You once had beautiful white shoes. But after using them several times, they quickly changed from a crisp white to a dull grey. Cotton canvas shoes do this: they tend to pick up dirt and stains. And now you’ll only wear these white shoes on the patio.
Good news! There are several ways to get your dirty shoes back to bright white life. If you want to know how to clean white shoes, check out these helpful tips and tricks.
How to make shoes white again
With all these methods, first, remove large chunks of dirt with a soft brush, then clean the treads and remove the laces. This way, no matter how you whiten your shoes, the cleaners can get down to business with the tough stuff.
Machine wash
You may want to keep your shoes and different laces together in a mesh bag.
Put your washing machine on a gentle cycle with cold water.
Use a mild detergent, but don’t add it until the machine is half full of water. Use half the detergent you need for an average load.
If you have a top-loader machine, add the shoes when the tub is about three-quarters full of water.
Air dry when the cycle is complete.
Cleaning white shoes with baking soda
Sure, it’ll cool your fridge, but baking soda is just another tool in your white shoe cleaning arsenal, and it’s one of our favourite do-it-yourself tips. To play safely, you’ll also need a splash or two of white vinegar, which in addition to freshening the smell of your home, is also a beneficial cleaning agent.
Hand wash with baking soda
In a tiny bowl, mix one spoon of baking soda, half a tablespoon of water and half a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide to make a smooth paste.
Gently brush the mixture onto the surface of the shoe with an old toothbrush just firm enough to remove any dirt and introduce the paste.
Apply a second layer of paste.
Stir the laces into the remaining dough mixture.
Soak your shoes and shoelaces in the sun for 3-4 hours or until the dough is dry and cracked. The brighter the sun and the hotter the weather, the whiter and lighter your shoes will be.
Brush off the excess paste and replace the tip. Your shoes should be several times whiter than before!
Hand wash with an all-purpose cleaner
Spray your shoes with a multi-purpose cleaner.
Use an old toothbrush to scrub dirty spots.
Wipe off any excess cleaner with a soft cloth.
Keep the toothbrush damp and scrub your shoes until they look nice and white again.
Hand wash with bleach
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Can you clean white shoes with bleach?
Sure, it will whiten your teeth, but can it whiten your shoes? Believe it or not, it is possible. However, it would benefit if you steered clear of coloured toothpaste, which can further stain white shoes. The advantage here is that you know your detergent is mild; stop using it in your mouth.
Make a solution of ¼ of bleach in water.
Dip an old brush(a toothbrush is right) in the solution and then scrub the dirty parts of your shoes.
Rinse the brush with water and keep the stains wet until they disappear.
You can improve the lightening power by leaving the shoes in the sun for a while after bleaching.
How to clean white shoes with toothpaste
Sure, it will whiten your teeth – but can it whiten your shoes? Believe it or not, it is possible. However, it would be greatest if you stayed away from coloured toothpaste, which can stain white shoes even more. The advantage here is that you know that your detergent is gentle; you stop using it in your mouth.
Use gel-free white toothpaste and an old toothbrush Similar to cleaning white shoes with baking soda, apply toothpaste to your dirty shoes and work in circular motions on your filthy areas. After using the paste to the fabric of the shoes, let it sit for about ten minutes. Wipe the toothpaste off your shoe with a damp towel. Repeat the process if necessary.