How to wash white sneakers at home so that they are snow-white and without yellow stains: is it possible in an automatic washing machine, hand washing to remove dirt

White sneakers are a trend in recent seasons. These shoes are very popular when playing sports and as an everyday option.

In order for sports shoes to maintain their appearance, you need to know the rules and features of washing sneakers.

In this article we will tell you how to wash white sneakers by hand and in an automatic washing machine so that they are snow-white and without yellow streaks.

Is it possible in an automatic washing machine, on what mode?

This washing method is the simplest and most convenient. If the washing machine settings include a separate mode for washing shoes, then it is recommended to use it. If it is not available, choose a delicate one.

Procedure:

Wash off dirt from sports shoes, paying attention to the soles.
Place shoes in a washing bag and place in the drum.
Pour the detergent into the container provided for this purpose.
Set the temperature to no less than +30ºС and no more than +40ºС.
Disable spin.
Do not use dryer.
Start the washing machine.
After washing, take out the shoes.
Dry your sneakers.

When there is no special bag, you can use a non-fading light cotton pillowcase without prints or decor. Sneakers are placed in it, and the open edge is tightly tied or sewn up.

You need to add a couple of terry towels to the drum itself . For washing, it is preferable to use a detergent in liquid form.

These precautions are necessary to reduce the load on working parts and prevent breakdowns.

Is it possible to wash white sneakers?

White shoes are a delicate thing, and the wrong choice of cleaning products can irreversibly damage the product. When it comes to washing light-colored shoes, not only the process itself is important, but also the preparation for it, as well as the drying of all elements of the sneaker.

Although washing white sneakers is a delicate task, it is still doable. We have selected the best tips for caring for and washing light-colored shoes that will help you wash them without any hassle.

Important: the choice of cleaning and washing method and the selection of detergents for shoes directly depends on the material of the product.

Mesh sneakers

Summer versions of sneakers are most often made not from solid and dense fabric, but from mesh. This ensures air circulation and the foot sweats less. Along with being comfortable to wear, mesh is a delicate fabric, and if washing rules are not followed in the washing machine, holes may form on it, and the shoes will simply be damaged.

To clean the fabric side of mesh shoes, you cannot use toothbrushes and other hard products; they can be used to clean the soles of dirt. Select non-hard brushes and sponges for cleaning such delicate material.

As for washing in a machine, you need to use a delicate mode, minimum temperature and special laundry bags.

Made from white fabric

Fabric products are more wear-resistant than mesh products, so they can be washed both by hand and in a washing machine. The main rule for washing sneakers made of white fabric is to wash all the elements separately, regardless of the chosen washing method and cleaning products. If the shoes have rhinestones or reflective elements, then it is better to wash them by hand.

White sneakers should be washed at a temperature not exceeding 40 °C, otherwise the fabric may lose its appearance.

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.

Proper preparation

It is necessary to start washing only after all preliminary procedures have been completed.

What should you do before washing?

Remove the insoles and laces (they are washed separately).
Fasten all fasteners.
Brush the top to remove dry dirt and dust.
Remove dried dirt and debris accumulated in the tread from the sole (you can use a clothing or toothbrush, or a thin toothpick for this purpose).
Black stripes, if they appear on the side of the sole while walking, can be erased with an eraser.
Remove yellowness from the sole, otherwise when washed it may transfer to the top of the sneakers. To do this, you can wipe the yellow areas with cotton wool or a sponge soaked in acetone, white spirit or nail polish remover. You can also dilute bleach with active oxygen in water and soak the soles of your sneakers in it for one or two hours. If the yellowness is slight, you should try regular lemon juice.

If there are heavy stains on the sneakers, it is advisable to remove them before the main wash, since it may not cope with such stains. How to do this depends on the type of dirt, as well as on the material from which the sneakers are made: textile and leather require a different approach.

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.

