There's an unspoken understanding that a white sneaker decreases in value (and chicness) the dirtier it gets. A graying (or worse—browning or yellowing) sneaker can instantly muddy up an otherwise perfectly decent athleisure-chic outfit.
A lack of sneaker-cleaning products on the market that were both safe and effective. The cleaning products that came in aerosol cans might could ruin your shoes. You can concocted your own with an at-home solution. There are solutions to clean and condition sneakers.
To create an at-home remedy, you will need a bowl of warm water, dishwashing detergent, Oxiclean, a toothbrush, and a microfiber towel. Keep scrolling to read through every step.
1. Unlace Your Shoes
If you take out the laces, then you have better access to hard-to-reach crevices, like under the eyelets and under the tongue. Paying attention to every detail is what will make your shoes pop. If you have an all-white sneaker, the smallest scuff will be magnified.
2. Dry-Brush Off Debris
Before you wet the shoe, take a soft brush and gently dry-brush the whole shoe, because there's a lot of dust and debris that collect in the crevices. If you don't do this step, then when you scrub your shoe with soap and water, all that dirt is going to sink in even deeper and make your job a lot harder.
3. Concoct a Solution
Take a bowl of warm water, squirt a couple drops of any detergent you have, and Oxiclean, then stir it up. Take your toothbrush, dip it into the solution, and start scrubbing your shoe. This is the easiest, simplest solution you can do at home.
4. Got a Canvas Pair? Soften Your Bristles
Definitely hand-clean your canvas sneakers, resist the urge to throw them in the washing machine. Follow the same steps, but make sure you're using a soft brush with hog or horse bristles, otherwise the the canvas will start to pill.
5. Dry Off with a Microfiber Towel
A huge tip is to use a microfiber towel, you can use it to dry off your shoes, but it's a great tool for getting stubborn scuffs off. A brush is great, but it won't pick up the whole scuff, but applying pressure with your thumb underneath a microfiber towel can take off anything left over.
6. Let Them Air Dry
The biggest mistake you can make is throwing your shoes into the dryer. When you take them out, they'll look bent, curled up, and there's no fixing that. The second biggest mistake is throwing them in the washing machine, because that will jeopardize the integrity of the shoe, and if you're using warm or hot water, it will cause the midsole and the upper to come apart.