Keeping your sneakers clean will help them look great – and smell great! Pay special attention to sneakers you work out in since more sweat will have accumulated.
What You’ll Need:
- Dishwashing liquid
- Soft bristle brush
- Paper towels
- Baking soda
How to Clean Those Sneakers
- Remove shoelaces and any inserts from the sneakers. You can clean the laces with a load of regular laundry and then let them air dry.
- Mix a solution of mild soap and water (dishwashing liquid works well). You may also use commercial cleaner designed for sneakers, but make sure it is compatible with whatever your sneakers are made from (i.e. canvas, rubber, leather).
- Clean the inside and outside of your sneakers and inserts with the soapy water and a soft bristle brush. Rinse everything with clean water and use a paper towel to soak up any excess moisture.
- WARNING: Do not clean your sneakers in the washing machine unless they are designed as “washable.” The heat and moisture could possibly ruin your shoes—particularly if they are leather.
- It has been rumored that all NIKE sneakers are made to be washed in the washing machine—so go ahead and try!
- Stuff the sneakers with paper towels. This helps them keep their shape as they dry. You may also use a shoe tree to keep their shape, but it may take them longer to dry since nothing will be soaking up moisture from the inside.
- Let the sneakers and inserts air dry in a well-ventilated area. Make sure to replace the paper towels as they become soaked with water.
- WARNING: Do not dry your sneakers in the dryer—this could cause damage to the rubber soles and linings.
- Once everything is dry, replace the shoelaces and inserts. If your sneakers have any scuffs, use a commercial shoe dye product (available in many colors).
- Sprinkle some baking soda into your sneakers to soak up any odor that might have lingered.
How to Keep your Sneakers Fresh
Keep your shoes smelling fresh by allowing enough time for them to dry completely between uses and keeping them in a well-ventilated area. If you workout a lot, it is a good idea to buy two pairs of sneakers and alternate to give each pair enough time to dry. You can also buy special inserts that kill bacteria, which cause bad odor. If you have a pair of really smelly shoes and you don’t have the time or energy to clean them with soap and water, throw them into a zip-lock bag and then into the freezer overnight. The cold temperature is likely to kill most odor-causing bacteria.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Cleaning sneakers is easy, I just throw them in the washing machine with the rest of the whites. When they are done I set them out in the sun to dry or on the dryer. They come out like new, hard stains? Spray em with pre-wash like any thing else.
Here’s a tip for getting shoes dry overnight: place them on the floor about 6 inches in front of your refrigerator vent. Turn them on their sides with the tops facing the fridge. Go to bed. In the morning, VOILA!! Your shoes will be dry. The steady, warm air does a wonderful job!
If your sneakers are looking bad and you don’t have time to wash and dry try hand sanitizer. You can apply with fingers, brush with an old toothbrush (one of mankind’s best cleaning tools) and wipe with paper towels or rag. You can also clean your shoe laces the same way. This will work for both regular and leather sneakers for a quick clean and go job. Deodorizes too!
White Sneakers Only – need 2.5 gallon Ziplock bags,1 box of Baking Soda, 2 capfuls of Bleach
1. Fill your kitchen sink up with water, and add 2 capfulls of bleach.
2. remove shoe lace from sneakers.
3. place sneakers and shoe laces into sink, turn sneakers a couple of times to get air out. Place a plate or heavy object on sneakers to keep them submerged.
4. Let sneakers soak for 2 hours.
5. Remove first sneaker from sink, let water drain for 30 seconds, then place wet sneaker in Freezer bag and seal. Do the same with opposite sneaker.
6. Place sneakers in Freezer for 10-12 hours.
7. Remove sneakers from Freezer, remove from bags, place sneakers sink, let hot water run inside sneaker’s for 2-3 minutes to thaw out the ice particles in shoe.
8. Ring out water from the foam areas of sneaker, such as the tounge, and the ankle padding.
9. If Ambient temp. is over 60 degrees, let sneakers open air dry. If temp. are colder, you can use a hair dryer on warm setttings to aid in drying, or toss your sneakers in the dryer with a bunch of towels, for 10-15 minutes, then let them air dry.
10. After shoes are thourougly dry, and no moisture present, sprinkle baking soda in the sneakers generously and let sit overnight. Dump excess baking soda from shoes in the morning, and your shoes are ready to go.
This method will ensure optium freshness, by killing the bacteria that created the smell, and then deoderizeing the sneaker for a fresh scent.
Wow! My sneakers are always white and have no bad smell. I take the laces out and soak them in the sink with Dawn dishwashing soap and bleach while I wipe the sneakers down with a Mr. Clean Magic eraser. Touch up any scuffs or scratches with white shoe polish using a small brush. Buff with a soft cloth. Spray the inside with vinagar and water. Rinse and squeeze laces in a towel to get most of the water out. Hang laces and place shoes with the tongue pulled out in the sunshine to dry and/or air out. Sprinkle a little baking soda on the inside and shake around prior to the first wearing and periodically after that. NOTE: Always wear socks and change socks daily.