Fashion changes almost every year. But time passes, and things that were worn many years ago become relevant. So white sneakers - descendants of canvas shoes, which fashionistas sported almost a century ago, have now become very popular. In former times, ideal whiteness was achieved using ordinary tooth powder. Today you can safely buy white sneakers, because caring for them has become easier. Numerous detergents and household appliances allow you to clean them and maintain the appearance of your shoes in completely different ways.
How to clean white sneakers: start with the sole
Let's start by cleaning the soles; this is where the most dirt accumulates. If you ignore this step, dirt may end up on another surface during cleaning. In addition, if left untreated, the sole of the sneaker will quickly turn yellow and ruin the beautiful appearance of the product. The sole of the sneaker can be cleaned with the following products.
Washing powder
Before cleaning the soles of white sneakers, you need to make the following solution. Add washing powder to warm water and mix thoroughly. Treat the surface of your shoes with it, you can put them in the resulting mixture and leave for half an hour. Now find any unnecessary toothbrush and clean the dirt from the rubber surface. When finished, rinse with plenty of water. Try to wash off all remnants of the solution so that yellow stains do not appear after drying.
The effect of washing powder can be enhanced by adding acetic acid, about half of the added powder.
Baking soda
Take regular baking soda and add enough water to form a paste. Now clean the sole as much as possible from dirt with plain water. Use a sponge or rag to wipe the surface of the sole. Leave until completely dry. Wipe well again and rinse off the residue under running water.
For better results, you can clean it with soda and peroxide. To do this, mix them in a ratio of 2:3. Wipe the required surface thoroughly and rinse with running water.
The method can be used for prevention after each use of shoes. Thus, the beautiful appearance will be preserved for many years.
Vinegar
Another way to clean white sneakers is to use table vinegar. Mix with water in a ratio of 1:3. You need to rub the wet sole with it; for this you can use a clean cloth or sponge. Now wipe again with a damp cloth. All that remains is to dry the sneakers in the fresh air.
You can use a stronger recipe. Mix vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda in a ratio of 2:1:3. Apply to stains that are difficult to wash off and rinse off after 15 minutes. Wash as usual. You only need to dry your sneakers while hanging them, otherwise they will take a very long time to dry. In this case, only natural drying is allowed without heat sources such as batteries.
Toothpaste
Use toothpaste without dyes. Apply to an old toothbrush and a little to dirty surfaces. Moisten the cloth and rubber and clean the surface with a brush. Leave it like this for 20 minutes. Continue until the sole is completely whitened. By adding dry dishwashing detergent to toothpaste, you can significantly enhance the effect. After finishing, you need to wash the white sneakers from the product and dry them.
Proper drying at home
Washing your sneakers correctly is half the battle. To prevent the white upper from becoming stained and the material from becoming deformed, the shoes must be dried properly.
After washing, the sneakers are turned upside down, allowing the water to drain. For drying, choose a warm, not damp place with good ventilation .
You can speed up the absorption of water from sneakers by filling them with crumpled white paper. Newspapers cannot be used for this purpose - they are ways to color white material with printing ink.
Can:
- Dry outside, but not in the sun;
- dry in a dry place.
It is forbidden:
- try to speed up the drying process by placing shoes near heating devices, near fire sources;
- expose wet sneakers to the sun;
- leave in a damp room;
- dry unflattened.
How to wash sneakers: washing
The sole has been successfully washed and looks like new, you can proceed to general cleaning and washing. First of all, you need to figure out whether the sneakers can be washed. Machine washing is only permissible in difficult cases or when the shoes are of no value. Before washing your white sneakers, familiarize yourself with all the washing methods.
Manual
First you need to prepare your shoes for the procedure. To do this, remove the laces and insoles. Take a wide basin, add cold water and immerse the sneakers. Add enough water to the washing powder to form a thick paste. Treat the sneakers completely and leave for half an hour. Rinse under running water and leave until completely dry. To avoid yellow stains, use only cold water.
Machine
As mentioned above, washing in a washing machine is a last resort option. If you decide on such a procedure, then before washing your sneakers, check their quality. Cheap, low quality shoes may simply fall apart in the process.
- To prevent mud from getting into the drum, clean the outside surface by hand.
- Remove the insoles and laces; during the washing process they may become damaged or get caught in the machine filter.
- Before putting it in the wash, you need to put mesh bags on top.
