How to Keep White Sneakers Clean

White sneakers are like the blue jeans of footwear. They’re a wardrobe staple because they have a classic look and fit so many styles. Many people own multiple pairs. Unfortunately, they get dirty quite easy. Stains and dirt will accumulate rapidly when you wear them. What’s the best way to keep white sneakers clean? Must owners rarely wear them, for fear of getting them dirty?

Fortunately, there are multiple things you can do to keep your white sneakers clean. Many of these are relatively inexpensive and don’t take much time. With some tender love and care, you’ll be able to keep your white shoes looking sharp and prolong their life. And that’s great, because according to Vogue (and many fashion experts) they go with everything.

Protection Spray

This might initially seem like a scam. You’ll be at the sneaker store, and one of the sales specialists will be pushing you to buy one. But these sprary really do work, it’s not just an up-sell. The spray creates an invisible layer of protection for the shoe against foreign substances. With just a light spray, your shoe will be able to repel things like dirt, liquids and stains. It’ll always be present, protecting your shoes. You won’t have to freak out whenever you accidentally step in mud or drop food on you shoes. Although it’s not a 100% solution, at least you have something protecting your shoes.

Protection need to be applied more than once because they wear out over time. It’s recommended that you reapply it every other week.

Proper Storage

You’ll see many sneaker aficionados store their prized sneakers in bags or boxes. Why is this? Most people aren’t aware that the rooms in a house have microscopic dust floating around. This is especially true of small, enclosed spaces like closets. If you leave them out, your shoes will eventually be covered in dust.

Next time you buy a pair of shoes, keep the box. You’ll be able to neatly stack your sneakers. They’ll take us less room and be protected against floating dust.

Use a Water-based cleaner

Most stores have both chemical-based and water-based cleaners. The issue with chemical-based treatments is that they are more harsh. They might be too strong for some shoes and could ruin the fabric. Water-based are okay to use on all materials, including more fragile ones like mesh and leather. All you have to do is combine it with lukewarm water. This combination will take care of most stains.

If for whatever reason you don’t have access to a cleaner, you can use a combination of baking soda, toothpaste and lukewarm water. Rub the shoe with a toothbrush. This combination should not be used regularly.

Know How to Brush

Brushing technique is very important. Many beginners have the attitude of “the harder I brush, the cleaner the shoes will be”. This mentality isn’t good because shoes can be surprisingly fragile. Harsh scrubbing can loosen the fabrics. To avoid this, use a medium bristle shoe brush or tooth brush. Use soft, light and rapid strokes. This way you’ll avoid damaging the fabric and the cleaning fluid will get deeper into the sneaker.

Regular Deep Cleans

If you’re wearing your white shoes regularly, they’ll need a frequent deep clean. Plan to do one every two weeks. That may sound like a lot but there’s a cost to look your best.

You can use a variety of cleaning substances. These include baking soda, toothpaste and bleach (only for certain shoe materials). Consider using the washing machine.

Selection of Shoes:

White mesh shoes. This type of sneaker is starting to one of the most popular. Most athletic brands like Nike and Adidas make them. It is quite fragile. Don’t use bleach because it can ruin the fabric. Sneaker clearer or mild dish soap combined with lukewarm water works. Alternatively, try using white vinegar and dry the sneaker in the sun.

White running shoes – You’ll probably have to be constantly cleaning this type of shoe. Most people run several times a week. Unless it’s on a track, the road or path might be dirty. You can take out the mud and dirt with a shoe brush. Then with a sponge, brush, cloth or toothbrush, take a tiny amount of sneaker cleaner or laundry detergent and mix it with warm water. Scrub the dirty parts and the toughest stains will disappear.

White canvas shoes. The quintessential example of canvas shoes are Chuck Taylors. They can look great in an outfit but get beat up over time. Buying a new pair after only a few months would be wasteful. Fortunately, Chuck Taylors are easy to clean. Sneaker cleaner is the key. Mix some with lukewarm water and brush it on the shoe. Alternative, you could mix some baking soda with a 50/50 solution of water and hydrogen peroxide. Rub it on the shoe and let it sit for approximately four hours. The substance will harden and you’ll be able to peel it off.

White leather sneakers. Leather is a relatively fragile substance. This is a fairly delicate situation so you need to have a delicate solution. Brush it with a toothbrush with white toothpaste mixed with warm water. You’ll be able to to brush away the stains and dirt.

White soles. You can just use sneaker wipes or wet magic eraser to take away any dirt or stains.

White shoelaces. You should consider just replacing these every so often. It’s often quite difficult to get them to them to the level of whiteness when they were brand new. Shoelaces are very cheap and since are on a very visible part of the shoe. To save money, you can buy then in bulk.

If you want to clean shoelaces, handwash them in warm soap water. Air-dry them for a few hours afterwards.

It’s unfortunate that white shoes get dirty so quickly. However, there are ways to protect the color of your shoe and keep them clean. Follow the strategies detailed in this post to keep your white shoes looking sharp.