How to wash sneakers by hand to get rid of the smell, how to wash them by hand without streaks at home?

Timely, competent washing of sneakers preserves the attractive appearance of the product for as long as possible.

To ensure that the result is perfectly clean sneakers, it is important to familiarize yourself in advance with the basic recommendations on how to properly wash sports shoes by hand.

We'll tell you in this article how to properly wash sneakers by hand without streaks at home.

Preparing to wash by hand

The quality of washing largely depends on how the shoes are prepared for cleaning:

Adhered dirt is cleaned from the surface of the sneakers with a brush. It is important to remove dirt with gentle movements rather than vigorously rubbing. Otherwise, scratches may appear on shoes (especially leather ones).
Read also: Using bleach for bed linen at home
Remove dirt from the sole under running water. It is necessary to carefully inspect the tread for stuck stones and other small objects. If necessary, they are removed with a knitting needle, knife or other sharp object.
The side edge of the white sole is cleared of black stripes. To do this, use a regular student eraser.
Stubborn, old stains on sneakers must be removed at the stage of preparation for washing. Otherwise, the cleaning effect may not be as desired. So grass and food stains can be easily cleaned with an oxygen stain remover. Hydrogen peroxide will help remove traces of blood.
Before washing, you must remove the laces and insoles (they are washed separately).

Main causes of pollution

Dirty shoes always look untidy.
Well-cleaned shoes have always been considered one of the main signs of a well-mannered and cultured person, so everyone tries to monitor the neatness of their different types, including sneakers. And yet it is very difficult to keep them clean with frequent wear. The main causes of pollution include:

street dust, slush, various dirt - outside;
traces and smell of sweat - from the inside.

Regular cleaning, which should be done at least twice a month, helps to quickly get rid of both. Otherwise, dirt and sweat begin to soak into the fabric and become difficult to remove completely.

Which ones can and can't be washed?

Not all sneakers are washable. Depending on the type of material, a specific washing method and type of detergent are selected:

Textile sports shoes can be soaked or washed by hand using laundry soap, any washing powder or gel.
Leather sports shoes should be washed very carefully in a warm soapy solution. To wash leather sneakers, use baby or laundry soap.
White fabric sneakers are washed using oxygen bleaches or stain removers (can be soaked in warm water with added detergent).
Sneakers made of suede or nubuck are strictly prohibited from being washed. The velvety surface will be irrevocably damaged if it comes into contact with water. This type of shoe can only be cleaned with special spray cleaners or by using dry cleaning services.

Leather Products

Models made from genuine or eco-leather usually do not cause major maintenance problems. Especially if you treat them with cream or water-repellent spray before leaving home, it will be enough to simply wipe them with a cloth upon return.

However, if the contamination is severe, you can clean leather sneakers using the following folk remedies:

Onion juice will do a great job of removing any stubborn stains and polishing the surface.
Formulations with milk are recommended for white leather sneakers. For example, mix egg white with milk and treat Snickers with this mixture. Leave for an hour, then rinse. You will be surprised how easy it is to give your favorite shoes the same look as before.
Potato starch is mixed with milk and this slurry is applied to sneakers. When everything is dry, remove the residue with a brush.

Remember the main thing: do not clean your skin with abrasive products such as soda and tooth powder. Also avoid using lemon juice and acetone.

How to do everything correctly so that there are no divorces?

Before you begin the washing process, you need to decide on the type of detergent and water temperature.

Correct temperature:

leather sneakers should be washed in water no higher than +30 C (hot water will cause the leather to begin to deform);
White textile shoes can be washed at a water temperature not exceeding +40C.

The general rule for choosing a temperature regime is: do not use water above 40-50C. Ignoring this requirement may result in unsticking at the junction of the upper and sole.

The right detergent:

Textile sneakers with mesh can be easily washed with ordinary laundry soap, powder, or liquid washing gel. But for colored shoes you cannot use soap or powder with a bleaching effect.
Leather sneakers are washed in soapy solutions at low temperatures.

Regardless of what material the sneakers are made of, it is strictly forbidden to use chlorine-containing and alkaline preparations (for example, Whiteness bleach) when washing.

The shoes have been pre-prepared, the choice of detergent has been made, you can proceed directly to the washing process:

The shoes are completely immersed in the soap solution for thirty minutes. Along with the sneakers, the laces and insoles are placed in the basin.
After soaking, the laces and insoles are thoroughly soaped and rubbed with a brush on both sides.
After soaking, rub the sneakers thoroughly with a soft brush or foam sponge.
First of all, rub the sole, smoothly moving to the top of the sneaker. Particular attention is paid to the inside (this is where a lot of bacteria, sweat, and dirt accumulate).
The washing process does not take much time. Not taking into account the soaking time, after just five to ten minutes of active rubbing with a brush or sponge, the sneakers again acquire a shiny, clean look. After the washing process is completed, the shoes must be carefully wrung out (avoiding strong bends in the soles) and proceed to the next stage - rinsing.
Sneakers are rinsed with special care, changing the water several times. Ignoring these conditions can cause unattractive yellow streaks.

