5 life hacks on how to wash white sneakers at home

08/25/201605/23/2017 Maria Ivanova 3 comments

Many people today wear white sneakers in almost any weather. It is quite natural that quite a large amount of dirt accumulates on them. It eats into the material, so the question of how to wash white sneakers is quite vital.

There are two ways to clean sneakers and remove dirt from their surface:

manually;
using a washing machine.

Before you begin removing dirt, you need to make sure that the sneakers are washed from fresh dirt. If there are black stripes or stains on the surface, then getting rid of them is quite easy - just rub it with an ordinary eraser.

It is worth noting that before starting any cleaning procedures, you should first remove the laces.

The fact is that they can simply interfere with the normal removal of dirt. If they are made of colored fabric or other material, they can paint the sneakers.

1 Traditional methods of removing stubborn dirt
2 How to return the sole to its original whiteness?
3 How to properly wash white sneakers?
4 How to reliably clean insoles?
5 How are sneakers dried?

Method number 2. Toothpaste

Every home has toothpaste, so this method is one of the simplest and most popular.

Use a pure white paste without additional inclusions. You can also try tooth powder dissolved in a small amount of water.

Cleaning Rules

Take an old toothbrush and squeeze a small amount of toothpaste onto it.
Apply toothpaste to the dirty surface.
Remove any remaining paste with a damp cloth or sponge.

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Preparation

Before you begin the operation to return to the past, the sneakers need to be prepared. This is done simply:

Remove dirt and dust using a dry brush, sponge or microfiber cloth. Don’t put off cleaning until tomorrow; it’s better to do it immediately after your walk.
If for some reason you had to walk in white sneakers through heavy mud, wait until it dries. And then try to get rid of dirty stains as much as possible using a regular brush and a suede brush.
Remove the laces and insoles: it is best to wash them separately using laundry soap, stain remover or bleach.

How to wash black marks and stripes on velor or nubuck

Shoes made of velor or nubuck look great, but require careful cleaning after every trip outside. If we talk about assistants in removing dirt, then the best option is a special brush (these are sold in shoe stores), which must be used to treat the pair daily.

Light-colored nubuck shoes require daily cleaning

To remove traces of dirt and black streaks from the surface, use the means at hand.

Methods for removing dirt from nubuck and velor shoes - table

Means	How to cook	Mode of application
Ammonia	Dilute with water in equal proportions	treat the problem area with a cotton swab dipped in the solution; remove residues with warm water; leave the shoes to dry.
Vinegar solution	1 tbsp. l. 9% vinegar per 0.5 liter of water	wipe the stained area with a cotton pad soaked in the solution; blot with clean water; leave your shoes to air out.
Ethanol	Dilute with water in equal proportions	moisten cotton wool with the solution; blot the stain; repeat the procedure until the dirt completely disappears.

Please note: alcohol solutions may damage shoes. Before using them, test on an inconspicuous area.

Once every 1–2 weeks you need to treat velor shoes with a soap solution:

dilute 1-2 tbsp. l. liquid soap in ½ liter of warm water;
soak a soft toothbrush in the solution and scrub the surface;
Wipe your shoes with a soft cloth soaked in cool water.

To remove greasy marks from velor or nubuck, apply a piece of stale bread to the problem area, blot lightly (or just press for 2-3 minutes), and then comb the pile.

How to clean up wet nubuck boots

Bad weather causes two problems with velor shoes: pairs become wet and dirty. The plan of salvation involves action in both directions. Let the shoes dry first. Then use steam to “open” the pile and brush it with a soft toothbrush. You can steam it over a kettle or using an iron. Just keep in mind that you should not touch the hot sole of the device to your shoes.

To make removing dirt from nubuck as easy as possible, you should not try to scrub off a fresh stain. You need to wait until it dries.

How to reliably clean insoles?

A large number of bacteria accumulate in the insoles, the waste products of which become a source of unpleasant odor. You need to clean the insoles from dirt and sweat, but first remove them from the sneakers.

It is not very easy to return the insole to its original appearance - they take laundry soap and thoroughly lather it, after which they go over it well with a toothbrush. After washing off the soap, they evaluate how well the insole was bleached.

If this was not done the first time, the operation is repeated. If necessary, dry the insoles using a standard household hair dryer.

Tips and tricks

A few simple tips will allow your sneakers to maintain their original appearance and color:

regularly clean your shoes from dirt;
use preventative products to protect shoes from damage, moisture and exposure to harmful chemicals;
do not leave your shoes wet;
do not use batteries or hair dryers for drying;
Clean shoes taking into account the material from which they are made;
apply creams and sprays in a timely manner;
Do not wash under running water;
Use only proven cleaning products.

On a note! A replacement pair of shoes will reduce wear and allow you to clean off dirt without haste.

Cleaning sneakers at home is simple. With proper and, most importantly, regular care of the coating, radical cleaning and bleaching will not be required.

Manual removal of dirt

You can wash your sneakers by hand using water and washing gel. The following items will be needed:

a basin of such a size that sneakers fit into it;
washing gel.

For cleaning, you can use products designed for washing white laundry.