- To soften the washing process, add old items to the drum, or better yet, wrap your shoes in them. This is done in order to reduce the impact of the sneakers on the walls.
- Use a special bleaching powder, about half the usual dose. Add oxygen bleach if possible.
- Turn on the shoe wash or delicate cycle without spinning.
- The maximum permissible temperature is 35 °C.
- Hang to dry.
Dry
You can bleach white sneakers at home by dry washing. As with everything else, remove the insoles and laces. Remove dirt from the sole and other surfaces. We will use tooth powder for cleaning; it can easily cope with such problems. Wet the brush and dip into the powder, then brush thoroughly inside and out. After 40 minutes, remove the residue with another brush, or the same one, but after preliminary cleaning.
Is it possible manually?
If white sneakers need to be washed in a gentle way, the manual option is optimal. Unfortunately, even this may not be available if the sneakers are made of suede or the shoes have significant damage.
For hand washing you will need:
- pelvis;
- brush;
- washing powder or gel;
- water.
Cleaning procedure:
- Pour warm water into a basin.
- Dissolve the detergent.
- Dip the prepared sneakers into the solution.
- Wash with a brush.
- Rinse well so that no detergent remains on the fabric.
How to clean suede shoes
There are several ways to clean suede sneakers. The material is very delicate and therefore requires a special approach. Avoid contact with water. Several effective methods for cleaning suede shoes:
- Use the dry cleaning method mentioned above. If you get caught in the rain, wait until the surface is completely dry, only then can you clean the suede. Use a soft brush to remove dirt. You can restore the attractiveness of the pile with a regular eraser.
- Water is harmful to suede sneakers, but foam can be used. Remove large dirt. Buy a special foam for shoe care and apply evenly to the entire surface. After 10 minutes, carefully remove it with a sponge.
- There is also a wet method. Make soapy water and add a few drops of ammonia. Put on rubber gloves, soak a rag in the solution and twist it well. Treat the required surface with it. Wipe again with a clean damp sponge.
Material imposes limitations
When choosing a processing technique, you should take into account the material used to make the sneakers. In most cases they are made of textiles. This pair can be washed both by hand and in a machine.
But some models with varnished fragments, suede, and complex designer decor cannot be washed at all. More stringent requirements apply to sneakers that are planned to be machine washed.
Textile
Fabric sneakers are comfortable summer shoes. It has a large list of advantages:
- ease;
- breathability;
- attractiveness.
But a white textile pair requires more care than a colored one. High-quality sneakers can be washed both in a machine and by hand.
Between washes, these shoes can be cleaned with a dry brush to prevent dirt from being driven deep into the fibers.
When washing textile sneakers, you should try to avoid prolonged soaking and a long wash cycle . More information about washing fabric sneakers can be found here.
Suede
White suede sneakers are very attractive, but at the same time they are easily soiled and not resistant to wet handling. It is advisable to clean such shoes using a dry method.
For processing, it is recommended to use special brushes for suede. If a place needs to be washed, the cleaning solution is prepared in a weak concentration and does not allow the material to be significantly moistened.
Faux leather
Leatherette sneakers are not machine washable. And when processing by hand, intense friction is prohibited - the material simply will not survive it .
Leatherette sneakers should only be washed if they are heavily soiled and dry cleaning is ineffective.
Leather
In many fashion collections, sneakers are presented not only in textiles, but also in leather.
If the shoes are made of genuine leather, it is necessary to ensure the most delicate treatment , without intense vigorous impact and friction.
White leather sneakers in most cases respond well to careful cleaning with soapy water and a light brush. After drying, it is advisable to treat white leather sneakers with a special impregnation.
Getting rid of yellow stains: 3 ways
Let's figure out how to remove yellow stains from white sneakers. Sometimes after the procedures there are traces of yellow stains. Basically, this situation arises due to incorrect actions. For example, shoes were not dried properly. There are several methods that can help you clean fabric sneakers.
talc
Mix talc and baby powder in equal proportions. Stir and add enough water to form a paste. Apply it to all dirt and rub thoroughly. Leave until completely dry. Remove any remaining product with a brush. Repeat the procedure if necessary.
Washing powder and soda
- Mix washing powder, baking soda and water in a 1:1:1 ratio.
- Stir until foam forms.
- Moisten the surface you will be cleaning with clean water.
- Treat contaminated areas.
- Rinse off any residue and wipe with a dry towel.
- Leave until completely dry.
