How to clean white shoes: leather, canvas and mesh sneakers

Step by step: how to clean white shoes

Safety first. Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners, since the combinations release toxic gases. Rinse the vinegar mix off completely before using bleach on the same pair, wear gloves, and work by an open window.

1. 1

   Remove the laces and insoles

   Pull out the laces and, if they come out, the insoles. Soak the laces in a bowl of warm water with a spoonful of detergent or oxygen bleach while you work on the shoes. Clean insoles separately and let them dry on their own.

2. 2

   Dry brush the whole shoe

   Knock the soles together outside, then brush off dried dirt from the uppers, midsole and tread with a dry brush. Getting grit off first stops you from grinding it into white leather or canvas when you add water.

3. 3

   Mix a gentle cleaning solution

   Stir a few drops of detergent into a cup of warm water. For white leather, Nike suggests 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and 1 cup of water instead. Either way, you want a brush that is damp, not dripping.

4. 4

   Scrub the uppers by material

   Work in small circles with a soft brush on leather and canvas, and brush gently along the weave on mesh and knit. Wipe the dirty foam away with a white cloth every few strokes so you can see the color coming back.

5. 5

   Erase scuffs on the midsole

   Wet a melamine sponge, squeeze it out and rub scuff marks on the rubber midsole and toe cap. Use a medium brush with the soap solution in the tread. Go lightly on painted or glossy edges, since melamine is a fine abrasive.

6. 6

   Treat leftover stains

   For marks that remain on leather or rubber, rub in a dab of white, non-gel toothpaste with a toothbrush and wipe it off. On all-white canvas only, you can move on to the diluted bleach method in the section below.

7. 7

   Rinse with a clean damp cloth

   Wipe the whole shoe with a cloth dipped in plain water to lift soap and baking soda residue. Residue left in the fabric dries as a dull or yellowish film, so take a minute to wipe it all off.

8. 8

   Air dry, then relace

   Stuff the shoes with paper towels or newspaper and let them dry at room temperature, out of direct sun and away from heaters, for 8 to 12 hours. Rinse the laces, let them dry flat, and relace once everything is dry.

How to clean white shoes by material

Match the cleaner to the upper. Leather tolerates firmer scrubbing, canvas can take bleach if it is pure white, and mesh and knit need the gentlest touch. Jason Markk’s white shoe guide recommends soft brushes and light pressure on canvas, mesh and knit, and a separate dry method for suede and nubuck.

Nike’s Flyknit and mesh instructions say to skip bleach and harsh chemicals, avoid hot water, and keep knit shoes out of the dryer. White suede has its own routine in our suede cleaning guide.

When is bleach safe on white shoes?

Only on all-white canvas, and only diluted. Nike’s white shoe guide gives a ratio of 1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 quart of water, brushed onto the uppers, midsole and outsole of canvas shoes. Do not use it on leather, mesh, knit or shoes with colored trim.

• Wear gloves, work outdoors or by an open window, and rinse thoroughly with plain water afterward.
• Never combine bleach with vinegar, ammonia or toilet bowl cleaner. Poison Control warns that bleach and ammonia make toxic chloramine gas, and bleach with toilet bowl cleaner makes chlorine gas. Vinegar is an acid too, so keep it out of the mix.
• If you already scrubbed with the vinegar mix, rinse and let the shoes dry before you try bleach.

Why do white shoes turn yellow after cleaning?

Usually because soap, baking soda or bleach residue was left in the fabric, or the shoes dried in strong sun. Rinse with a clean damp cloth until no suds appear, and dry them indoors with paper towels stuffed inside to wick moisture away.

Some yellowing is the material itself aging, especially on rubber soles and old foam. Jason Markk points out that a yellow area is not always removable dirt, and that more scrubbing will not restore the original color. If a careful clean does not shift it, stop before you wear through the finish.

How to keep white leather sneakers white

Wipe them after each muddy wear and deal with scuffs the same day. Nike’s Air Force 1 guide recommends hand washing leather pairs rather than using the washing machine, with a soft brush, a cleaning eraser dipped in water, and the baking soda and vinegar solution.

• Keep a pack of sneaker wipes by the door for quick wipe-downs.
• Condition white leather now and then with a clear leather conditioner so creases crack less.
• Store them out of sunlight, in a breathable bag or box.

Mistakes to avoid

• Using bleach on white leather, mesh or knit, which can damage or discolor the material.
• Mixing bleach with vinegar or another cleaner in the same bowl or the same session.
• Leaving soap or baking soda residue in the fabric, which dries as a yellow film.
• Drying white shoes in direct sun or on a radiator.
• Scrubbing hard with a melamine sponge on glossy or painted midsoles.
• Washing leather sneakers in the machine instead of by hand.