What to do if white sneakers turn yellow after washing: tips and recipes

If your white sneakers are covered with yellow spots after washing, there is no need to despair.

You can correct the situation by using substances that have a whitening effect. This can be either household chemicals or improvised means that are found in everyone’s home.

Let's take a closer look at what to do if white sneakers turn yellow after washing, how to remove stains and remove yellow stains.

What do you need for cleansing?

These products will help you clean any white textile shoes (not only sneakers, but also slippers and shoes), keep them on hand:

• Liquid soap;
• Chlorine-free bleach;
• White fabric dye (spray);
• Ammonia;
• Table vinegar;
• Hydrogen peroxide;
• Lemon acid;
• Cotton pads;
• Old toothbrush;
• Dentifrice;
• Toothpaste;
• White paper napkins;
• White paper.

Sneaker care

The service life of sneakers, the preservation of the white color of the sole, first of all, depends on high-quality shoe care and consists of:

1. From constant treatment with a protective compound (oil, wax) before leaving the room to go outside, which protects the surface from dirt, dust, water and depends on the type of shoe.
2. Keeping sneakers clean and free of dirt immediately after coming in from the street.
3. Using several pairs, not just one. After 1 day of use, the sneakers must be rested for 2 days.

Sole

The sole of the sneakers consists of natural or artificial rubber with various artificial additives that qualitatively improve thermoregulation, increase service life and, due to the porous structure, do not weigh down street shoes. But the lack of a smooth surface leads to rapid contamination of the pores, into which dust and dirt accumulate. Different sole compositions react differently to different cleaning products.

Causes of yellowing soles

The main culprits for discoloration are the synthetic components that make up the sole (PVC, thermopolyurethane and other additives). Under the influence of external factors, they change their snow-white hue to yellow or gray. In addition, reasons affecting the change in shade include:

• drying sneakers or sneakers after washing in direct sunlight or near heating devices;
• the use of various chemicals for cleaning that react with the surface of the sole and violate its integrity.

Important information

In order for the process of getting rid of yellow spots to be successful, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

1. 
   You should not rub your sneakers too vigorously, trying to remove yellowness from them. The fabric may not withstand intense exposure and may tear.

2. White shoes should be washed separately from other items so that their surface does not become stained.
3. If you use powder for washing, you must use the “extra rinse” function.
4. In an attempt to quickly dry shoes, you should not place a white pair on a heating radiator. Contact with a heating device will cause yellow discoloration, even after bleaching. For the same reason, the couple is not dried with a hairdryer.

While clothes can be bleached by washing them in hot water, sneakers will not withstand such treatment. Boiling water will cause the sole to crack.

Useful tips

We found out how easy it is to clean white canvas sneakers. Use any of the above methods. There are several other cleaning methods:

• Lemon will help remove stains from the soles. Rub the rubber with a slice and leave for 15 minutes. Wipe with a damp cloth and rinse off any residue.
• To combat yellow stains, use chlorinated bleach. It is diluted in water in a ratio of 1:10. Immerse the sole in the resulting solution for 20 minutes. Hand wash and dry.
• Moisten the sole, rub it first with an eraser and then with a regular damp sponge.
• Use nail polish remover. Dampen a cotton pad and clean the surface.

Products for removing stains from white shoes

Cleaning sneakers with toothpaste

If, as a result of prolonged wear or due to unsuccessful washing, yellow stains appear on the material of Converse, then you will have to take additional measures to remove them. You can clean white shoe fabric with ready-made products and compounds.

Stain removers

Vanish or Antipyatin stain removers are suitable for cleaning sneaker material. They soak a cotton swab, which is used to wipe the yellowed area. After the fabric returns to its natural color, the remaining stain remover must be washed off with plenty of water.

Bleaches

Their application takes more time. In fact, you have to wash your shoes again, but with the addition of this product. Bleach is diluted in warm water according to the instructions. Shoes are immersed in this composition for 1 - 2 hours. During this time, it is useful to wipe the shoe fabric with a brush several times, outside and inside. Then rinse and dry.

It is not recommended to use bleaches containing chlorine. Exposure to it can damage fabric fibers.

Toothpaste

It can remove yellow stains without prolonged soaking. But the paste must be without colored inserts. Cleaning process:

• The yellowed area is slightly moistened.
• The paste is rubbed into the stains using a sponge or small brush.
• Wait 20 - 30 minutes.
• Use a brush to wipe the contaminated areas again.
• The paste is washed off with plenty of water.
• The sneakers are drying.

