How to clean white sneakers so they look like new

I’ve put together proven and affordable ways to take care of white sneakers at home.

Preparation

Before starting the operation sneakers need to be prepared. This is done simply:

• Remove dirt and dust with a dry brush, sponge or microfiber cloth. Do not put off cleaning until tomorrow, it is better to do it immediately after a walk.
• If for some reason you had to walk in heavy mud in white sneakers, wait until it dries. And then try to get rid of dirty stains as much as possible with a regular brush and a suede brush.
• Take out the laces and insoles: they are best washed separately with laundry soap, stain remover or bleach.

Manual cleaning

A budget option

Toothpaste

Squeeze out a small amount of paste from the tube (it is best to use whitening, without inclusions), apply to a dirty place and carefully rub it in a circular motion with a dry toothbrush. Rinse off the paste with a cloth or sponge soaked in warm water.

Baking soda

Mix it with water so that it turns into a paste. Apply to shoes, rub with a toothbrush, leave for a while, and then rinse with a tissue or sponge. For a more tangible effect, soda can be mixed with toothpaste.

Vinegar, baking soda, laundry detergent, 3% hydrogen peroxide

Mix in the following proportions: 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 2 tablespoons of washing powder, 1 tablespoon of peroxide. Rub the resulting paste into the surface of the sneakers and leave for 10-15 minutes, then rinse with water.

Lemon juice

If the shoes after the above manipulations did not become snow-white, mix 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice with the same amount of water, wet a napkin and walk over the surface.

Potato starch and milk

For white leather sneakers, a paste made from potato starch diluted with milk in a ratio of 1: 1 is well suited. Spread this paste thickly on the surface, and then wipe off with a cloth dipped in warm water.

Oxygen based bleaches and stain removers

In their composition there is a mark Oxi. Suitable for textile shoes. Mix the product with a little water, apply on sneakers for 15 minutes, then rinse.

Another option is to soak the shoes for a couple of hours in water with bleach or stain remover, and then brush over the surface with toothpaste or baking soda. Final chord: rinse thoroughly.

If the sneakers have mesh, cleaning should be carried out more carefully: do not use aggressive bleaches, stuff the shoes with paper towels so that the product does not get inside.

Acetone and vinegar

Mix acetone and vinegar in equal proportions. Wet a cotton pad or napkin with the mixture, walk on the surface of the shoe. Rinse with water after treatment.

Laundry soap

Moisten the bar, rub it well on the brush and treat the surface of the sneakers. Then rinse thoroughly.

Micellar water

Suitable not only for removing make-up, but also for removing small impurities from white shoes. Soak a cotton pad in water, carefully wipe the dirty places.

Nail polish remover

With their help, you can clean the white sole. Apply liquid or cleanser to the surface, wash off after 30 minutes.

To make the sole less dirty, you can cover it with several layers of colorless nail polish.

Safety regulations

• Perform all manipulations with gloves to protect the skin of your hands.
• Do not use cleaning products that are designed for plumbing: they have a bleaching effect, but are very aggressive and smell strongly (usually they are based on chlorine). Therefore, you risk damaging the surface of the shoe.
• First, try out a folk remedy on a small area of the sneakers so as not to risk your favorite pair.

Expensive option

Specialized products are sold in shoe and sports stores. This option is suitable for white sneakers made of genuine leather or suede.

Using such products is easy: wet the brush, apply the product and rub it on the surface of the sneakers. Remove the resulting foam with a microfiber cloth or a brush dipped in water.

Washing machine

• Fabric sneakers can be machine washed. But only if you are sure of their quality (the sole may peel 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 put your 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 the “hand wash”, as well as the enhanced rinse mode, so that there are no yellow streaks left. But the spin and dryer must be turned off.

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 a colorless shoe polish.

Do not put sneakers on the battery, do not expose to the sun. It is best if they dry themselves in a well-ventilated area or outdoors.

Place white paper towels inside your shoes to trap moisture and shape your sneakers.

Put natural flavors, such as orange or tangerine peels, in your sneakers for a couple of hours. Also, a piece of raw potato copes well with an unpleasant odor.