To give your sneakers a pleasant scent, add one capful of fabric softener to the rinse water.

The first nuance: choose a method

Many are confused by the fact that manufacturers categorically do not recommend washing sneakers in a washing machine, advising cleaning them exclusively by hand. This ban on the use of smart technology applies especially strongly to shoes made from natural materials. Of course, there is a risk that staying in an automatic machine will not do the shoes any good: after this, they will lose their shape, and individual parts will peel off from the base.

But if you know some secrets and do everything correctly, you can get excellent results without much effort. Which wash should you prefer? Decide for yourself. If you are confident in the quality of your shoes, it will be more convenient to wash your sneakers in the washing machine. Well, if this option scares you, all that remains is to prepare a basin and detergent.

Shoes made of suede and leather can deteriorate when washed in a machine not from exposure to traumatic rotations, but from the wrong choice of water temperature.

Dry cleaning at home

Cleaning shoes using special products, without water, is called dry washing (this care method is actively used for suede and nubuck).

Algorithm of actions:

pre-prepared shoes are sprinkled inside and outside with talcum powder, crushed activated carbon powder, and sea salt;
after two to three hours, carefully clean the shoes with a soft brush or sponge.

As an option, sneakers made of nubuck or suede are treated with special sprays. The active foam reagent binds dirt particles and removes them from the pile. After treatment, you need to wait until the foam dries, and then use gentle movements to treat the shoes with a brush or sponge.

An eraser will help lift the crushed pile of sneakers. It is enough to run it over the dry surface of the shoe to clean and lift the fibers of nubuck or suede.

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.

If you remove dirt locally, you may end up with stains. It is better to clean the entire area of the shoe.

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

What can I do to get rid of the smell?

You can eliminate unpleasant odor 100% using the following tips:

Before washing, shoes must be treated with a solution of citric acid. The dry powder is dissolved with water to a thick paste, then rubbed into the lining and upper of the sneaker.
Salt will help eliminate the unpleasant odor. A teaspoon of salt is dissolved in 250 ml of water, after which the shoes are treated with the resulting solution.
Crushed bay leaves placed in your sneakers overnight will help quickly remove unpleasant odors. In the same way, you can refresh your shoes using crushed activated carbon and orange peels.

When treating sneakers with solutions against unpleasant odors, special attention must be paid to the insole - the main reservoir of germs and bacteria.

How to dry?

To prevent sneakers from losing their shape after washing, it is very important to follow all the recommendations for proper drying:

At the end of washing, the shoes are placed on the side of the bathtub or washbasin with the toes down (in this position, the water drains from the sneakers faster).
To prevent shoes from losing their shape during the drying process, they are filled with paper balls made from napkins and toilet paper. Sports shoes are stuffed quite tightly, but without stretching upward.
After twenty or thirty minutes, the paper balls need to be changed (they get wet very quickly and cease to fulfill their function as an accumulator of excess liquid).
Sneakers are set out to dry in a well-ventilated place, protected from direct sunlight.

Absolutely forbidden:

use a hairdryer to speed up the drying process (sudden changes in temperature can deform the upper of sports shoes);
expose sneakers to a hot radiator (the sole may become deformed).

An electric dryer will help speed up the shoe drying process.

Tips and prohibitions

Dry wipes, newspaper or paper towels stuffed inside will help maintain the shape of sports shoes after washing.
You can speed up the drying process by exposing your shoes to the open air.
Frequent washing can quickly deteriorate the appearance of the product.
It is necessary to wash shoes if the upper is significantly dirty or if an unpleasant odor appears. Local dirt can be easily removed by partially washing the shoes.
If there are stains left after washing, ammonia or soda solution will help remove them.
Regular treatment with special water-repellent sprays will help keep sports shoes clean.

Recommendations for caring for different materials

When buying sports shoes, you should ask the seller about the care of the model. You may need to immediately buy special products, especially for leather or suede products. If you plan to wear them in the rainy season, the sneakers are treated with water-repellent liquids. After getting your feet wet, you must immediately dry the sneakers, otherwise you will not be able to avoid stretching of the product and an unpleasant odor.

Sneakers must be washed at least several times a season, but this should not be done too often. You can remove stains faster if you do it right away. After each walk, you should wipe your shoes, even if there are no visible stains. Over time, the dust will eat in and give the material a dark color.

Rate this post