How do you wash your shoes?

Avoid dirty shoes with this trick

One of the best tips for white shoes is prevention. If you want to keep your new sneakers clean and white for as long as possible, the first thing you should do is impregnate the shoes before wearing them. This will mean that less dirt sticks to the shoes, and any stains will be easier to wash away. If the damage has already been done, we have several effective tips that will remove even the worst stains.

General tips

Here are some general tips to maintain the look and quality of your shoes before we get straight to how to wash them. They are very simple and can quickly become a nice little routine when you get back home. It's always best to take care of these steps as early as possible to prevent them from becoming very difficult to get clean again.

Step 1 - Wash away visible dirt. Consider how much time you have to do it and use a clean towel, a used toothbrush that you intend to throw away or if you are really in a hurry; your hands.

As with your teeth, it's important to remove dirt from your shoes so it doesn't get worse - it will save you future problems and headaches.

Step 2 - The next thing you can do is to remove any residual dirt that came from a trip outside; even if you only went for a trip to the store where the road is clean - you will be surprised how much can get stuck under the shoe.

Rinse the shoes with a wet towel or a concentrated jet of water; for example under the sink or shower head if you are careful enough. It is especially useful if you have been on a run in the woods where it is wet and muddy.

Step 3 - Last but not least, clean the large and visible stains. If you have large stains on your shoes and they are recent, it will probably be possible to remove them if you quickly apply a soap and water mixture to the stain.

Which products you can use for this depends on the shoe, and we'll go into more depth on how to remove stubborn stains and marks later in the article.

The other general tips will help you a lot, but it is important to be careful with the different materials the shoes have and it will require a little more attention from you if you need to clean them further. Below we will guide you through how to wash knitted, mesh, canvas, leather, synthetic leather and suede shoes .

Knitted and mesh shoes

Also called knit or knitted shoes, which can be described as breathable with a mesh-like appearance. It has been a big trend recently to go with knitted sneakers, but the problem is that they also get dirty easily. Unlike other materials found in shoes, knitted materials are very porous in nature; in other words, provided with pores and openings. This means that they attract mud, dirt, sweat and everything that loves to penetrate the material and which can often seem impossible to clean.

Mesh shoes have the same problems as knitted shoes, as they are both made of a breathable material. Dirt and other debris get caught in the netting around the shoe when you are, for example, on a run or training. The difference between mesh and knitted shoes, however, is that mesh shoes are usually made of synthetic materials such as polyester or nylon and therefore withstand more thorough cleaning.

How to wash shoes in the washing machine

Our running shoes are made of mesh material and we have found that they are machine washable as long as you remove the laces and insole and put the washing machine on 30 degrees with a low spin cycle. The white shoes are made in such a way that they retain their white color longer. But if you want to be more careful, follow the advice below.

With the help of this guide, we will make the impossible possible. Although knit and mesh shoes require a lot of love, that doesn't mean they can't be transformed into their original state - they just need a little extra patience and gentleness.

This is how you do it

With knitted shoes you have to be very careful, they are soft and malleable, which makes them more fragile compared to a nylon blend mesh or other materials. This means that brushing is a no-go and too rough for the fabric, so you'll need a soft cloth or microfiber cloth to remove the stains.

1. In terms of cleaning products, you also need to be careful. The chemicals in detergents may be too strong for the fabric. Instead, use mild shower gel.
2. Cover the area you want to wash with the soap and wet it with cold water.
3. Gently rub it with the cloth until the stain is lifted out of the fabric.
4. Remove soap residue with a wet towel and allow to air dry.

With mesh, it may be that stronger materials such as nylon and polyester have been used, and it will therefore be possible to use a brush if you have one, or a used toothbrush. It also varies whether the shoes are soft or hard; so if you use a toothbrush, use soft bristles for soft shoes and hard bristles for hard shoes.

1. You know your shoes best, so choose the right brush - soft to soft and hard to hard.
2. Brush away dirt and grime that you have on the shoe.
3. Mix 1 part baking soda/baking powder with 1 part vinegar and wet the mixture on the dirty areas or stains for about 15 minutes.
4. After the 15 minutes are up, gently scrub the area you've covered for a few minutes before finally using a soft, wet cloth to wash and wipe it away.