Useful tips

If there are stains on your shoes after washing, treat them with a mixture of ammonia and baking soda.
If the white parts on the item turn yellow after washing, bleach them with lemon juice.
Do not blow dry your shoes. Hot air causes the material to dry unevenly and the product loses its shape.
If you urgently need to “kill” the smell, but don’t have any deodorizing agents on hand, use a folk recipe: wipe the inside of the sneaker with a damp cloth soaked in vinegar. Place it to dry in the fresh air, where the wind and sun will do their job.

As you can see, washing and caring for your sneakers is very easy if you follow our tips!

Proper drying

To prevent shoes from becoming deformed, they should be dried properly . The inside of each sneaker should be filled with white paper that absorbs moisture well.

A prerequisite is to use only white paper, which will not stain the inside of the sneakers.

It is better to dry sports shoes outdoors . If it is not possible to organize this, then the sneakers are dried indoors, away from heating devices and open fire. As the paper inside the shoe becomes moist, it is changed periodically.

How to dry white sneakers correctly

It’s not enough to just wash your white sneakers to keep them beautiful, you need to dry them properly. This is done like this:

wet sneakers are left in the bathroom until most of the water drains from them;
then the wet sneakers are tightly stuffed with paper napkins, this will allow them to retain their shape and not become deformed;
To dry, the sneakers are placed in a well-ventilated place away from the stove, radiator or heater;
As the napkins get wet, they are replaced with new ones.

It is not recommended to stuff crumpled newspapers inside wet white sneakers - printing ink can leave stains on light-colored fabric, and then all efforts to preserve the color will be in vain.

Important! You cannot dry white sneakers in the sun, near heating appliances or using a hairdryer - this will not only deform them, but will also contribute to the appearance of yellow stains.

How to make them snow-white?

If soiling is severe, simple washing may not be effective. Proven recipes suitable for white sports shoes can help.

Toothpaste

For this you will need:

old toothbrush;
white toothpaste;
water;
rags.

Such cleaning can be carried out only in those areas where there are no decorative elements.

Procedure:

Squeeze a little toothpaste onto your brush.
Gently rub the paste into areas that need cleaning.
Wash off any remaining paste with a wet cloth.
Dry.

Removing yellow spots and stains from the surface

If there are yellow spots on the white surface, they should be treated separately. This method is good for cleaning leather sneakers, but it is unacceptable if there is a mesh.

For cleaning you will need:

hydrogen peroxide (or freshly squeezed lemon juice);
table vinegar;
regular washing powder;
container for mixing components;
Toothbrush;
rag;
water.

Preparation of the cleaning mixture:

Pour 2 tbsp into a container. washing powder.
Add equal amounts of vinegar and lemon juice to make a paste.

The well-mixed ingredients are rubbed into the stains with a brush. Wash off any remaining product from the surface of the shoe with a rag.

Soda

For white leather white sneakers, a baking soda based recipe will work. To implement it you will need:

soda;
vinegar;
liquid soap;
toothpaste.

Procedure:

Take all ingredients in approximately the same ratio.
Mix.
Clean the top of the sneakers with a brush.
Complete the process with normal washing and rinsing.
Dry your shoes.

Use of household chemicals

To whiten difficult stains on white sneakers, oxygen bleaches in powder form, for example, Vanish, can be used.

The dry component is diluted with water to a paste. A rag is moistened in the resulting composition and the stained area is treated. After cleaning is completed, the powder is washed off with water.

Radical whitening

If stains cannot be removed using any of the methods, you can use paint . This method is a good choice for sneakers made of genuine leather, but cannot be applied to leatherette and textiles.

To paint white shoes successfully, you must strictly follow the instructions on the paint.

This video will show you how to clean white sneakers:

Methods for whitening sneakers

Shoes will sparkle white again after using folk and modern methods.

Leather shoes cannot be washed, but they can also turn yellow under the influence of various factors, so it is worth considering methods of bleaching both types of materials.

