How to clean white sneakers: 30 best products and methods, rules at home

Preparing for cleaning

Before starting cleansing procedures, you should prepare everything you need to carry them out. For this purpose, you should use a sponge, brush, and a container of water. It is also recommended to take a dry cloth. It is desirable that it be made of microfiber.

Before washing your shoes, be sure to thoroughly clean the soles. It is also definitely worth disassembling the product into its components. To do this, it is recommended to remove the insoles and laces. It's better to wash them separately.

Contaminants that have not yet become embedded in the shoes should be removed with a dry brush or sponge. If a lot of dirt has accumulated on your sneakers, it is recommended to wait until it dries.

Fabric sneakers

On the one hand, cleaning cloth boots is as easy as shelling pears – throw them in the washing machine and you’re done. But what to do if the pair is strewn with beads or you are simply afraid to give it to the washing machine?

To remove stains, make a mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide and wipe the product with it. Afterwards, rinse thoroughly under water.

Among professional products, you may need the same stain removers, and for white shoes - whiteness.

Bottom line

If your budget allows, you can buy a full line of shoe care products. Fortunately, now there is plenty to choose from in specialized stores. This will be relevant for an expensive pair that you won’t change once a season.

Treat all items of your wardrobe with care. Try to wash and wipe your sneakers after each walk, rather than waiting until dirt starts falling off them.

Basic methods

There are quite a few methods for cleaning shoes from dirt. This allows everyone to choose the most convenient one.

Toothpaste

Small stains can be cleaned with toothpaste. It is important to choose a whitening product that does not contain colored impurities. To carry out the procedure, do the following:

apply a little paste to the brush;
rub it into the white elements;
leave for 20 minutes;
wash in cool water and dry.

This method is suitable for cleaning the upper part of the sneaker and the sole. The product also helps hide minor scratches.

Soda

This is one of the most effective remedies that every kitchen has. To make a useful composition, you need to mix the following components:

2-3 tablespoons of soda ash;
1-2 spoons of liquid soap;
1 spoon of toothpaste.

The components should be mixed thoroughly to obtain a homogeneous consistency. After which it is recommended to treat the shoes with a toothbrush. To obtain a lasting result, you can add a little table vinegar to the product. To consolidate the result achieved after cleaning your shoes, you should wash your sneakers in a basin of soapy water. After which they should be washed under running water. Dry in fresh air.

Liquid soap

You can wash white sneakers with ordinary liquid soap. To do this you should do the following:

wet your toothbrush and apply soap to it;
thoroughly rub the contaminated areas;
wash the sneakers with water and get rid of any remaining dirt;
set to dry.

What to do with dirty soles

Of course, it’s very annoying when sneakers or Converse are perfectly cleaned and washed, but the rubber sole with ingrained dirt ruins everything. It is not always possible to wipe it off with soap and a sponge. What then can you try? folk experience offers the following recipes:

A little warm water is poured into the basin - immerse the sneakers and check that only the soles should be immersed in water. Now add bleach to the water and soak your shoes in the solution for half an hour. After this, treat the sole with a stiff brush or toothbrush and rinse thoroughly under running water.
The side edges of the sole can be whitened and stubborn stains removed by wiping them with a cotton swab dipped in acetone or nail polish remover.
Also, an unsightly gray or yellow coating can be removed by wiping the soles with vinegar diluted with water. You only need to work with this product while wearing gloves.

Individual stains can be removed by applying lemon slices to them for a while. Black dots and dashes can be easily removed from the rubber sole with a regular office eraser.

Available means

There are many available products that can be used to clean white shoes.

Ammonia

Before working with this product, you should wear rubber gloves and a protective mask. To clean your shoes, do the following:

mix ammonia in equal proportions with water;
moisten a clean cloth in the solution and treat the contaminated areas;
wash shoes by hand using powder;
leave to dry.

Lemon

Lemon will help clean leather sneakers. To do this, squeeze out the juice of one fruit and mix it in equal parts with water. Wipe the shoes with a cotton pad soaked in the resulting mixture. Then it needs to be dried naturally. Lemon not only removes stubborn stains, but also helps refresh the material.

Chlorinated bleach

If yellow spots or stains appear on your shoes, you can use chlorinated bleach. It should be mixed with water in a ratio of 1:10. Then soak the product in the resulting solution and leave for half an hour. Then you can carry out cleansing procedures.

