How to: Clean White Shoes

Spring is coming, which means it is the official season for white shoes. Mine get used all year around but now especially they will be starting to rack up some heavy mileage. So… it’s time to take them out of storage but they do not look as good as you remembered? Before you jet off to the store for a new pair take a moment to revive some life back into them.

For a little reference, as to if this really works, this specific pair of white Converse has been in use for about two to three years. Yes, parts have worn done, however, unless they suddenly break a hole there is no need for them to be replaced. When I first received these shoes, I did spray them down with DetraPel, yet they still get, well a bit gross. Don’t worry, these tips do not require you to first use DetraPel in order to receive lasting results. It is never too late to show a little love to your favorite shoes. Plus you probably have all the items in your house right now. No, special products or gimmicks here.

Step #1: Baby Wipes

First unlace each shoe and remove the laces to allow full exposure of the base of each shoe. Baby wipes are gentle yet effective for removing that first layer of nastiness. No, this will not immediately make the shoes white, but it is the first step to having great results. Don’t have baby wipes, no problem, simply use a wet paper towel with a drop of soap.

Step #2: Clorox

This is a harsher product; however, it is very effective. Watch the rubber sides of your shoes magically turn white. You can also wipe the canvas of the shoes with this, but if you are cleaning shoes that are not, wipe test it on the inner part of the shoe first.

Step #3: Bleach (NO!)

You may be thinking why don’t you just use bleach,  it makes whites whiter right? Wrong, it all depends on the chemistry of the fabric; it may end up turning the fabric a yellow or brown color. Eww!! White Converse are not a fan of bleach, I tried it. You will see in the video parts of the shoes turned colors where I tested the bleach. Try the inner side or the tongue before you go crazy, it took a while for mine to turn colors so wait for the test area to fully dry before moving further.

Step #4: Rubba Dub Dub

Toss them in the washer, before you say eww no, remember you’ve already taken off a majority of the nastiest parts of the shoes in the other steps. If you cannot stomach the thought of washing your shoes where you wash your delicate items simply wash the washing machine afterwards with a machine cleaner,here is one by Tide (this is not an affiliate link). Also throw in the shoe laces to get them nice and clean as well.

Step #5: Drying

No, the shoes do not go in the dryer, simply stuff some paper towels or a cloth inside each shoe and make sure it is packed tightly. Set them aside for a couple of hours or overnight to dry, to speed up the drying time replace the paper towels or cloth every couple of hours to allow maximum absorption.

Lace up your shoes and they are ready to be worn with a fancy dress or well anywhere because they look pretty darn new.

Watch the full tutorial here!

XOXO Faith