A Comprehensive Guide To Cleaning Your White Sneakers

Everyone needs at the very least, one pair of go-to white sneakers in their shoe collection—and for a few good reasons. First off, white sneakers can go with pretty much anything. From simple outfits like jeans and a t-shirt or joggers and a tank top to more business casual ensembles like chinos and a polo, you can really pair any casual or semi-formal outfit with a great pair of white sneakers. Second, is there a more comfortable option you can wear when it comes to staying stylish while sporting casual footwear? We’ll answer that for you: no, there isn’t.

However, don’t let the simplicity of this footwear staple fool you: white sneakers can make or break your outfit, especially if they’re grungy, scuffed up, or look anything less than brand-new. And while white sneakers definitely add a fashionable yet casual edge to any outfit, keeping them looking as fresh as the day you took them out of the box can be quite a daunting task, especially if you have no clue how to keep your kicks clean.

Thankfully, we’ve got you covered with this super-simple, how-to guide that’ll help you answer all your questions about how to keep your white canvas and leather sneakers spotless. 

What You’ll Need To Clean White Sneakers

It’s important to note that you’ll need different cleaning supplies depending on the material of your sneakers – this isn’t a one-size-fits-all cleaning operation here. Although, something you’ll need when cleaning any kind of shoe is a pair of shoe trees, which will help keep the shape of your shoes while you clean them; if you don’t have shoe trees, you can always stuff newspaper into the shoe. You may also want to keep a Mr. Clean Major Eraser on hand to help clean the rubber soles and sides of your sneakers. 

For white canvas sneakers, make sure you have the following: a clean toothbrush or nail brush along with either baking soda and white vinegar, or you can simply use a combination of dish soap and water, depending on what’s convenient and available to you. For white leather sneakers, you’ll need either a sponge, shoe wipes, an old t-shirt or rag, and/or paper towels, and ivory soap.

How To Clean White Canvas Sneakers

There are a few steps to ensure that your white sneakers get as clean as possible, and there’s actually more than one method to clean your canvas sneakers – neither is better than the other, it just all depends on what cleaning supplies you have on hand already or which are available to you in your area. 

Step 1: Mix a tablespoon of baking soda and two tablespoons of white vinegar together in a cup of warm water; if you need to make more solution, don’t hesitate to double or triple the recipe, just make sure you’re at a 1:2 ratio of baking soda to vinegar and adjust the amount of warm water properly. If you don’t have baking soda and white vinegar, you can always use a mild soap or dish soap combined with lukewarm water to form an effective cleaning solution.

Step 2: Take your clean toothbrush and dip it into your cleaning mixture, then gently start scrubbing your canvas sneakers in a circular motion to get all of the dirt out of the nooks and crannies of the shoe. Wipe off with a clean, damp cloth to remove any access cleaning solution and dirt, then let air dry. If you weren’t able to get your shoes squeaky clean the first time around, go back and repeat the process until you’re satisfied with the outcome. 

Step 3: Wet your Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and squeeze out the excess water so the sponge is damp, but not dripping. Then, gently clean the rubber soles and sides of your sneakers until the dirt is gone, and voila! Your white canvas kicks should look close to, if not completely, brand-new.

How To Clean White Leather Sneakers

Cleaning white leather sneakers is actually a lot easier than cleaning white canvas sneakers because leather doesn’t exactly absorb dirt – you can easily clean your shoes by gently wiping them with a damp cloth. 

Step 1: If you don’t have wipes that are specifically for cleaning shoes, don’t fret – you can always use a damp paper towel to gently wipe down your white leather sneakers. 

Step 2: Take your Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and squeeze out the excess water, then gently scrub the soles of your shoes until all the dirt and stains are lifted. 

Step 3: Wet an old t-shirt or rag and lather it up with Ivory soap, which is a gentle yet effective soap for removing stains, and start lightly buffing in a circular motion. Wipe away any excess dirt and soap, and let your shoes dry before doing anything else to them. You may need to repeat this process a few times to get your white leather sneakers back to their original, bright color.

Can You Dry Sneakers in the Dryer?

Although you can technically dry your shoes in a dryer, it’s not recommended, as drying shoes can totally affect the integrity of the material and the shoe itself; you’re better off air-drying your kicks. It’s also important not to wear your shoes until they’re completely dry, so if you have an event to be at, you may want to move the task of cleaning your shoes to a few days before so you have an adequate amount of time to get them in tip-top shape.

What To Wear With White Sneakers

A paramount rule of thumb is that you should never wear your dirty white shoes anywhere, so once you go through your footwear collection and get everything all spick-and-span, you can craft your perfect outfit to pair with your kicks. The best part about white sneakers is that you can wear them with anything pretty much anywhere, save for uber-formal black tie events; although, it’s not uncommon for bridal parties to all sport white sneakers on the big day. 

That said, white sneakers can totally freshen up an otherwise basic outfit of skinny or slim-fit denim and a casual tee, add a streetwear twist to chinos paired with a blazer and button down, or can be worn dressed down with joggers, athletic shorts, or sweats for the ultimate athleisure look.