Lemon juice and baking soda

This is a universal remedy that helps remove the most difficult stains. To do this you should do the following:

to make the product, you should mix 2 large spoons of soda and lemon juice to get a paste;
treat contaminated areas with the composition and leave for 20 minutes;
clean shoes from the composition with a clean napkin;
wash the sneakers.

Vinegar + peroxide + powder

It is recommended to mix these components in equal proportions. Treat dirty areas with the prepared mixture. They should be moistened first. After 10 minutes, the sneakers should be rinsed.

Drying white fabric shoes after washing

This is an important stage in the processing of Converse. After improper drying, yellow spots may appear on the fabric. To avoid this, drying should occur naturally, without any additional impact on the shoes.

Do not use a hair dryer or other fan heater. It is not recommended to place wet sneakers on a battery or electric radiator.

Even the sun's rays can change the color of white shoes. When exposed to ultraviolet radiation, the fabric turns yellow over time. And if there is at least a little detergent left in its fibers, then this will happen after the first drying in the sun.

The best conditions are a shaded, well-ventilated place. To speed up the process and maintain the shape of the shoe, its inside can be stuffed with white loose paper. Do not use newspapers, colored textiles or magazine sheets. The paint from them will not only stain the sneakers from the inside, but may also appear in spots on the outside.

Purchased chemicals

Ready-made chemicals that are highly effective will help get rid of contaminants.

Washing powder

This is an all-purpose cleaner that helps clean cloth and other sneakers. It is recommended to use the powder in the form of a liquid slurry. To do this, mix the substance with water.

Bleaches

Such products can only be used for fabric shoes made from cotton or linen. When in contact with other substances, chlorine becomes more aggressive. If the sneakers are made of another material, the use of bleach is prohibited.

Reasons for the appearance of yellowness on Converse

Yellowness on Converse
Changing the color of white fabric is a natural process when wearing such shoes. To return the sneakers to their natural state, just clean them or, if they are heavily soiled, wash them.

However, if you wash stained white Converse incorrectly, you can clean them of the previous dirt and also get yellow stains on the fabric.

Reasons for their appearance:

Insufficient preparation of sneakers for washing. Remains of street dirt eat into the fabric and cause it to turn yellow.
Poor water quality. The mineral salts it contains and traces of rust from water pipes leave their traces.
Light rinse. In this case, the cleaning agent is not completely removed from the fabric fibers and leaves yellow stains during drying.
Incorrect drying. Even complete removal of dirt can be ruined if clean shoes are dried in inappropriate conditions.

When shoes with white uppers are worn for a long time, their yellowing is caused by sweat seeping out through the fabric fibers.

General recommendations for cleaning at home

To clean white sneakers from various contaminants, it is recommended to follow a number of rules and recommendations.

Wash

Some types of shoes can be washed. Moreover, this is done manually or using a washing machine.

Manual

First of all, shoes must be washed by hand. To wash your sneakers by hand, it is recommended to do the following:

Unlace and unfasten the sneakers, then remove the insoles.
Fill a basin with warm water and place your shoes in it.
Make a paste using liquid and washing powder. Treat shoes with the resulting mixture. This should be done with a toothbrush.
Wait half an hour.
Rinse the sneakers with clean water. Leave to dry.

Automatic machine

To wash textile sneakers in a machine, you should familiarize yourself with the key rules:

Shoes with reflective elements are prohibited from being placed in the machine. As a result, it may deteriorate.
Before washing white shoes, you should remove the laces.
Detergents should be placed in the powder compartment or in the drum.
The temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. Otherwise, the shoes may come apart.
It is forbidden to wring out shoes in the machine.
Before washing Converse, they should be placed in a special bag.
It is forbidden to put more than 2 pairs into the drum at the same time.

Machine washing helps to thoroughly clean shoes. However, it is important to consider that leather or suede models are prohibited from undergoing this procedure.

Removing scratches and abrasions from the sole

Quite often, all kinds of scratches and abrasions appear on the sole of the sneaker. To get rid of them, you can use various available remedies.

Eraser

This product perfectly removes black stripes on the soles. To do this, just rub the contaminated areas with an eraser. If the surface acquires a matte structure, it is worth applying transparent shoe polish to it.

Acetone

This product cleans very easily and effectively, but sometimes it has an aggressive effect on the sole. To avoid damage to the product, before use it is worth assessing the reaction of the material to textiles. To do this, soak a cotton pad in acetone and rub the inside of the sole.

