How to clean Air Force 1s: white leather, soles, laces and creases

Step by step: how to clean air force 1s

1. 1

   Take out the laces and insoles

   Unlace the shoes fully so you can reach the tongue and the eyelet panels. Pull out the insoles if they lift out. Set the laces aside to wash on their own.

2. 2

   Dry brush the whole shoe

   Knock the soles together outside, then brush the uppers, midsole and tread with a dry brush. Getting grit off first stops it from scratching the leather when you start scrubbing wet. Use a toothpick for stones in the tread.

3. 3

   Mix the cleaning solution

   Stir 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar into 1 cup of warm water; it will fizz for a moment. If you prefer, a few drops of dish soap in warm water works for light dirt. Dip the soft brush and shake off the excess so the leather gets damp, not soaked.

4. 4

   Scrub the leather in small circles

   Work panel by panel: toe box, sides, heel, then the tongue. Use light pressure and small circles, especially along the stitching and the Swoosh edges where dirt collects. Wipe each panel with a damp microfiber cloth as you go so the dirty foam does not dry on the shoe.

5. 5

   Erase the midsole scuffs

   Wet a melamine sponge, squeeze it out, and rub the white midsole and sidewall marks. Scuffs from other shoes usually vanish in a few passes. Keep the melamine off the leather upper, where it can dull the finish.

6. 6

   Scrub the outsole

   Dip the stiffer brush in the solution and scrub the tread and the edges of the outsole. Rinse the brush and wipe the sole with a damp cloth. Keep water from pooling inside the shoe.

7. 7

   Wash the laces

   Rub the laces together in a bowl of warm soapy water, or put them in a mesh bag with a load of laundry. Let them dry flat or hanging before you relace.

8. 8

   Stuff and air dry

   Stuff the shoes with paper towels to hold their shape and soak up moisture, then let them dry at room temperature for a few hours. Keep them away from heaters and direct sun. Condition the leather once dry if it feels tight.

How do you get tough stains off Air Force 1s?

Match the cleaner to the stain and test it on a hidden spot first. Nike’s Air Force 1 cleaning guide uses the baking soda and vinegar mix as a spot cleaner, white non-gel toothpaste as a backup, micellar water for oils on leather, and a household cleaning eraser on the leather and sole.

Can you put Air Force 1s in the washing machine?

Not leather ones. Nike says it is best to avoid the washing machine for leather sneakers like white-on-white Air Force 1s and to hand wash them, and its general guide on washing shoes says Nike does not recommend machine washing at all.

Do not use the dryer either. Nike notes that heat can shrink shoes, change their fit and damage the glue. For canvas or fabric shoes that are machine safe, see how to wash shoes in the washing machine.

Suede AF1s, creases and keeping them white

Suede pairs need a dry method, and creases need prevention more than cleaning.

• Suede and nubuck: use a suede eraser, a clean pencil eraser or a dry melamine sponge with light, back-and-forth strokes. Only lightly dampen stubborn spots, and brush the nap up once dry. Our suede shoe guide has more.
• Creases: put shoe trees or stuffed paper in the toe box when you take them off. Cleaning will not remove a crease, but keeping the toe filled stops it from deepening.
• Yellowing soles: some yellowing is the rubber aging and will not wash off. Keep pairs out of sunlight when stored.
• A quick wipe with a damp cloth after each wear keeps dirt from settling into the leather grain, so full cleans take minutes.

Mistakes to avoid

• Throwing leather Air Force 1s in the washing machine.
• Using bleach on the leather, which can yellow and crack it.
• Soaking the shoe so water gets into the padding and insole.
• Rubbing the leather upper hard with a melamine sponge and dulling the finish.
• Drying them on a radiator or in the dryer, which warps the shape and weakens the glue.