Suede and its care
Suede shoes always look elegant and noble. It is very comfortable and soft, easily molding to the shape of your foot. You need to take special care of suede sneakers. Careless attitude and improper care will quickly render the product unusable. To keep your suede sneakers looking elegant for as long as possible, do not wear them in wet weather, and do not dry them near heating devices.
If the suede begins to shine and rub, then the surface can be wiped with a cotton swab, previously soaked in a solution of ammonia and water in a ratio of 2:1. After this, you can go over the top with a special rubber brush. You can also restore its former attractiveness with the help of vinegar. Dilute 1 tsp. vinegar in 0.5 l. water. Apply the solution using a sponge.
A universal shoe care product is washing powder. It will help remove both fresh and stubborn stains. Dilute a small amount of powder in warm water. Treat the surface with the resulting soap solution. Then use a clean, dry cloth to remove any residue and leave to dry.
Grease stains can be removed using gasoline and talcum powder. Apply a little gasoline to the stain and sprinkle talcum powder on top. After 1-1.5 hours, remove the residue with a clean cloth and walk over the surface with a stiff brush. Instead of talc, you can use starch.
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:
Cleaning methods
Almost every person has sports shoes in their arsenal. And if it gets dirty, you don’t have to turn to professionals for help and take your shoes to the dry cleaner. You can also clean your shoes at home using available products.
The easiest way to clean is to wash it in an automatic machine. But you won’t be able to clean suede sneakers or nubuck shoes this way.
Also make sure that there are no stickers, Velcro parts or other elements on the surface of the product that could clog the drain. You should wash your sneakers in a machine no more than two pairs, otherwise you risk breaking the glass. If your washing machine doesn’t have a “shoe shine” mode, don’t worry. Select delicate mode with minimum temperature. It is not recommended to wring out and dry shoes in a machine, as this will lead to deformation. It is also not advisable to use various rinses and conditioners. They leave behind stains, and dealing with them will not be easy.
You can also clean your sneakers by hand. This is the most gentle option. You can wash your sneakers with washing powder or laundry soap. Do not use scented soap. Soak your shoes in soapy water for 20-30 minutes. Then brush over problem areas. If there are old yellow spots on the surface, they can be treated with lemon juice or citric acid.
White sneakers will look like new if you clean them with a stain remover solution or any other bleach. The sole and other elements can be treated with toothpaste. However, light suede sneakers should not be cleaned this way. The result will be the opposite.
Fabric sneakers, despite their attractive appearance, quickly get dirty. At first, you can clean your shoes with a dry brush or a slightly damp cloth. But if it is no longer possible to get rid of contaminants in this way, then you can use chemicals. Problem areas can be treated with gasoline, turpentine, ammonia, and acetone. Textile shoes can also be washed in a machine or by hand. When washing by hand, there is no need to soak it in a soapy solution, as this can lead to the adhesive base coming unglued.
Industrial brighteners, stain removers
If the dirt is deep or old, and the sneakers are made of fabric, then it is better to use factory-made stain removal or bleaching products. Dilute the drug and use according to the recommendations on the package.
Important! You should use products without aggressive components (chlorine or alkali), otherwise the fabric will be destroyed, the skin will turn yellow and crack. It is recommended to choose oxygen-based drugs.
Usually the product is applied to the surface that needs to be bleached for 15 minutes, after which it is washed off. Shoes should be soaked for several hours in water with the added drug.
Important! If the product has mesh, various decor, or silk inserts, you should not apply chemicals to them - the enamel will peel off, the delicate fabric will deteriorate, and the mesh will tear.
Vinegar-acetone mixture
The substances are mixed 1:1. Using a cloth or cotton pad, apply the mixture to the entire dirty surface and wash it off after a few minutes.
Whitening laundry soap
Rub white soap onto a wet clothes brush to remove stains and whiten. Then rub the dirty shoes with this brush, especially carefully cleaning the dirty area. Next, the sneakers are rinsed from soap in clean water. This option is especially suitable for textile models.
Preparatory stage
Before washing sneakers from dirt or other stains, it is necessary to carry out preparatory procedures:
- Remove all additional elements: decor, laces, Velcro, insoles.
- Soak the insoles in soapy water.
- Dry dust and dirt from the surface and sole must be cleaned with a brush.
- Prepare a laundry bag. It can be replaced with an old pillowcase.
Do not allow the sole to bend too much. After washing in the machine, the shoes should be gently wrung out by hand. Cleaning sneakers also includes proper drying. The result of the entire wash depends on proper drying. Do not place shoes under heating devices. To give the sneakers the correct shape, stuff the inside with toilet paper, newspaper, napkins or a towel. As a filler, do not use things that can fade. After stuffing, place the shoes in a warm and well-ventilated place.
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.
Folk remedies
You can also clean white or black sneakers, shoes made of leather, suede, fabric or nubuck using folk remedies. The sole of the sneakers quickly turns yellow. There are several ways to get rid of yellowness. You can bleach the sole using improvised means. Yellowness is quickly removed by vinegar essence or citric acid. You can also use baking soda. Apply the bleach to the soles and leave for 20-30 minutes. Then use a toothbrush to scrub.
Acetone or any other solvent or vegetable oil will help to remove the paint. Soak a cotton swab in the liquid and gently apply to the problem area. Alcohol and dishwashing gel effectively remove oil stains. For daily cleaning, you can treat the soles of sneakers with Vaseline. However, it will not be possible to clean the soles completely this way. Grass stains can be easily removed with a saline solution or hydrogen peroxide.
How to get rid of unpleasant odor
To remove the terrible odor that often appears in sports shoes, especially those made of artificial leather, you should first wash the insoles and leave the sneakers themselves in the fresh air and ventilate them for at least a day.
After this, treat the inside of the shoe (sprinkle or wipe) with ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, miramistin or other antiseptic. Let the pair dry. After this, the sneakers will smell much less.
For a pleasant aroma, you can spray a special shoe deodorant inside the boots and drop a few drops of aromatic oil (citrus or pine aroma).
Important! Any sneakers should be worn only on clean feet and socks, otherwise the smell of sweat and dirty skin will be absorbed into the material and it will be difficult to get rid of the “aroma”.
Healthy! In case of fungal diseases of the feet and nails, it is the shoes that re-infect the skin, so they should be ventilated and treated with a disinfectant after each wear.
Useful tips
Sneakers, like any other shoes, require proper care. An incorrectly selected cleaning method or drying can ruin the appearance. To avoid mistakes, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with useful information. to wash laces made of artificial leather and suede in a machine. This will lead to deformation and unsticking. If there are stains left after washing, they can be removed using regular ammonia. Unpleasant odor inside shoes can be easily removed with a cotton pad soaked in a vinegar solution. Caring for leather sneakers involves washing them no more than once a month.
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.
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.
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.
