How to clean white shoes and sneakers

Step by step

1. 1

   Check the care instructions

   Look inside the tongue or on the maker's website. Only machine-wash shoes the maker marks as washable.

   Why: The American Cleaning Institute notes that most shoe makers discourage machine washing, because agitation and some detergents damage leathers and adhesives.

2. 2

   Remove laces and insoles

   Pull out the laces and insoles. Wash the laces in a mesh laundry bag with a regular load, or by hand in the detergent water.

   Why: Laces hold a lot of the grime, and removing the insoles lets the shoe dry fully inside.

3. 3

   Brush off dry dirt, then rinse

   Knock the soles together outside and brush dried mud and dust off with a soft dry brush. Then rinse the upper with clean water or wipe it with a wet cloth.

   Why: Removing loose soil first stops you from scrubbing grit into white fabric.

4. 4

   Scrub with gentle detergent

   Mix a little gentle laundry detergent into warm water. Dip a soft brush and scrub canvas or mesh in small circles, including the seams and the edge of the sole. Wipe the suds away with a clean damp cloth, or rinse well.

   Why: Detergent lifts body oil and soil from the weave. Any residue left behind attracts new dirt and can leave the fabric looking dingy.

5. 5

   Spot-treat stubborn stains

   For marks on canvas or the rubber sole, rub on a paste of equal parts baking soda and water with the brush, then rinse. For grease, work in a drop of mild dish soap and rinse.

   Why: A sneaker maker suggests both. Baking soda is a mild abrasive, and dish soap breaks up oil.

6. 6

   Stuff and air-dry away from heat

   Stuff the shoes with white paper towels, not newspaper, and let them dry at room temperature, out of direct sun and away from radiators or hair dryers. Put the insoles back only when everything is completely dry.

   Why: Stuffing holds the shape and draws moisture out. Newsprint ink can transfer onto white fabric, and heat weakens the glues and cushioning.

What sneakers are made of, and what that rules out

A sneaker combines a canvas, knit or mesh upper, sometimes with leather or synthetic leather panels, a foam midsole and a rubber outsole, all bonded with adhesives. Each part has its limits. Machine agitation and some detergents damage leather and adhesives; heat from a dryer or radiator softens glue and deforms cushioning; and chlorine bleach, harsh solvents and abrasives are ruled out by both the American Cleaning Institute and shoe makers, since they can damage synthetics and glues.

White shows every mark, so it's tempting to reach for bleach. The safer route is regular gentle cleaning: brush off mud after wear and wash when the shoes look soiled. More on the general rules in shoes.

Getting stains out of white shoes

• Grass: on fabric sneakers, use the same approach as for grass on clothes: an enzyme detergent worked in with a brush, a few minutes' wait, then a rinse. Leather and suede shoes with grass stains go to a specialist. See grass stains on shoes.
• Mud: let it dry, brush it off, then wash. Wet mud smears into the weave.
• Grease: a drop of mild dish soap, brushed in and rinsed.
• Scuffs on rubber soles: baking soda paste and a brush.
• Yellowing: no authoritative source for a specific fix was found. It's often blamed on detergent residue or sun exposure, but that isn't confirmed by the sources here. Rinsing thoroughly and drying out of direct sun avoids both.

By situation

Machine-washing sneakers marked washable

Only if the maker says so: remove laces and insoles, put the shoes in a mesh bag or pillowcase, and wash on a gentle cycle in cold water with mild detergent. Air-dry them afterward; never use the dryer.

White leather sneakers

Wipe them with a cleaner made for leather on a soft cloth rather than scrubbing with water and detergent. Keep water off leather panels as much as you can, and dry them away from heat.

White knit and mesh sneakers

Use a soft brush and light pressure, since knit can fuzz or snag. Dab rather than scrub on thin mesh, and rinse thoroughly so no detergent stays in the open weave.

Yellow stains on white shoes

Re-rinse the upper thoroughly in case detergent residue is the cause, and dry the shoes indoors out of direct sun. Don't use chlorine bleach, which shoe makers rule out.

Shoe stain removers

If you buy a sneaker cleaner or shoe stain remover, check that its label covers your upper material (canvas, mesh, leather), follow the directions, and test it on a hidden spot first. A gentle laundry detergent and a soft brush do the same basic job.

What not to do

• Don't use chlorine bleach, solvents, harsh chemicals or abrasive pads. Shoe makers and the American Cleaning Institute rule them out; they can damage synthetics and adhesives.
• Don't put sneakers in the dryer or near a radiator or hair dryer. Heat weakens the glues and deforms the cushioning.
• Don't stuff shoes with newspaper. The ink can transfer onto white fabric.
• Don't machine-wash shoes that aren't marked washable. Agitation can damage leather, adhesives and shape.

Other methods that work

Baking soda paste

Equal parts baking soda and water, brushed onto canvas or rubber and rinsed off. Good for scuffs and soil on soles. More on baking soda.

Caution: It's mildly abrasive, so use a soft brush and light pressure on mesh and knit.

Enzyme detergent for grass and food stains

A little enzyme laundry detergent brushed into fabric uppers helps break down grass and food stains before rinsing.

Caution: Not on leather or suede.

Stain still there?

The shoes dried with brown or yellow tide marks

Dirt or detergent wicked to the edge of the wet area as it dried. Rewash the whole upper evenly, rinse well, and stuff with white paper towels to draw moisture out evenly.

The shoes still look dingy after washing

Detergent residue may be holding dirt. Rinse the uppers again with clean water, or scrub once more with less detergent.

The sole is separating after cleaning

Heat or soaking weakened the glue. Keep them away from heat and contact the maker or a shoe repairer.

Questions

More guides for this room

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