HOW TO CLEAN WHITE SNEAKERS

Cleaning white textile shoes

Cleaning shoes in the washing machine is normally not a good idea. The heat and the detergent can cause the glue to come off and usually create unsightly yellow edges on the shoes.

Trust instead on the all-rounder among the household remedies: Baking powder. In combination with a dish washing detergent, it makes your white sneakers radiate again in the twinkling of an eye. Mix the baking powder and the dish washing detergent in a ratio of 1 to 1, taking the precaution of using a detergent that is not colored but white or clear. Apply the mixture to your sneakers with a damp toothbrush or nailbrush in circular movements. White rubber soles or heel caps can be cleaned in the same way. Leave the mixture to take effect for a short time and then remove the remnants with a white, damp cloth. Then let the shoes air-dry well.

Cleaning white suede shoes

For white suede shoes, regular brushing with a suede or velour brush forms the basis for a stain-free look. For more severe stains on suede leather, it is helpful to use a suitable cleaning agent. In doing so, you should make sure that you do not just treat individual areas, but the entire upper leather of the shoe. Otherwise, light-colored spots may appear on the shoe.

An impregnation spray provides additional protection against dirt and moisture. This is particularly important in suede care, as suede absorbs and stores water very well due to its open pores and open fibers. You can bring out the fine structure of the leather anew by using a special suede brush.

Cleaning white smooth leather shoes

Optimal care of smooth leather shoes includes not only light brushing or cleaning with a soft cloth, but also the occasional use of a special shoe cleaning agent. Smaller stains or scuff marks on the leather can be removed beforehand with a light, soft eraser. However, it is recommended working with only little pressure to avoid damages to the leather surface.

More persistent stains are best tackled with special shoe or leather cleaning agents. They are applied to the leather with a cloth or sponge applicator and then rubbed off thoroughly with a soft cloth. After a reasonable drying time, you should treat the cleaned shoe with a care product in the form of a cream or a liquid emulsion to restore protection and important grease. For white or generally light-colored shoes, it is best to use colorless care products.

Then you should polish the leather thoroughly with a soft cotton cloth or a soft shoe brush. The subsequent use of a colorless hard wax cream can prevent a quick new soiling. The longest possible hardening of the shoe wax ensures the greatest possible resistance. If you apply the shoe wax in the evening, for example, a final polish in the following morning would be ideal.

Quick tip for out and about

To quickly remove annoying stains and dark stripes on white rubber soles, heel caps, or even on smooth leather or suede shoes, an eraser is recommended. With this you can erase most stripes in an emergency. For this purpose, however, only use a white eraser.

You can find out how to clean the sole of your white shoes here.