Cleaning procedure:

Prepare your shoes.
Pour non-cold water into the basin (temperature about +40°C).
Dilute washing gel in water.
Dip your sneakers in water.
Wash shoes using a brush on the outside.
Clean the inside of the shoes with a brush.
Rinse your sneakers.
Dry.

What to do after cleaning or washing sneakers

Thoroughly rinse off the product you used.
Wipe leather sneakers with a dry cloth. The surface can be treated with colorless shoe polish.
Do not place sneakers on a radiator or expose them to the sun. It is better if they dry themselves in a well-ventilated area or in the open air.
Place white paper towels inside the shoes to absorb moisture and give the sneakers their shape.
Place natural flavors, such as orange or tangerine peels, in your sneakers for a couple of hours. A piece of raw potato also works well to eliminate unpleasant odors.

Machine washable

Fabric sneakers can be machine washed. But only if you are confident in their quality (the sole may come off after washing).
Before loading your sneakers into the machine, soak them for a couple of hours in warm water with bleach or stain remover. Then place the sneakers in a white pillowcase or wash with towels.
Do not use regular powder. It is better to take a stain remover or liquid bleaching soap.
It’s good if the washing machine has a “sports shoes” mode. If it is not there, set it to “hand wash”, as well as the intensive rinse mode, so that there are no yellow stains left. But spinning and drying need to be turned off.

Do you need a bag?

The shoe washing bag is designed for high-quality washing of sneakers and protecting the washing machine from damage. If you need to wash 2 pairs of sneakers at a time, then you need to purchase 2 of these bags.

Their significant difference from conventional ones is special seals around the perimeter. They prevent sneakers from dangling loosely in the drum and soften the impact of shoes on the drum during the washing process.

The dimensions of such bags are always indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging. This information can be very important if the sneakers are too large.

Preparatory work

Before you bleach your shoes, you need to prepare them for the procedure. if dirt remains on its surface or sole, nothing will work out - it will become even dirtier and become covered with ugly stains.

The preparation is as follows:

If your shoes have laces, they need to be removed and washed separately. White laces are often difficult to wash with regular soap. In this case, they are placed in a small container and filled with hot water with washing powder and bleach.
The insoles are also removed and washed by hand with powder or soap. If they are very dirty, you can scrub them with a brush.
Now you need to clean the sole. First, all dry dirt is cleaned off and small debris is removed. Then the sole is soaped and brushed with a toothbrush.
If the material of the shoes allows, then they should be washed before bleaching. You can do this using an automatic washing machine, but choose either the “hand wash” or “delicate” mode. Some units have a special mode for washing shoes. This option is optimal.

This completes the preparation of shoes for intensive whitening. After drying, you can proceed directly to the important process.

How to clean eco-leather

This popular man-made material can be cleaned using any of the methods used for natural leather. But to get rid of stains from leatherette you can use:

nail polish remover (treat problem areas with a cotton pad moistened with it, then wipe with a damp soft cloth);
hydrogen peroxide to combat paint and blood stains (apply a cotton swab moistened with peroxide to the mark and remove the stain with gentle movements);
lemon juice, if you need to get rid of a greasy stain or refresh the whiteness (moisten a cotton pad and wipe the surface, then blot with a dry cloth or napkin).

Cleaning products for white leatherette shoes - gallery

Using nail polish remover you can remove almost any dirt from leatherette shoes.

Hydrogen peroxide helps remove blood or paint stains

Lemon juice removes grease stains from light-colored eco-leather shoes

Of the three methods described, lemon juice can be called the most “harmless”, but you should not use nail polish remover or peroxide more than 1-2 times a month.

To maintain the shine and appearance of eco-leather shoes, use white or colorless cream. It fills the pores and prevents contaminants from penetrating into the material.

Sneaker dry cleaning

You can maintain your shoes in a well-groomed condition yourself, or by turning to dry cleaning services. Special sneaker dry cleaners can be found in many large cities.

Often, for the convenience of customers, such establishments offer courier delivery services. You can search for shoe dry cleaners on the Internet by searching for “sneaker dry cleaner.”

Such enterprises provide a whole range of services:

cleaning;
disinfection;
deodorization;
restoration, etc.

In addition to sneakers, you can also take other shoes to a sneaker dry cleaner.

Depending on the list of services provided, the price is determined. Standard cleaning will cost from 1,500 rubles . If additional painting of all sneakers or individual elements, gluing, replacement of laces is required, then the amount will be higher.

How to clean white suede

Cleaning suede is an activity that requires patience. Firstly, this will have to be done often, and secondly, the process of returning whiteness is multi-stage. Proceed in order.

Dissolve 1 tbsp. l. baking soda in a glass of milk.
Dampen a soft cloth with the solution and wipe the surface of the shoe against lint.
Mix 1 tsp. 9% table vinegar and 1 liter of water.
Blot the treated surface with a cotton swab soaked in vinegar solution.
Dry your shoes with a dry cloth.

A regular office eraser can also be used to remove stains from suede. Only it should be white, otherwise there will be colored stains on the shoes.

To ensure that shoes made of nubuck, velor or suede do not get dirty longer, experts recommend using special care products. For example, sprays. They create a protective film on the surface that repels dirt.

A regular eraser perfectly removes dirt from the surface of suede shoes.