Lemon juice

Lemon is highly acidic, so it easily removes dirt. This product helps clean canvas sneakers and other types of shoes. To do this, it is recommended to cut the fruit into 2 parts, squeeze out the juice and soak a cloth in it. Treat contaminated areas.

Petrolatum

To clean your soles, you can use this affordable product. To do this, just treat the sneakers with Vaseline and gently rub them with a brush. It is important to ensure that the composition does not get on the fabric.

Alcohol

In this product, just moisten a cotton pad and wipe the stains with it. It is worth treating the sole until the contaminated areas lighten. Rinse the sneakers with cool water to remove the specific aroma.

Laundry soap

This product cleans the soles well. To use it, rub your toothbrush thoroughly and then treat the sole. If necessary, the manipulation is repeated.

Petrol

To use the product, simply moisten a cotton pad in purified gasoline. Rub the dirty areas vigorously and apply the disc to them for another 5 minutes. Then rinse with water.

Removing yellow stains

To deal with yellow spots on sneakers, you should use the following products:

Talc. Instead, you can use regular baby powder. It is recommended to mix it with water to achieve a paste consistency. Treat the entire surface of the sneaker. After drying, the talc is removed with a dry brush.
Soda and washing powder. Take the product in equal parts and mix with water. Wet the sneakers with water and then apply the solution. Leave for a quarter of an hour, rinse and blot with a napkin.

Painting with white paint

If the surface structure of the product is damaged, it is worth purchasing special paint for shoes. To carry out the procedure, it is recommended to perform the following steps:

Prepare the area for painting. It is best to carry out the procedure outdoors.
Cover the floor with paper.
Apply paint with a brush, brush or sponge. This should be done evenly.
Evaluate the result. There should be no unpainted areas on the sneakers.
Leave the shoes until the paint dries.

Cleaning white laces

To clean white laces from dirt, just rub them with laundry soap and wash them in a machine. In more complex cases, you can use this method:

Pour stain remover for white items into a container with warm water;
soak the laces overnight;
wash by hand with soap;
dry.

From the grass

The most stubborn stains on white shoes come from grass. Traditional recipes will help you get rid of them.

Soda or salt

First you need to take 1 large spoon of salt and mix with a small amount of warm water. Apply the mixture to a sponge and rub the stains until they disappear. Finally, wash the pair thoroughly in warm water. It is important to use fine salt so as not to damage the surface. Soda should be used in the same way. However, the consistency should be thicker. First, the solution is applied to the stain and left for half an hour. Wipe your shoes without putting much effort.

Citric acid or table vinegar

Vinegar contains acid, which is why it successfully dissolves stains. However, it should only be used for rough materials. If the stains are not deeply absorbed, it is better to use less aggressive compounds. To remove heavy stains, you can use a solution of citric acid.

Chlorine-containing products

Such drugs have an aggressive effect. It is recommended to apply them to the contaminated area for half an hour. Then the shoes should be washed thoroughly. If the stain is not removed, the procedure should be repeated. Regular dish soap will not work.

Cleaning the sole

Washing any shoes should begin with wiping the soles.

Proper and regular care is the key to long-lasting wear of your favorite pair of sneakers, so you should always have several effective cleaning methods in your arsenal

In our case, it is important to know how to clean the white soles on sneakers in order to return them to their excellent appearance. Let's consider the most popular methods of combating gray mud deposits: Washing powder

First, prepare a soap solution: for a liter of water, just take three tablespoons of bleach powder. Place the sole in a bowl of soapy water and leave for 30-60 minutes. After time, thoroughly brush the rubber surface. Repeat the procedure until it turns snow-white. When finished, rinse the sneakers with running water and dry

Washing powder. First, prepare a soap solution: for a liter of water, just take three tablespoons of bleach powder. Place the sole in a bowl of soapy water and leave for 30-60 minutes. After time, thoroughly brush the rubber surface. Repeat the procedure until it turns snow-white. When finished, rinse the sneakers with running water and dry.

Washing powder for cleaning white sneakers

Baking soda. It has long been famous for its cleansing properties, and the abrasive powder has a whitening effect. Add a few teaspoons of water to a handful of baking soda to form a thick paste. Apply the resulting mixture to the sole and rub the surface vigorously using a brush or foam sponge. Let the shoes sit for 20-30 minutes, then process again, rinse with cold water and leave until completely dry. This method can be used after each wear to prevent your sneakers from falling into disrepair and to keep them constantly clean.

