaning – still have yellow marks on them. Soak sheets of toilet paper with water and cover your sneakers with the paper like Papier-mâché. Leave to set and dry for 12 hours. Peel of paper and – voila! clean white shoes sans yellow marks.