Is there anything better than a pair of brand-new clean white shoes?
From a chic canvas shoe designed for summer to the purest of white leather shoe, white shoes are ultra-chic, contemporary, totally on-trend and more versatile than you might think. But knowing what you’re doing when cleaning white sneakers and shoes is one trick that you need to get ahead of if you’re planning to invest in this trend. Because no-one wants a pair of bright whites covered in scuffs, right?
If you’ve got a pair of shoes that you’re scared to wear in case you ruin them or (oh dear) a pair of shoes that you’ve already “ruined”, don’t worry, that’s why we’re here today!
We’ve got you covered!
Here are our top tips on how to clean white shoes and protect them from the dreaded stains that you thought you couldn’t get rid of.
Cleaning Leather Shoes
From sneakers to ankle boots, leather shoes will be a staple in your wardrobe and you need to keep them as fresh as possible to make sure they stay as chic as the rest of your look.
Leather is tough. But white leather is more vulnerable and needs a little extra TLC.
With leather, you can use water without the worry of water stains, unlike suede. So, first off, remove any major dirt or mud with a simple wet paper towel. Don’t soak your shoes too much and let them dry out naturally before you move on to tackle any more serious stains.
Soles of white leather shoes are where you’ll find the majority of the mess so, here is where you need to pay real attention. We’d advise investing in a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, which you can find online from Amazon. This is sold as a home cleaner for anything from walls to bathtubs, but it’s known to work a treat on white footwear too!
Don’t soak your magic eraser, just dampen it with cold water and it works as a stain remover for slightly tougher marks.
If the upper of your leather shoe still has some stains after they’ve dried properly, grab a soft cloth (or even an old tea towel or t-shirt) and with a combination of 1 part laundry detergent and 4 parts water, use circular motions to lather the soap and gently clean the rest of the upper of the shoe.
Clean all excess soap off the shoe and leave to dry naturally. If you need to, repeat this stage.
Cleaning Canvas Shoes
Canvas shoes have become increasingly popular with the likes of Converse. Canvas can become more quickly marked and darkened than leather but don’t fear, they are not a lost cause.
You can start your cleaning process for canvas with the simple things you probably have in your kitchen cupboards already. Create a mixture of warm water, white vinegar, and baking soda and grab an old toothbrush from your bathroom. Dip the bristles of your toothbrush into the concoction and gently start to scrub the marks on the canvas. The baking soda will create a paste, so when you’re finished, rinse the surface and let your shoes completely air dry away from direct sunlight to see the results.
For a very thorough wash, you can even add canvas shoes to your washing machine. We’d advise adding a white towel to protect the drum of your machine and removing the insoles and shoelaces to avoid them getting into a tangle. These can be soaked in bleach separately to get a really white finish.
Cleaning Suede Shoes
Lastly, suede white shoes always seem like a risky buy. And they are. But you can also protect and clean them with a little extra effort to allow you to enjoy them just as much as your other shoes.
Firstly, if you’re buying white suede shoes, always buy a suede protector spray with your purchase. Always. It just makes sense! You can also find on one Amazon, like this water and stain repellent that helps to ward off anything that might cause a mess!
If you’ve already marked your shoes, you can do a few little tricks to save them. First, don’t add water. Second, invest in a suede brush. Before you do anything, brush your shoes thoroughly with a suede brush which will work to gently remove marks without compromising the quality of the suede fabric. More often than not this will do the trick.
If they need a little more work, gently rub into the stains with a clean pencil eraser or for very bad stains, add a touch of white vinegar to your suede brush (just a touch!) and start to work this into the stain to lift it. Continuously blot with paper towels and never let the suede get fully wet. This should leave your footwear looking as fresh as the day you got them, or near enough!!
Whichever clean white shoes you’ve got your eye on, keep them good as new for even longer with our top cleaning solution tips. Don’t let grime and excess dirt ruin your style game and ensure your white footwear looks as sharp as the rest of your outfit. At all times.
Keep your eyes on the Shop It To Me blog for more trends, style advice and of course, more tips and tricks on how to make your fashion look better and last even longer.