Abrasive powder has a whitening effect

Toothpaste. Oddly enough, it can also be used to clean the soles. Pastes with a whitening effect give especially good results. Tooth powder is also suitable for the procedure. You will need an old toothbrush - it is very convenient to apply the toothpaste with. Treat the rubber surface of the shoe, and then rub the product into it very intensively. Make every effort - this is the only way you can achieve the desired result. You need to rub until the sole becomes snow-white, so be prepared to spend some time.

Toothpaste can also be used to clean soles.

Eraser. Every schoolchild and student has this item in their pencil case, so there shouldn’t be any difficulties. It will not cope with dirt 100%, but it will help you quickly get rid of unsightly black stripes. Just rub them thoroughly with an eraser, and then lubricate the surface with white or transparent cream.

An eraser will help you quickly get rid of unsightly black streaks

Stain remover or bleach. You will need to make a fairly concentrated solution to get the best results. Pour water into a basin, add a few tablespoons of stain remover, foam the resulting emulsion and place the shoes in it. After an hour, brush the surface, rinse and dry it. Liquid bleaches do not need to be dissolved in water. It is enough to soak a foam sponge in them and rub the rubber sole with it. Dirt deposits and yellowness will quickly disappear under the influence of the chemical. Before cleaning white sneakers using this method, test the product on an inconspicuous area. This will allow you to check the reaction of the material and avoid damage.

Bleach for cleaning white sneakers

Acetone or nail polish remover. Every fashionista has them in her makeup bag, so they will definitely be on hand at the right time. So, soak a cotton pad in the liquid and rub it over the dirty area. As soon as you complete the necessary manipulations, rinse the product with water and blot with a dry cloth. This product is not suitable for all shoes, so it should also be tested on a small area.

Acetone for cleaning white sneakers

Acid. A solution of water and vinegar will help restore your sneakers to their former whiteness. The ingredients should be taken at the rate of 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar. Soak a foam sponge in the resulting mixture and treat the sole with it. You will immediately notice how it takes on a clean, well-groomed appearance. Citric acid has the same principle of action. Pour a little powder onto the rubber surface and scrub it thoroughly with a damp sponge or brush. At the end, do not forget to rinse your shoes under running water and dry thoroughly.

Now you can definitely deal with any dirt on the sole, so it’s time to find out how to clean the surface of white sneakers at home.

Features of cleaning different materials

When choosing a cleaning composition, be sure to take into account the type of material from which the shoes are made.

Suede

This is a fairly delicate material that needs to be cleaned very carefully. Otherwise, there is a risk of damage to the product.

Vinegar

This impregnation gives the sneakers a more saturated color and perfectly masks stains. It is recommended to moisten a sponge in the liquid and treat the sneakers. Dry the shoes and brush them with a special brush.

Steam

Using this method you can clean light suede sneakers. First, you need to bring the water to a boil, then place a grate over the container and place the contaminated steam on top of it. Leave for 5 minutes, then treat with a rubber brush.

Wet cleaning

This product should not be used on cheap shoes. To implement this method, you need to make a solution based on 50 grams of laundry soap and 3 liters of warm water. Place sneakers in it. After 10 seconds, pull out and treat with a soft brush. Finally, rinse.

White suede

To clean such material you will need 20 grams of soda, 10 milliliters of ammonia and a little milk. Apply the mixture to your sneakers and leave it for 3 hours. Then treat the material with vinegar and wipe with a special brush.

Leather

For leather sneakers, you should choose the right cleaning method. Today, many effective methods are known.

Milk and potato starch solution

These substances should be mixed in equal parts. Treat a leather product. After drying, the remaining starch should be wiped off with a rag.

baking powder

Baking powder will help get rid of old stains on leather shoes. It is poured exclusively onto soiled areas. Then you should apply a couple of drops of water.

Converse

To quickly clean these sneakers, you can use laundry soap. To do this, you should soak the Converse in cool water, then rub it with soap and clean it. Finally, rinse in cool water.

Leatherette

To clean this artificial material, you can use hydrogen peroxide. Lemon juice or nail polish remover is also a great option.

How to clean and bleach the soles of sneakers and other shoes: folk recipes

The use of folk remedies is an ideal way to independently clean shoes from dirt and yellowness. For this use:

toothpaste (powder);
hydrogen peroxide;
citric acid;
a mixture of soda and vinegar with water;
nail polish remover;
eraser or melamine sponge.