Leather shoes

A mixture of washing powder, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and lemon will remove yellowness from the product.
Special shoe paint for white shoes will return the desired color.

Fabric shoes

Ammonia, rubbed in with a cotton swab in several approaches at intervals of 15 minutes, can eliminate yellowness.
A good home cleaning method is oxygen bleaches, which can either be applied with a soft cloth or used in a solution with laundry detergent to soak. Soaked sneakers should be periodically rubbed on all sides with a brush.
You can bleach fabric by using tooth powder applied to the fabric with the abrasive side of a slightly damp dishwashing sponge. You need to leave it for a couple of hours, and then wipe off the residue with the soft side of a sponge.

Cleaning the sole

Most white sneakers have a sole that is the same color as the upper. It accounts for even more pollution. The task of cleaning is complicated by the relief and porosity of the material. Simple recipes will help you restore your appearance.

Acetone with vinegar

To prepare the cleaning solution you will need the following components:

acetone;
vinegar.

Measure out both liquids in equal quantities and mix. The napkin should be moistened in the prepared solution and wipe the sole, paying more attention to heavily soiled areas. After treatment, rinse the sole.

Lemon acid

Dilute a tablespoon of citric acid in ½ glass of water . Wet a napkin in the prepared solution and treat the sole. After this, rinse the remaining product with water.

Oxygen bleach

For treatment, you can choose one of the oxygen-containing bleaches intended for washing clothes.

Operating procedure:

The selected product is diluted in water in accordance with the instructions.
So much prepared solution is poured into the basin so that when you place the sneakers in it, only the sole is in the water.
Leave for a couple of hours.
Clean the sole with a brush.
Rinse with clean water.

Potato starch with milk

A product that requires the following components will help
clean stubborn stains on white natural leather sneakers

milk;
starch.

Both components are mixed in equal volume. Apply the mixture to the shoes with a brush. After cleaning, the sneakers are rinsed and dried.

How and with what to whiten the white sole of sneakers, video recipes:

We take out the paint

If paint gets on white shoes, the above remedies will not help to deal with it. Special components will be required. It can be:

"White Spirit";
nail polish remover;
acetone.

We recommend: How to eliminate and get rid of the smell of sweat in shoes

Soak a cotton pad in any of these liquids and wipe the paint stain several times.

Remove paint from leather models with a soda solution (a teaspoon in half a glass of water). If the stain is too old and stubborn, you will have to purchase white shoe paint and repaint the sneakers. Or use dry cleaning services.

The composition of the fabrics used to make sneakers may vary. Accordingly, their reaction to certain detergent components is quite difficult to predict. Therefore, before using, be sure to try their effect on an inconspicuous area of the sneaker.

Once stubborn dirt has been removed, you can begin washing your shoes.

Suede and light

Noble suede in white looks very attractive. But keeping such a pair clean is more difficult than a leather pair.

Dirt, dust and moisture are the enemies of white suede. If you happen to get caught in the rain while wearing such shoes, then you need to dry the sneakers thoroughly before cleaning them. To do this, the inside is stuffed with white paper.

Methods for cleaning white suede sneakers:

Use a special brush for suede to clean the surface. This will not only lift the pile, but also remove dirt.
You can use a special cleaning foam for suede. It must be used in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations, which are indicated on the spray body.
Individual stains can be removed by rubbing the surface with a regular eraser.
As a last resort, it can be treated with a soap solution to which a little ammonia has been added (1 tsp per liter of water).

When dealing with a white suede pair, you should avoid over-wetting the material and deforming the pile.

Wash by hand

When hand washing, sports shoes, after the same preliminary preparation, are soaked for an hour or two in a solution of the recommended detergent. Next, carefully but gently brush the top of the sneakers (only a brush with soft bristles will do, it will not damage the fabric) and very carefully rinse off any remaining detergent.

What about genuine leather?

