Staying Fresh and Clean: How To Keep White Shoes White

One misstep can have your white kicks looking like a mess. Here is how to keep white shoes white with the proper cleaning tips that won’t ruin your shoes.

You just bought a beautiful new pair of white sneakers. Well, they were beautiful until you wore them out on a rainy day. Now they’re covered in mud and grass.

After scrubbing for hours, you’re wondering how to keep white shoes white in the first place. The truth is that it can be hard to prevent stains, but it’s not too hard to lift them out. The secret is knowing what cleaners and scrubbing techniques to use.

We can help you out with that. Check out this guide to learn more about how to protect your shoes from stains and keep them pearly white for years to come.

Protect Them Right Away 

While it’s pretty much inevitable that your white shoes are going to get gross at some point, there are ways to prolong cleanliness. Pick up a sneaker protector when you purchase those new shoes. 

It’s a spray that acts as a barrier against liquid, dirt, stains, and anything else that may do harm to your shoes. Keep in mind that not all of them repel liquid and some of them may hurt your kicks depending on the material the shoes are made out of. 

Read the label on any bottle of spray carefully before putting it on your shoes. For the best results, spray down your shoes at least once a week. 

Store Your Shoes Properly

When you’re done wearing your sneakers for the day, don’t throw them in your closet and forget about them. Particles of dirt and dust floating around in your closet will stick to the surface of the shoes over time. 

As you can imagine, this will start to affect the overall look of the material. You can combat the dust bunnies by storing your shoes in the box they came in or by putting them in a plastic bag. 

How to Clean White Shoes

Even if you store your sneakers the way you should or use a protector, at some point they still might get stained. Here’s how to clean them when it happens.  

Water-Based Cleaner

Depending on the material your shoes are made out of, certain cleaners may be out of the question. If you’re working with mesh or leather, you’ll want to use a water-based cleaner. 

It won’t be as harsh on the material as bleach or baking soda. If you don’t have a shoe cleaner on hand, you can tackle the stains with a Mr. Clean Eraser and Ivory soap. 

First, get rid of the large pieces of dirt by wiping down the surface of the shoe with a damp paper towel. Let the shoes dry for around ten minutes before you go at the sole with a Mr. Clean Eraser. 

As with the paper towel, the Eraser should be damp. Now you’re ready to clean off the rest of your shoe with the ivory soap. 

Bleach

If bleach is the only thing you have on hand to clean your kicks, that’s fine. It will work but you’re going to have to dilute it with water. By dilute it we mean using a single part bleach for every 5 parts of water.

If you use any more bleach than that, you will discolor your shoes. Once you have your bleach and water mixed together, dip a toothbrush into the solution and scrub the shoe in gentle circles. 

Rinse them off with warm water and allow them to air-dry overnight before you put them on again.   

Baking Soda

Baking soda is such a universal substance. It will deodorize your fridge, it’s good for cooking, and it can clean almost everything – including your shoes. 

Create a paste with baking soda, water, and white vinegar. Dip your toothbrush in it and apply it to your shoes using a gentle circular motion. When your shoes are good and covered, place them outside and set a timer for three hours. 

When your timer goes off, step outside and clap your shoes together to get rid of the baking soda mixture. If clapping them together doesn’t get rid of all the powder, you can go at them with a toothbrush to shake off the rest.  

Toothpaste 

Toothpaste whitens your teeth and it can do the same for your dirty shoes. Grab a tube of non-gel toothpaste and apply a bit of it to your shoes. Use an old toothbrush to work the paste in. 

When you’re done, let the shoes sit for about ten minutes before you remove the toothpaste with a damp towel. You may have to do this process more than once to see results.  

Clean Them Regularly

No matter which of the cleaning methods you want to use, it’s important that you do it regularly. After all, the best way to keep stains and dirt away is to not let it build up on your kicks in the first place. 

How often you clean your shoes depends on how often you wear them. If they’re your work shoes, for example, you should clean them at least every two weeks. 

If they’re a pair you only wear out on certain occasions, you might be able to get away with not cleaning them quite as much.  

How to Keep White Shoes White and Looking Brand-New 

Are you tired of stained white shoes? Everything shows up on them so it’s a little hard to prevent it.

When all else fails, try out some of the methods in this “how to keep white shoes white” guide to make your shoes as clean as the day you bought them. 

Trying to find the perfect pair of kicks? Check out our blog daily for all the latest shoe-related news.