How to Clean Tennis Shoes [PROPER Cleaning Instructions]

Maintaining your shoes with regular cleaning will help them retain their best appearance and aroma. We recognize the difficulty of routine maintenance, but there is a way to clean your shoes without washing them.

Consider a pair of white sneaker Those brand-new sneakers are a great way to spruce up any outfit, but as soon as you wear them out of the box, they'll be covered in scuff marks and spills. What a hassle shoes are to clean; why can't we just throw them in the washing machine?

Shoe manufacturers such as Vessi produce waterproof footwear that can be cleaned by simply tossing them in the washing machine. This article is for you, however, if you don't yet have access to Vessis.

If you know the proper way to clean tennis shoes, you can extend the life of your sneakers and keep them looking like new for as long as possible. Even if they can't be cleaned in a washing machine

When Considering Tennis Shoes, Should You Wash Them or Treat Them On The Spot?

Tennis shoes need regular cleaning and maintenance to stay looking good. If you want to keep your tennis shoes in top shape, you need to clean them properly. There will be dissimilar needs for knit shoes, leather shoes, and canvas shoes.

Depending on the type of tennis shoes or sneakers you have, you may not always need to give them a thorough cleaning. On occasion, you may be able to get away with only spot-treating them. A great trick for cleaning tennis shoes is to use vinegar on a cotton ball.

Should You Wash or Spot Treat Tennis Shoes?

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The rule of thumb is that spot treatments are fine for single small stains and loose dirt, but a full wash is required for multiple stains or large amounts of dirt. On the other hand, washing your sneakers would be the simplest solution to the plethora of stains, both superficial and otherwise.

If you accidentally spill something on your leather tennis shoes, for instance, you can simply treat the stain. This is the most effective method because washing the shoes in the machine will only spread the stain further.

Find out how to properly clean your shoes so that you don't damage them by reading the guidelines below.

What Is The Best Way To Clean Tennis Shoes By Hand?

The tools and materials you'll require are:

  • Cleaning agents like dish detergent and laundry bleach

  • Salicylic acid

  • Rubber sole scuffs? No problem, just use a magic eraser.

  • Shoe conditioner made specifically for leather

  • Vinegar, distilled (to use in shoe inserts).

  • Shoe brush

  • Wire bristle brush

  • Tissue or clean towel

  • Shoe brush made specifically for suede.

A Make use of a soft-bristled dry scrub brush.

A dry, soft-bristled shoe brush can be used to clean the upper, midsole, and outsole of your shoes, removing any debris along the way. In particular, this will protect your fabric footwear from being damaged.

It's not a big deal if you don't have a shoe brush. You can get by with an old toothbrush. Keep this in mind if you need to clean some muddy shoes.

B Cleaning Agent Preparation

Soak the area with warm water and a drop or two of dish soap or gentle laundry detergent. When cleaning light-colored or white footwear, a paste made from baking soda and water works best.

C Laces require special care and should only be washed by hand

Take off the shoelaces and use some of the homemade cleaner to freshen them up. To use, rub it into the laces and then rub your hands together.

Hand Wash the Shoe Laces

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Scrub them until they're spotless; Give them a quick rinse, and then dry them with a cotton towel. Once this is done, they should be hung up to dry.

D Make sure the soles, insoles, and midsoles of your shoes are clean.

Sole cleaning should also be performed. It's best to use a washcloth, toothbrush, or other soft-bristled tool dipped in the solution for this. Then you should give the soles a good scrub down.

Alternatively, a Magic Eraser can be used, and it will do the trick as well. Spend some time carefully washing everything, and then rinse it with fresh water.

Check to see if the insoles are replaceable. If that's the case, you should probably wash them in different batches. Repeat the application, scrubbing, and rinsing steps. Then, wait until they are completely dry before putting them back into the shoes.

E Scrub the Tops

Scrub the uppers in a gentle, circular motion with a damp cloth or a brush dipped in your homemade cleaning solution. It can be said again if necessary.

Whiten canvas shoes with this cleaning paste

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When you're done, use a microfiber towel or other soft wet cloth to lift and rinse out as much soap and dirty water as possible. It needs to be rinsed until all soap residue is gone.

Rubbing the shoes can cause the fabric to fray and can also cause any remaining wet dirt to spread.

F Air Dry

Another crucial step in sneaker maintenance is drying. Air dry your sneakers after washing them. Most footwear suffers irreparable damage when subjected to extremely high temperatures, such as those generated by a clothes dryer.

Don't wear them again until they've dried completely. Keep in mind that the typical drying time for shoes made of fabric is 8 hours.

Two Methods for Washing Tennis Shoes in a Machine

Good news for those who find the concept of hand washing to be intimidating: Some brands of shoes and sneakers, like Vessi's, can be thrown in the washing machine.

A simple rinse after use is all that's required You should, however, give the bottoms a gentle but thorough scrub, particularly if the shoes in question are white, before you throw them in.

You'll need to have:

  • Salicylic acid

  • Polishing bristles

  • Insignificant pail

  • Soft cloth

Take off your footwear, take out the insoles, and set them aside. The soles are the only part that needs cleaning, unless there are other spots that need special attention.

Specifically, here's what you do:

a) Make a paste out of baking soda and water, using equal parts of each

In step b) dip the brush into the paste.

Stains on the bottoms of your shoes? Scrub them out with a stiff brush.

d) If necessary, give the upper cloth a quick scrub to remove any remaining stains.

Put the shoes, laces, and insoles in a mesh bag or a pillowcase. They won't get tangled up in the mesh laundry bag.

Put the shoes, laces and inner soles in a mesh bag

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g) Throw the shoes in the washing machine with some mild detergent. Putting in a load of similar-colored clothes or towels to the shoes can muffle the clattering of the washing machine. A little extra cushioning for the machine.

Use warm water and start the washing machine's cycle

i) Take the mesh laundry bag out of the washer once the cycle is finished. The footwear can finally be hung up to dry. The best method for this is to hang them up without using a dryer.

Tennis shoes made from leather require special care when being cleaned.

Tennis shoes and sneakers made of leather are the most low-maintenance. Quick fixes like these Crep Protect wipes are great for removing loose dirt. If there is any loose dirt or scuff marks, grab a wipe and use the softer side to wipe and buff them away.

You can use the textured side of your wipes if the grime is particularly tenacious. A Magic Eraser is an alternative to using wipes. That's fine, too; it does its job fairly well. The eraser is more abrasive, so be careful not to scratch your uppers with too much pressure.

Remove the shoelaces and insoles to gain easy access to the crevices of your footwear. Keep in mind that your shoes will last longer if you leave the laces tied.

Clean the uppers, then clean the soles and the laces, and let everything dry naturally. Before putting on the sneakers again, make sure they are totally dry.

Tennis Shoe Care: Frequently Asked Questions

If you want to clean your tennis shoes, should you use OxiClean?

Of course you can if that's what you have on hand OxiClean plus a gentle soap like dishwashing liquid or laundry detergent works wonders.

The sneakers need to be soaked in a small bucket of hot water. Soak the shoes in a mixture of dish soap and OxiClean (in equatorial proportions), preferably overnight. Any remaining stains should be scrubbed off the following day and then rinsed with cold water.

Can you clean shoes with apple cider vinegar?

To clean and disinfect your shoes, try using Apple Cider Vinegar. It's also useful for reducing unpleasant odors in the feet.

Pour some apple cider vinegar onto a clean cloth, and use it to rub the shoe down to get rid of any loose dirt or scuffs. Conversely, you can use a mixture of water and apple cider vinegar to treat your shoes and inserts.