It is contraindicated for natural leather to come into contact with water for a long time: it warps and becomes rough. Therefore, dirt must be removed from it quickly, using water for a short time. The sole is carefully washed under running water, being careful not to wet the leather parts. To clean them, it is often enough to treat them with a thick, foam-rich laundry soap, which is applied with a sponge.

We recommend: 5 proven means for disinfecting shoes against fungus

You can also polish such shoes with a mixture of starch and milk in a 1:2 ratio. After 15 minutes, wash off the remaining composition with a rag. After complete drying, the skin must be polished with a special transparent cream.

Laces and insoles

To return the laces to their original cleanliness, they should be soaked for about half an hour (or a little longer) in a solution of high-quality oxygen bleach. After this, they are washed with simple laundry soap and rinsed.

The cleanliness of the insoles is crucial for the further use of sneakers - sweat molecules and all kinds of microbes, which, due to the active wearing of sports shoes, accumulate on the insoles in huge quantities, can cause not only an unpleasant specific odor, but also the development of difficult-to-treat fungal diseases.

It is best to use laundry soap to wash insoles. They rub the brush thickly with it, and then intensively treat the surface of each insole with it. Now all that remains is to rinse the soap, wait until the excess water drains, and lay the insoles to dry on a flat surface away from heating devices (otherwise they will become rough and severely deformed).

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 often should I wash my sneakers?

Of course, as it gets dirty. However, if you are actively involved in sports or there is an unpleasant odor inside the “fast walkers”, you will need to wash it more often.

Multi-sport athletes, trail runners, and orienteers encounter mud more often, literally. Not only do they have to do laundry frequently, but they also have to carry spare shoes with them. But fans of extreme running (on rough roads, through swamps, etc.) are literally living in a laundry room.

After purchasing sports shoes, read the manufacturer's recommendations. Pay attention to how often to wash, at what temperature, and study other recommendations.

Don’t put off washing for too long - stubborn dirt requires more aggressive washing, which is not very beneficial for sneakers.

Recommendations from experts

The following recommendations will help you wash your white sports shoes better

If there are black stripes or stains on the leather upper, you can remove them using an eraser.
When starting any type of washing, you need to prepare your sneakers - clean them from dirt, remove the laces and insoles.
Colored laces should not be washed with white shoes as they may stain them.
It is recommended to wear gloves when manually cleaning shoes, especially in cases where recipes include citric acid and vinegar.
When washing sneakers, don’t forget to clean the laces and insoles. They can be easily washed by hand using soap.
Textile sneakers and sneakers cannot be washed in hot water, as the material may shrink.
Do not use cleaning products containing chlorine.
When washing sneakers, it is better not to use fabric softener, as it can cause stains.

For white sneakers with colored elements and inserts, it is advisable to use only hand washing, which allows you to keep the process under control.

Selecting a detergent

How to wash sneakers made from different materials? You need to choose the right detergent.

Ordinary laundry soap will help to wash synthetic material well. Manufacturers do not recommend using washing powder.
Textiles should be washed with a neutral liquid detergent. Liquid Vanish will help you wash white sneakers well.
Leather shoes should be washed in a mild soap solution.
It is contraindicated to wet sneakers made of nubuck and suede. They are treated with a special cleaning agent for this material.

Washing certain types of athletic shoes

Sports shoes are especially susceptible to stubborn stains.
You wear them during physical activity, when you work out for long hours and stay outside. You also often wear them in bad weather - consider rain, puddles and dirt the enemies of cleanliness! Sneakers are considered the most practical and comfortable sports shoes. They are suitable for daily wear. The more actively the sneakers are used, the more often they need to be put in order. In some cases, it is enough to clean with a brush, in others, wash in an automatic machine. In order not to spoil the appearance, it is better to clean them manually.

If the shoes have decorative elements - rhinestones, rivets or stripes, then you need to remember that when machine washed they can come off and clog the drain.

