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Patty asked: How do I remove yellow stains from gas heat? I have a brand new pair of Nike tennis shoes that I bought. I left them out under my bed, and I heat with gas. They turned yellow around the trim, which is supposed to be gray. What can I do to get it clean? Are my new shoes ruined? Please help me if you can. Thanks
It 
is not uncommon for white athletic shoes to yellow, particularly when they’re being stored, even for short periods of time. Though most of us turn to bleach to restore our white items, it’s not the product of choice for tennis shoes. If your tennis shoes are sporting that unsightly yellow, try this trick from the pros to brighten them up again.
You Will Need:
- Soft Scrub (use a formula without bleach)
- Soft bristle brush (a toothbrush works great)
- Clean, soft rag
Steps to Remove the Stain:
- Apply the Soft Scrub to the yellow stains, either with the spray nozzle or with the clean, soft rag.
- Wait a couple of minutes to allow it to work, then, begin to scrub gently with the soft bristled brush.
- Wipe the area clean with the soft rag.
- Repeat as necessary until the yellow stains are removed.
Additional Tips and Advice
- Don’t try to clean shoes with bleach. Bleach has a yellow coloring in it that can leave residual stains. Not only can it cause more yellowing on white shoes, it may also damage the stitching and cause the shoes to fall apart.
- If the Soft Scrub doesn’t work, try a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Available in most supermarkets, they use a dry chemical clean that will work on most white surfaces.
I have all white Adidas Samoas and it has yellow on the strips, soles, and back heel. Any clue how to remove the yellow from them?
The way I got rid of my yellow soles and other bits on my Adidas shoes was to use a toothbrush and toothpaste, I used Colgate Total Proof, then wrap the bottom of your shoes with Glad Wrap and put them in the sun for at least 2-5 hours.
Delorenzo,
That yellowing sounds like oxidation/aging, which the removal methods in this guide should fix. If you think the yellowing is from glue seeping along the seams, use the guide How to Remove Seeping Glue Along Shoe Seams.
I have my Space Jam 5’s brand new, only worn once; left them in the box. Rain got through my window and leaked on the heater; water from the heater got on the box and soaked through the box onto the shoes. Now I have yellow stains all over my Space Jam 5’s. What do I do?
I bought my daughter brand new Nike cleats… she never wore them. I put them up for my son to wear; now that he needs them, I pulled them out of the box and the Nike checks on the side are yellow… It’s a shiny material; not sure how to get them white again. Hate to buy new since these were never worn. Thanks.
Hello. I wanted to ask a question. I have Jordan 5 fire red. Some of the sides are yellowing and I was wondering what to use to clean out the yellow? Please help!! Thank you.
Melanie,
From the pictures I’ve seen online, it looks like the sides of the Jordan 5 fire red sneakers are a type of icy rubber like the kind often used for Jordan sneaker soles. If so, this is the article that you need: How to Remove Yellowing from Icy Sneaker Soles.
Can someone please help me? I washed my blur checkerboard Vans and left them out side to dry now they turned yellow. I don’t know what to do. I’m really desperate on turning them white again. Please help me. Thank you.
Does Ava (European product) works as well as Soft Scrub?
I have brand new New Balance sneakers (white leather) that I’ve only worn twice & have had them sitting in the box. They now have a yellow tinge to them. Is there anyway to get rid of it?
Use baby wipes to remove a stain on the leather and use hydrogen peroxide for the sole area only (apply using cotton or an old toothbrush), then wipe with dry cloth immediately. I’ve been doing the same cleaning procedures with my white leather shoes as well for years now.
I have white canvas Vans and the shoe guy gave me a “cleaner” that I can use to clean them and once I did, it turned the sides of my shoes yellow. What do you recommend? This also happend to my light grey Vans the sides came out yellow as well after used this cleaner.
Andrea,
It sounds like that cleaner contains a dye that has transferred to the fabric of the shoes. You can try the method used in the article How to Remove Dye Stains from Clothing, or you can try blotting the stain with rubbing alcohol, which can also remove dye stains. Be sure to test either method on a small hidden area first, such as under the tongue, to make sure the grey dye on the shoes isn’t affected.
I have Nike Air Indee high sneakers and I was wondering how to remove the yellow from them? The texture of the shoe is different from other sneakers. Thank you.
I have white Jordan slipper sandals. I left one outside and the sun turned it yellow underneath the strap. You know how it’s that shinny material; well, it is yellow and I’m not able to scrub that part because of the top layer. So now I don’t want to wear them. One is yellow and the other one is white.
I’ve got the same issue with my Jordan 5 red and white sandals; ugh.