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Ah, white sneakers! The Holy Grail of the sneaker world! Everyone (you, me, Timothée Chalamet, and Jeremy Allen White) has them and wears them, whether it’s a simple pair of Adidas Stan Smiths, New Balance 550s, or Vans Old Skool Slip-Ons. But how exactly do you clean white shoes?
Because they sure look cool when they’re spotless. But unlike their darker counterparts (an unsung hero, if we may add), just one afternoon of wearing white sneakers can mark and dirty them forever. The illusion shatters. Your sneakers suddenly become second choice. We all lose.
But we want you to win! So here’s GQ’s guide to sneaker cleaning.
Gotham
How to Clean White Shoes Without Ruining Them?
When it comes to cleaning sneakers, you essentially have two options for white or any shoes. You can either go for the traditional hand wash route or put your sneakers in the washing machine. Either way, preparation is key, and if you want to succeed, you need to make sure you’re using the right products.
How to Clean White Sneakers in the Washing Machine
First off, machine washing might be familiar, but when washing white sneakers, you need to tread carefully as you could end up damaging them further. Before tossing them in, remove the laces and ensure any debris and dirt are cleared (a few taps of each shoe over a bin should do the trick).
This not only protects the machine from potential damage but also ensures the water in the drum remains as clean as possible for the washing process. The laces? Put them in a separate bag and then in the machine. This prevents them from tangling with each other and getting damaged during the spin cycle.
Step One: Which Wash Cycle?
Once the white shoes are ready to be washed, keep in mind that friction on a pair of sneakers can do more harm than good. So opt for a gentle wash cycle. This way, the sneakers will be subjected to lower speeds in both the wash and spin cycles. A way to counteract this is by padding the sneakers with old towels or bulky clothes. Additionally, choosing a cold water wash is advisable, as heat can damage the shoe glue.
Step Two: How Much Detergent?
Don’t go overboard with detergent! Use the same amount you would for washing sheets. Laundry detergent may seem handy to remove stubborn stains, but an excessive amount can worsen your shoe situation. Soap residue will leave stains on the shoes, which will manifest after drying, and your white shoes will be worse off than when they went in. All this can also leave the shoes stiff and incredibly hard to slip into.
Fill a basin with warm (not hot) water and add a tablespoon of liquid soap to form a medium-intensity foam. Using a cloth or toothbrush, gently scrub the shoe until clean, remove excess water, and let air dry for a few hours. Use a sponge or cloth to clean the rubber soles and insoles. For an even better result, you can use a shoe tree, so you have not just a very clean sneaker but also one in perfect shape.