It is no surprise that white shoes and sneakers are a staple of many wardrobes. They're practical, comfortable, and versatile enough to be worn in various formal and non-formal situations with ease.
However, one of the few downsides of a crisp, white pair of shoes is that they never stay that way for long. With a tendency to become scuffed or marked almost out of the box, maintaining that fresh look is key to ensuring your kicks don’t let the rest of your outfit down.
If you’re wondering how to whiten shoes or sneakers, consider the five tips below. With each of these tips, we’re assuming that you’ve already removed the shoelaces and most of the superficial dirt on the exterior of the shoe.
1 – Baking soda and white vinegar
A solution with equal parts hot water, baking soda, and white vinegar is the best option to clean white canvas shoes but will also work on other types.
Mix the ingredients together to form a paste and apply it to the shoe in a circular motion with an old toothbrush. Leave the mix to dry for at least 20 minutes before brushing off the dried paste and wiping the shoes with a clean, damp cloth.
2 – Diluted bleach
Here, the emphasis is very much on the word “diluted”!
In a well-ventilated area and with appropriate eye and hand protection, mix one part bleach to five parts water. Apply to the shoe with an old toothbrush in circular motions and clean with a damp cloth once finished.
One of the more common mistakes in cleaning white shoes is using too much bleach. Avoid the temptation to make the solution stronger as it can cause your shoes to turn an undesirable shade of yellow.
3 – Machine washing
While machine washing a pair of shoes or sneakers may not be the first solution that comes to mind, it can be effective with a few precautions.
Before chucking them in the wash, remove the soles and place the shoes and laces in a mesh bag. Then, select a cold wash option on your machine and ensure you are using liquid detergent. This reduces the likelihood of the colours running and avoids a situation where undissolved powdered detergent collects in the crevices of your shoes.
Some have also seen excellent results by using tip number one on our list as a pre-wash treatment and then washing the shoes in a machine.
4 – Magic eraser
For shoes with soles that provide extra traction such as Converse, a magic eraser may do the trick. This inexpensive solution, which can easily be sourced in the cleaning aisle of your local supermarket, is essentially a piece of white foam with a harder texture more like resin.
When using a magic eraser to remove marks and stains, ensure it is damp as the rougher texture can scuff shoes when dry.
5 – Toothpaste
For a more natural solution, squeeze some toothpaste onto, you guessed it, an old toothbrush and apply it to discoloured areas. We probably don't need to remind you, but avoid coloured or gel-based toothpaste as these products can do more harm than good.
Wipe clean with a damp cloth once the toothpaste has dried.
DIY disclaimer
While the methods discussed above can be effective, we recommend that you test the application on a small, inconspicuous area of your shoes first.
For those who love DIY and desire a safer, more effective and less stressful option, we sell a range of specialised cleaning products such as cleaning solutions kits, brushes, shoe deodoriser capsules, water repellent spray, and microfibre towels.
Essential Sneaker Care Kit is a must-have kit for all sneaker lovers!
Vince’s sneaker care services
But if DIY sounds like too much work for you, why not try one of our professional sneaker care options to make your shoes white again?
These range from a basic clean for minor imperfections to a more extensive deep clean and total repaint for the most unloved shoes. Note that we only use natural, plant-based products that are kind to the environment.
You can drop off and pick up your shoes at our Box Hill (Melbourne) store
or, alternatively, send them to us in the mail and we’ll send you a clean pair of white shoes back!
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