On a note! When washed in an automatic machine, the decorative decorations on the sneakers may subsequently rust due to mechanical stress, thereby ruining their appearance.

Summer light moccasins are freshened in the washing machine at your own risk. From intense contact with the walls of the drum, such shoes can become unstuck. The glue may not withstand high temperatures and excess moisture.

What problems may arise

Sneakers, especially professional ones, are not just shoes, they are a design! Manufacturers take into account hundreds of studies, tests, and reviews from athletes. These shoes are very expensive, but using them is a pleasure. Washing in a machine can ruin not only the appearance, but also disrupt its sporting properties:

When twisted in the drum of a washing machine, the surface of the sneakers wears out greatly.
Water gets into the inside of the sole, causing it to lose its shape and lose its shock-absorbing properties.
The surface in the stitching areas begins to fray, and the appearance suffers.
The upper part loses its shape and no longer fits tightly to the sole.

That's why dry cleaning or gentle hand cleaning is recommended for super-professional shoes.

Crosses are too expensive an attribute - both in terms of preferences and in terms of money

Process from start to finish

We will go through with you the whole process of “How to wash sneakers in an automatic washing machine.”

Preparation

If your sneakers are not one of the prohibited types listed above, then it’s time to start preparing for washing:

We advise you to purchase special bags made of durable fabric for washing shoes. They will help keep both your sneakers and your car drum in good condition. Many people successfully replace such bags with unnecessary light-colored socks. A good alternative would be an old pillowcase or a fabric potato bag. If none of the above was found, how to wash sneakers in a machine? Fill the drum with what you don't mind sacrificing - rags, rags, rugs, etc.
Thoroughly clean the sole with a rag or brush - there should be no dirt, stuck sand and pebbles, or stuck chewing gum on it.
If your shoes are heavily soiled, it is better to soak them in a soapy solution for a couple of hours before machine washing. By the way, this is an excellent opportunity to check its suitability for machine washing - if the sneakers have not become deformed, parts have not begun to peel off from them, then they are suitable for a machine wash cycle.
Take out the insoles and laces - they will have to be washed separately and, alas, with your own hands.

Insoles are washed separately by hand

Advice! We warn you before washing your sneakers in an automatic washing machine that many “washers” make unusually loud sounds when cleaning heavy shoes - the soles knock on the metal drum and glass. Therefore, we do not recommend running such a wash when someone is already sleeping in the house.

How to wash sneakers in the washing machine - use only cold water!

Choosing a washing assistant

Laundry soap helps cope well with various types of stains. But you should not use it for bright fabric sneakers - it can discolor the textiles.

Give preference to liquid detergent or washing gel, as regular powder can leave streaks on the surface of the shoes. Dirty sneakers perform best in soft rather than hard water. You can soften it either with special means or with regular baking soda.

We also do not recommend using various rinses or conditioners - they can also leave streaks on the sneakers.

If there are no fabric bags, soften the wash with unnecessary fabric

Wash

What’s good here is that you are almost not involved in the process. You just need to set the necessary parameters for the machine. The table will tell you how to wash sneakers in a washing machine.

Mode	Ideally, your washing machine has a “Shoe Washing” option. However, it is quite possible to do without it - set the “Delicate mode”.
Temperature	No higher than 40 degrees. Washing in hot water is fraught with deformation of shoes, a negative effect on the adhesive base, and “shedding” of bright colored inserts.
Rinsing	Detergents from thick shoes are much more difficult to wash out than from fabric. Therefore, so that unsightly white or yellow stains from the powder do not remain, o. This is especially true for those who are interested in learning how to wash white sneakers in the washing machine.
Spin	Such a strong mechanical impact is contraindicated even in branded shoes - there is a possibility that they will become deformed or even fall apart. Therefore, turn off the Spin function.
Drying	Drying in the washing machine drum should also not be activated - exposure to high temperatures will negatively affect the appearance of the sneakers.