Toothpaste (powder) is a quick way to clean dirt from rubber soles.

For this method, it is better to choose a composition with a whitening effect without color additives.

Use a stiff bristle brush and toothpaste to clean the surface.
Wait 20 minutes.
Rinse shoes thoroughly in warm running water.

Toothpaste can be used to clean white soles

Hydrogen peroxide

Treat problem areas with hydrogen peroxide (3%). This solution will return the sole to its ideal white color and carefully remove any stains.

Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent tool for whitening the soles of sneakers.

Citric acid or lemon for yellow spots

Citric acid or lemon pulp will help remove the yellowish tint and gray deposits.

Rub the problem areas thoroughly with powder or pulp.
Leave for fifteen minutes.
Wash well with clean water.

Lemon will help remove stains on the white soles of sneakers

Baking soda, vinegar and water - the most popular way to clean anything

There are three options for using baking soda and vinegar to remove stains from rubber.

Wipe problem areas with a solution of vinegar and water in a ratio of 1:3.
Prepare a paste of vinegar and soda in a ratio of 1.5:1, apply it with a sponge to the sole. When the mixture dries, wash it off with warm water.
Thoroughly rub dirt with baking soda using a damp brush, removing dirt from all grooves on the rubber, and then rinse the shoes with water.

A mixture of baking soda and vinegar is an excellent cleaning agent, similar to oxygen bleach.

Nail polish remover or acetone

When using these products, excellent results are achieved, but they have a strong odor, which complicates the work. In addition, there is a risk of damage to the integrity of the sole. Therefore, before cleaning, it is necessary to carry out a quick test: apply the liquid to an inconspicuous small area. If no damage appears, you can use the product.

Soak a cotton pad with acetone.
Gently wipe the surface.
Wash shoes thoroughly with clean water.

Nail polish remover with acetone is a good way to remove yellowish stains from white shoe soles.

Regular office eraser or melamine sponge

You need to use a white eraser that does not leave streaks on the surface when erasing.

Use an eraser to process the corrugated sole, not missing a single indentation, thoroughly removing yellowness, dirt and black stripes.
When finished, wipe the product with a clean soft cloth.

There is no need to use water with this cleaning method. For one pair of shoes, you need to take a fairly large eraser, and if the surface of the sole is uneven, you will also need small pieces to clean the thinnest grooves. The hard side of the eraser can damage the structure of the material and leave unwanted marks. For this reason, you only need to use its soft side.

Using a melamine sponge is much easier: wet the sponge, wring it out and wipe the shoes with it. It is softer than an eraser and more pleasant for the hands, but is still a harsher product. This does not guarantee perfect cleanliness if the yellowness is deeply ingrained into the sole, but the shoes will look much whiter.

An eraser can be an assistant in the fight against stains on white soles

How to remove stains from grease, glue, marker, paint

Heavy stains, such as marks from paint, markers, pens, grease or shoe glue, can be removed using the following methods:

a solution of soda and lemon juice;
ammonia.

Cleaning procedure:

Treat the problem area with a solution of baking soda and lemon juice. After this, wash your shoes thoroughly in clean warm water.
Mix 250 ml of water with ammonia (1 teaspoon). Treat the stain with the solution and wait ten minutes. After this, wipe the shoes with a dry soft cloth.

Grease stains from white soles are removed with ammonia

How to remove an unpleasant odor

To get rid of an unpleasant odor, you can use pharmaceutical preparations. To do this, they should be poured into a spray bottle and treated from the inside of the shoes.

Ammonia

This is an effective remedy for unpleasant odor. They are advised to treat the sneakers and leave for 12 hours.

Chlorhexidine

This pharmaceutical drug has an antiseptic effect and helps to cope with bacteria that cause an unpleasant odor.

Salicylic acid

Another effective remedy that is included in many pharmaceutical products. It successfully copes with bad shoe odor.

Useful tips

We will share recommendations on washing white sneakers made of various materials at home.

Sometimes there is a need to quickly clean a fabric product. For this procedure, purchase a special shoe care product. For example, foam cleaner from Ecco.

Brushing with a toothbrush

Another problem: skin. Unfortunately, leather sneakers cannot be machine washed. They deteriorate from prolonged contact with water. Once dry, they will warp, will not look aesthetically pleasing, and will become smaller in size.

If you want to renew the surface on white suede sneakers, use special shoe paint. Make sure the dye is suitable for the material and choose a snow-white shade. Next, follow the instructions on the tube.