You can also use toothpaste to remove stains from the rubber edging of shoes or from their soles.

General recommendations

Only owners of the original products can wash Converse sneakers using any of the methods described above. If you purchased a fake, it is better to wash it by machine, and sometimes even by hand. In order for branded shoes to last as long as possible, they need to be properly cared for. Adhere to the following rules:

• the soles are washed or wiped after each walk;
• laces are washed from time to time;
• any dirt is removed as quickly as possible, try not to allow stains to be absorbed into the fabric part of the shoe;
• Before storage, sneakers are washed, dried well and placed in a box or bag made of breathable fabric. To prevent Converse from becoming deformed, they are stuffed with paper;
• washing partially or completely removes the water-repellent coating. You can restore durability using a special protective spray.

Remember these rules, take care of your sneakers and enjoy the cleanliness, beauty and freshness of your favorite shoes. Remember - Converse is not designed for walking through mud and puddles.

Source

How to dye textile shoes

Sometimes it is not possible to remove yellow stains. Perhaps they turned out to be too persistent, so even strong remedies do not help. If the shoes look decent, then you shouldn’t throw them away. It will be enough to paint to eliminate yellowing.

Of course, it is not easy to achieve a good result on your own. You'll have to carefully study the instructions to get your yellow sneakers in good shape. You will need to purchase special paint for textile shoes. They are sold in powder and spray form. Dyes come in both white and colored. Before purchasing, you will have to carefully study the instructions on the package.

You need to carefully paint your shoes so that they look natural. In addition, you will have to let it dry well. If everything is done correctly, the result will certainly please you.

The best remedies for yellow stains

To prevent snow-white shoes from acquiring a yellow tint, they should be washed properly. In this case, you can use special industrially produced powders or proven folk remedies.

Vinegar and washing powder

An important condition for obtaining a snow-white result when washing is the presence of factors leading to its appearance. This can be achieved by using a special washing powder and a small amount of vinegar. You should not use 70% vinegar essence for these purposes, which can “corrode” the fibers. Much safer is 6% vinegar, which is mixed in equal proportions with washing powder.

The resulting “gruel” is applied to the yellow areas and left for 15 minutes. After the required time, the area should be cleaned with a soft bristle brush (an old toothbrush will do). After drying the shoes at room temperature, they can be used for subsequent use.

Baking soda and liquid soap

A mixture of liquid soap and baking soda helps remove yellowing from white fabrics. The ingredients are mixed together in equal quantities and a small amount of warm water is added to them.

Mix everything again until a homogeneous mass is formed. The resulting composition is applied to the yellowness and rubbed inside with a brush. After some time, you can observe how the fibers become white again.

After removing the stains, the sneakers should be rinsed well and dried away from radiators and direct sunlight. The shoes are like new again!

Note! Yellow stains on white items should be dealt with immediately after they are detected. Old stains are much more difficult to clean!

Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide

The combination of hydrogen peroxide and soda helps remove the “yellowness” from white. These components are placed in a separate container (not a metal one), strictly in equal proportions and mixed with each other. The resulting composition is applied to the “yellowness” of the sneakers. Leave the shoes on for 20 minutes. for the folk remedy to “work”, after which the shoes are wiped with a damp cloth. The spots disappear!

The following methods for removing stains from white help quickly and inexpensively return products to first-class whiteness. They should be used immediately after stains are detected on the fabrics. In this case, the snow-white effect will be the best, and the minimum amount of effort will be spent.

How to wash sneakers in a washing machine

It is recommended to machine wash shoes in a special case at a temperature not exceeding 40C.
When washing shoes in a machine, you must follow the basic recommendations. This will help achieve maximum results and return the shoes to their original whiteness. How to wash sneakers? Please follow the machine wash guidelines below:

• use shoe bags or place sneakers in an old pillowcase;
• do not put other shoes or clothes in the drum along with sneakers;
• choose a delicate washing mode;
• the water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees;
• do not set a strong spin cycle - rotating the drum at high speed can damage your shoes and break the washing machine;
• use a minimal amount of detergent (20–40 grams is enough to get your sneakers clean).

Many housewives prefer to use liquid detergents because they are easier to rinse out of the material.