How to clean white sneakers?

Tags: #Linen

In summer I want to wear light-colored shoes. Many men, women and children prefer white sneakers for these purposes. They are very light, versatile, and fit almost all clothes. They have the only drawback: they get dirty quickly. Moreover, it is not necessary to walk through puddles; any street dust settles on them much faster and more noticeably. There is a way out of this situation - you can clean white shoes at home without much effort and cost to your wallet.

Preparatory work

Before proceeding directly to cleansing and washing, you should:

remove the laces and, if necessary, the insoles from the sneakers to wash them separately;
Use a shoe brush to clean off all the sand and dirt from your shoes so that it does not transfer back to the clean surface;
Wipe the shoes to remove any remaining dust with a cloth soaked in clean water.

After the procedure has been completed, you can proceed to cleaning the sneakers and giving them their original appearance.

Ways to clean white sneakers

There are many ways you can whiten your sneakers and get rid of dirty stains. The simplest of them is ordinary washing in a washing machine. It should be done at a water temperature of 30–40 degrees at medium speed without spinning.. To avoid damage to shoe parts and accessories, you can use special laundry bags.

However, this method is only suitable for fresh and not ingrained stains, and most likely will not cope with cleaning the sole. For deeper cleansing, it is better to use other, more effective means at hand.

Toothpaste

For this method, select an old toothbrush that you will use to clean your sneakers. A small foam sponge may also come in handy. Squeeze a little toothpaste onto the brush and thoroughly clean the soles. By the way, For whitening effectiveness, you can add a few drops of lemon juice. After this, apply the paste to the entire woven surface of the shoe. If you are afraid of damaging the texture, you can use a sponge. Leave the sneakers for 10–20 minutes, then rinse them thoroughly under warm water.

To clean white shoes, do not use colored or filled shoe polish as it may stain the rubber and fabric. It is better to use regular white or whitening toothpaste for brushing your teeth.

Soda

Every housewife definitely has some baking soda in her kitchen. With its help you can not only “raise” the dough, but also wash your shoes. For this:

In a bowl, mix baking soda and water until it becomes a thick paste (if desired, you can add a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide if available);
lightly moisten the surface of the sneaker;
using a sponge, carefully spread the paste first over the sole, and if necessary, over the entire surface of the sneaker;
leave the shoes in this condition for 30 minutes. To increase the effect, place the pair on the sunny side of the balcony or windowsill;
Rub the sneakers again with a sponge and rinse off the baking soda.

Dish detergent

Dishwashing liquid perfectly removes stubborn stains. For this method, you will need the same old toothbrush again. Apply a little product to it, after wetting the surface of the sneaker. Rub the gel in a circular motion to create foam. Rinse your shoes with warm running water. If necessary, you can repeat the steps.

In the same way You can also clean your sneakers using regular liquid hand soap, laundry soap or laundry gel..

Lemon and ammonia

These two products are approximately equally effective, and the method of using them for cleaning is also quite similar:

If you choose lemon juice, then cut half or a thick circle from a whole lemon. Wipe the stained areas several times and leave the sneakers for 20–30 minutes. If after this time the stains remain, repeat the steps again.. After this, rinse your shoes with clean water;
If you prefer cleaning with ammonia, then soak a cotton pad in it and thoroughly wipe the problem areas. Repeat the procedure until the heel completely disappears from the surface. Rinse your shoes.

Ammonia has a sharp, specific odor. Be careful! Do not bring things soaked in it close to the respiratory tract.

Bleaching

Household chemicals aisles often sell products that contain chlorine, such as chlorinated bleach. If you decide to use it, then dilute the liquid with cool water in a ratio of 1:10. Place the sneakers in a bowl with the mixture for half an hour.After this, wash them thoroughly in running water and dry.

A mixture of vinegar and peroxide with powder

To enhance the bleaching effect, you can add a little table vinegar and a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to regular washing powder.. This mixture perfectly removes old stains and helps restore a perfectly white color.

How to remove yellowness?

Yellowed stains spoil the appearance of a white product no less than dirt stains. We offer several methods that are guaranteed to help you get rid of yellowness:

using talc. It can be either in its pure form or in the form of baby powder. Mix it with a small amount of clean water until a thick paste forms. It is advisable to treat the entire surface of the sneaker, but pay attention to especially yellow areas. After complete drying, remove the talc with a stiff shoe brush;
using hydrogen peroxide. Dampen a cotton pad with it and apply it to the yellow spot for about a minute, then rinse the area with cold water. After this, each time you wash white shoes, add a little peroxide, it will prevent the appearance of yellowness after washing.

How to get rid of stains?

Some stubborn stains are very difficult to remove with ordinary soapy water or, for example, toothpaste. For them you need to use more aggressive methods:

refined gasoline. The method is dangerous for fabric, but effective. Apply a cotton swab with gasoline to the stain for 5 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly;
Mix the powder with citric acid and vinegar in equal proportions and apply this paste to a pre-moistened sneaker. After 10–15 minutes, wash your shoes;
a mixture of citric acid and baking soda. Prepare a fairly thick paste from these ingredients and leave the “compress” for half an hour.After this, clean the shoes with a brush and rinse off the dried mixture with warm water.

How to paint over scratches on the sole?

At home, you can not only remove stains from white shoes, but also get rid of various scratches and abrasions. This can be done using:

Vaseline. When applying it, try not to get it on the fabric surface - greasy Vaseline will be very difficult to wash off. Leave Vaseline on the sole for 10 minutes and then clean it first with a dry and then a damp cloth. The scratches should disappear;
acetone. At home, you can use nail polish remover with acetone. Moisten a cotton swab generously with it and rub into the abrasions until they disappear;
special eraser for shoes. You can buy it in the household or shoe department. Its effect is quite gentle because it does not contain any chemical compounds.. Its effect will not leave you indifferent: it will delicately clean your sneakers and will not spoil their appearance with excessive chemical exposure.

How to update sneakers from the inside?

You can wash the inside of your sneakers using a small toothbrush or shoe brush. First, remove the insole to wash it separately. To wash the inside of the shoe, you can use any of the following methods, for example, toothpaste or baking soda solution. However in most cases, to refresh sneakers from the inside, a regular machine or hand wash with washing powder or gel is enough.