An incorrectly configured washing cycle can lead to disastrous consequences.
No matter how high-quality the sneakers are, still take pity on them - do not machine wash them more than twice a month. After a shoe washing cycle, it’s still a good idea to disinfect the drum - turn on the highest temperature mode, pour citric acid into the compartment instead of powder, and “run” one cycle without laundry.

Advice! Under no circumstances should you wash more than two pairs of sneakers at once in a washing machine! Ideally: one wash cycle = one pair of sneakers. Why is economical washing dangerous? The hard soles of several sneakers can easily damage the washer drum, or even break the glass on the door.

Washing sneakers in various washing machines

Depending on the brand of automatic machine, the mode used for washing sports or other shoes can vary dramatically. Let's look at some of the differences in the table:

Automatic car brand	Washing mode	Features of the washing mode
Samsung	Washing mode: delicate or quick.	The duration of a quick wash is a quarter of an hour. Spin mode cannot be turned off. Delicate mode – duration 45 minutes.
LG	Delicate cycle or for washing woolen items.	Washing time is about an hour. Set the temperature within 30-400C.
Bosch	Delicate wash cycle.	Washing for half an hour. Temperature 300C.
Indesit	Mode for washing sports shoes.	Wash at speed – 500, temperature – 300C, time – 40 minutes.

What to do if there is no special bag

How to wash sneakers in an automatic machine if we don’t have a special bag? An old towel is a great alternative. Simply throw two towels into the drum with your sneakers to absorb shock. It is not recommended to use emollients in the form of conditioner. For washing you only need a small amount of liquid powder.

All that remains is to set the appropriate temperature. It is recommended to wash at 30 degrees. For safety reasons, you should avoid spinning, which most often damages shoes. It may even damage them. So there's no point in taking risks.

Drying

Proper drying is no less important.
It’s easy to dry sneakers without the help of a washing machine:

After you remove your shoes from the washing machine, stuff them tightly with absorbent paper. Polished, glossy, dense will not be suitable for these purposes. If the interior lining of the shoes is dark, then you can use newspapers, preferably black and white. For light upholstery, you need plain white paper - newspaper can leave annoying stains and streaks. An alternative is cotton or linen fabric.
The optimal temperature for drying is room temperature. Under no circumstances should you place your sneakers on a radiator, heater, or under the scorching rays of the sun! This may cause deformation of their material.

An old toothbrush is a good alternative to machine washing

Quick drying

If you need to dry your sneakers urgently after you have washed your sneakers in an automatic machine, you can use one of these methods:

A hairdryer will speed up drying a little

“Grandma’s” drying method - using salt

Salt can be replaced with rice

You can try drying your sneakers with the fan on.

You can also try silica gel balls

The most effective assistant is a vacuum cleaner

Hair dryer. Of course, hot air flows are contraindicated. But you will speed up the drying process if you blow the inside of your shoes with warm air currents. A miracle won’t happen—the sneakers won’t dry out in an hour, but things will still go faster.
Table salt (some replace it with rice). Heat the required amount of salt in the frying pan until it becomes warm. Then pour it into old socks and put them on your wet sneakers. The process must be repeated when the salt has cooled.
Vacuum cleaner. According to reviews from many experimenters, drying each shoe in a pair with a vacuum cleaner does not take more than 20 minutes! You need to remove the brush or attachment from the device tube, place it inside the sneaker and turn on the vacuum cleaner. It will draw in air along with moisture. The more powerful the mode, the faster the drying.
Silica gel balls. Most suitable for suede shoes. Place them in each of the sneakers - after a couple of hours the shoes should dry in this way.
Fan. Some people dry their sneakers next to this switched on device.
Coals from a fire. Of course, this method is most suitable when you get your feet wet in nature. Wrap warm coals in cloth or newspaper and stuff them into your sneakers.