Synthetic leather shoes

The material in synthetic leather shoes does not hold onto stains as tightly as nylon/polyester mesh and is more forgiving than real leather shoes, so luckily it is much easier to wash your synthetic shoes. Hopefully, you'll notice that dirt and grime lift up easily when you start cleaning them.

This is how you do it

1. Mix a mixture containing warm water and a little mild detergent.
2. Take a clean cloth and moisten it in the mixture before you start washing the dirty areas of the shoe.
3. After wetting the dirty areas, scrub them gently with a brush or toothbrush for a few minutes.
4. Wipe the shoes clean with a soft, wet cloth to remove the soap residue and allow the shoes to air dry.

Canvas sneakers

However, canvas shoes are less forgiving and get dirty more easily than synthetic leather shoes, but they are, on the other hand, very durable. Having said that, it will be possible to clean the shoes with your washing machine ; just be careful and make sure you put them in a pillowcase and use a gentle cycle with cold water and very little detergent. If the shoes are completely white, you can add bleach and omit the detergent. When the program is finished, take them out and let them air dry. But it's always best to wash your shoes by hand, as you have more control over what goes where.

How to do it by hand

1. Make a mixture that contains equal parts baking soda and warm water.
2. Find the good old used toothbrush or a new one specifically for shoes and dip it into the mixture you made.
3. Scrub stains and dirt off the shoes with the toothbrush until they are clean.
4. Allow the shoes to dry with the mixture on before possibly washing away the baking soda mixture once it has dried and hardened with a damp cloth.

Leather shoes

Leather can be a great material that can do a lot for an outfit, but it can also create a lot of frustration and headaches when you have to clean it. You can easily get quite a few stains on leather shoes, and they are very susceptible to wear and tear, which can distort the material's natural patina. As soon as you notice that the shoes have a stain, it is important to thoroughly clean the stains that have occurred.

This is how you do it

1. Make a mixture with a little liquid washing-up liquid and water in a bowl. Dip a microfiber cloth in the mixture and use it to gently wash visible dirt and salt stains from the surface of the shoe.
2. Add the baking soda to the mixture from step 1 and mix it with a used toothbrush or a suitable leather brush. Use the toothbrush to scrub the soles of the shoe until you see no more dirt. Wipe away the soap and dirt with the microfiber cloth, or rinse it gently under the sink.
3. A clever idea we came up with is to use window cleaner to make shoes shine! Spray the agent either directly on the shoe or on a microfiber cloth, polish it and wipe it off.
4. Do the same with the other shoe and let them dry completely, but keep them away from direct sunlight and heat.

Suede shoes

Suede sneakers are one of the most frustrating shoes to try to maintain the quality of. Suede lacks the outer protective barrier that leather has, which gives it that velvety feel, but it also means that it's very vulnerable to a host of accidents that you can get into while wearing them. To make matters worse, suede is also quite resistant to cleaning.

If you haven't done so, it would be a good idea to invest in a brush specifically designed for suede. Just be careful with the brushing as you don't want to be too aggressive, but the brush can do wonders for cleaning the surface.

Another thing you can invest in is a suede eraser. You press the eraser against the stain and rub and manipulate it until the stain disappears. When you're done, use a clean cloth to remove any residue from cleaning.

If the shoes are still not clean after using the two tools you invested in, or if you just don't want to invest in them, you can use white vinegar.

This is how you do it

1. Apply a little white vinegar to a clean cloth and gently wet the cloth on the stain. You don't need a lot of vinegar, so use as little as possible.
2. Gently wash the stain with the cloth that has white vinegar on it.
3. After removing the stain, clean the area with a damp cloth or towel and allow it to air dry.

How to keep your shoes clean

Now that you've had a thorough introduction to how to clean sneakers, we can wrap up the guide with a few simple tips to keep them clean.

1. Check the shoes every time you get home. It may seem like an unnecessary and annoying extra thing to do, but if you keep track of how your shoes are doing before you put them away, you can preserve their quality.
2. It is super important to clean