Thus, using washing powder and soda, you can clean your sneakers from yellow stains.
Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide does a great job of removing yellow stains. Using a cotton pad, apply to the stains and leave on for 3-5 minutes. Wipe again and rinse off residue with clean water.
When washing white sneakers at home, add a little peroxide. This will give a whitening effect and prevent the appearance of yellow stains.
The method is only suitable for white products, as it can discolor.
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.
Fighting stubborn stains: 4 available remedies
We figured out how to clean dirt from sneakers. But what to do when you have to deal with old stains? In this case, stronger methods will be needed. Below are 4 effective ways to clean stubborn dirt from sneakers.
Petrol
You will need special purified gasoline. Treat the stain with a piece of cotton wool soaked in the product and leave for 10 minutes. Proceed very carefully, especially when dealing with fabric or suede. Wipe the area and apply stain remover. Clean until stains are completely removed and rinse with clean water.
Vinegar, citric acid and powder
- Mix citric acid, vinegar and washing powder in equal proportions.
- Mix thoroughly until a homogeneous mixture is formed.
- Moisten the contaminated surface.
- Apply the mixture and leave for ten minutes.
- Rinse and hang dry.
Ammonia
- Wipe off any dirt with a cotton swab soaked in ammonia.
- Continue scrubbing until completely clean.
- Rinse with clean water and leave to dry.
The method works best for white shoes. Not recommended for other colors or designs.
Petrolatum
It will cope not only with old stains, but also with yellow stains.
- Rub Vaseline onto the desired surface.
- Leave for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove any residue with a dry cloth.
- Wash by hand using laundry soap.
Recommendations
Recommendations regarding the choice of cleaning methods should be taken into account. For each type of washing there are rules from which it is undesirable to deviate. We also offer a photo list of products that will be useful in machine and hand washing.
Gloss
Alcohol solution
Powder + peroxide + vinegar
Soda
Soap solution
Citric acid powder
Hand wash powder
Laundry or baby soap
Collar soap (dry)
Solution for leather shoes
Shoe stain remover
Shoe soap
These are the methods we discussed today in the article that will help you wash sneakers made from different materials - leather, artificial (eco) leather, cloth and various fabric materials. Additionally, we invite you to watch the video in this article,
to present all the possible options for cleaning shoes of different colors and designs. If you wish, you can always paint your shoes any color, and this does not depend on the material, workmanship or payment. Do it yourself, the process is not difficult. Also, do not forget that in addition to household chemicals, there are now many products from professional manufacturers of soap components. Dry and liquid substances are designed for wet and dry cleaning, and a special hair dryer has been developed for sneakers. This way you can take care of your shoes at any time - before an important meeting or after getting into a puddle or mud. It is enough to always carry cleaning items with you, and then no weather is scary.
How to wash white laces
Laces are washed separately from shoes. To do this, we will use laundry soap and an unnecessary toothbrush. For convenience, collect them in your palm, create a soap solution, soak the brush in it and start cleaning. In difficult cases, the laces are soaked in a separate container and left to soak. After cleaning, rinse off any residue under running water.
Unlike shoes, laces cannot be washed white. You can try special bleaches, but there are no guarantees.
Dry cleaning
Turning to shoe dry cleaning services is sometimes the only option to save your sneakers and restore their attractiveness. Sneaker dry cleaners even undertake complex cleaning of not only sports shoes, but also boots, boots, etc.
The popularity of such a service in the service sector tends to grow. Shoe dry cleaners can be found in major cities by searching online.
The list of services usually includes:
- cleaning;
- restoration;
- disinfection;
- deodorization.
Depending on the model and complexity of the contamination, the cost of the cleaning service is determined. The average cost of standard cleaning will be about 1,500 rubles .
For an additional fee, it is possible to provide other services - painting, minor repairs, replacement of laces.
Useful tips
We found out how easy it is to clean white canvas sneakers. Use any of the above methods. There are several other cleaning methods:
- Lemon will help remove stains from the soles. Rub the rubber with a slice and leave for 15 minutes. Wipe with a damp cloth and rinse off any residue.
- To combat yellow stains, use chlorinated bleach. It is diluted in water in a ratio of 1:10. Immerse the sole in the resulting solution for 20 minutes. Hand wash and dry.
- Moisten the sole, rub it first with an eraser and then with a regular damp sponge.
- Use nail polish remover. Dampen a cotton pad and clean the surface.
