How to wash white sneakers so they look like new?

Sneakers have long ceased to be shoes only for sports. They are also worn in everyday life, including with skirts and dresses. A snow-white pair looks especially impressive, but it quickly gets dirty, covered in dust. We'll show you how to wash white sneakers so they look like new again.

Primary processing

Cleaning at home begins with preparing the soiled pair. Pre-treatment of the upper and sole proceeds as follows:

• shake off dust using a dry brush or microfiber cloth;
• if there are drops of liquid dirt on the surface, then there is no need to clean it right away - let the splashes dry and shake them off;
• take out the laces and insoles and wash them by hand with laundry soap. If the insoles are made of leather, then simply wipe them with a damp cloth, since they can become deformed after washing.

After cleaning the upper, you need to wash the sole. To do this, use a small brush (you can take an old toothbrush). Carefully clean dirt from all depressions on the sole.

Basic cleaning

The choice of cleaning method depends on what material the sneakers are made of. It can be leather (natural or artificial), suede or nubuck, textiles.

Textile

Textile sneakers can simply be washed. If the sole is stitched or properly glued, you can use a washing machine. The shoes are placed in a special mesh bag with a lock and sent to the drum.

Sneakers should be washed separately from other items.

If the sneakers are very dirty, then you need to soak them in a soapy solution for a couple of hours. You can use bleach - add it to the soaking water and to the machine tray.

If the quality of the sole fastening is in doubt, then it is better to wash the pair by hand without soaking. Clean shoes with a brush or sponge, often moistening them in a soapy solution. Then the shoes are rinsed with clean water and dried.

Eco leather and genuine leather

Sneakers with leather uppers cannot be washed. Dirt and dust are removed from them with a damp sponge or cloth. Then the shoes are simply dried in the air (not near a radiator), with crumpled paper stuffed inside.

Dry leather sneakers are cleaned using white shoe polish. If abrasions appear on the surface, you can update the pair with special leather paint.

Nubuck or suede

This is a very capricious material: suede shoes do not tolerate moisture well. It is strictly not recommended to wear it in wet weather, so as not to damage it irrevocably.

You can clean suede shoes using the following algorithm:

1. Use a steam generator. If you don’t have this device, you can hold your sneakers over the steam rising from a pan of boiling water. The steam lifts the fibers of the material and removes dirt.
2. Then the shoes are wiped with a dry cloth and treated with a special brush for suede.

Do the same with a pair made of nubuck.

How to whiten stains?

Over time, gray or yellow stains appear on the surface of white shoes, which cannot be washed or cleaned using conventional methods.

To whiten sneakers, you can use the following products:

• Oxygen bleaches. Ideal for textile sneakers.The product is diluted in water as indicated on the package, and shoes are immersed in the solution for 15–20 minutes. Then washed in clean water and dried.
• Stain removers. They are applied locally, only to areas of contamination. Used for textile shoes - generously moisten a cotton pad with the product and apply to the stain for a quarter of an hour. After this, you need to rinse your shoes.
• Soda. Dilute baking soda with water to form a thick paste and rub it into the stain with a brush. Leave until dry and then shake off any remaining residue. The method is suitable for textiles, suede and genuine leather. It is better not to clean artificial leather this way, since soda is an abrasive, so small scratches may remain on the coating.
• Toothpaste. It is recommended to use a whitening toothpaste, but it should not contain colored granules. Apply a small amount of paste to an old toothbrush and gently rub into the stain in a circular motion. Then wash it off. Do not use toothpaste on suede.
  
• Lemon juice. The juice is diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. Soak a napkin in the solution and wipe the surface of the sneakers. Then wipe with a sponge soaked in clean water. Suitable for textiles and leather.
• Starch paste. This method is suitable for leather and suede. Mix starch and milk until a thick paste is obtained. Apply the mixture to the stain and leave until completely dry, then brush off with a dry brush.
• A mixture of powder with soda and peroxide. Use a three percent solution of hydrogen peroxide. First, measure out a tablespoon of washing powder, add the same volume of peroxide solution, and then add a teaspoon of soda. The finished composition is rubbed into areas that have lost their whiteness, and washed off after 15 minutes. Suitable for textiles and genuine leather.

When working with vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda, be sure to use protective gloves, otherwise your skin may become irritated.

How to care?

To keep your shoes white and attractive for longer, you need to properly care for your white sneakers.

When purchasing a new pair, you should immediately purchase care products:

• If this is a leather model, then white shoe polish will be required.
• For suede and nubuck, a special protective spray is produced that protects the surface from dust and moisture.
• Textile shoes can also be treated with suede spray.
• In addition, you will need a soft brush and microfiber cloths. For suede you should buy a special brush.

After applying the cream or spray, an invisible protective film is formed on the surfaces, keeping the shoes clean.

It is advisable to rub shoes with cream or spray them with spray in the evening - you need to give the product time to absorb and dry. Returning from the street, you need to immediately shake off the street dust with a dry brush or soft cloth. If dirt gets on the shoes and wet cleaning is carried out, then the sneakers should be allowed to dry and the protective agent should be applied again.

With proper care, white sneakers will last much longer and will have to be washed and cleaned less often.