How To Wash Sneakers The Right Way! Check Out These Methods

So you want to learn how to wash sneakers huh?! Learning how to wash sneakers is a valuable skill. The picture shown to the left of you is the ending results of that concert where you got so wasted that the only thing you remember is that you got wasted.  No seriously who wears a pair of “Off White Jordan 1s” to a concert!

Listen you can mess your sneakers up with just a simple scruff from walking on the side walk. You can also damage them by someone else mistakenly stepping on your sneakers. However there is one thing that is for “certain” which is that we all face the same common problem. This is that our sneakers will always get dirty no matter what we do. So it is important that we learn how to wash sneakers and how to maintain them. It is also important for us to learn what different ways are available for us to keep them clean.

Learning how to wash sneakers sounds very simple to the average listener. Ask one of your sneaker head friends what methods they do to keep their sneakers clean. You may be surprised at the many different responses you get from them. Everyone has their “Go To” method of cleaning their shoes. However, have no fear because Spotless Kicks is here to share some simple tips on keeping your sneakers fresh. Here are a few methods and tricks you will learn about from our free blog on how to wash sneakers:

• • How to wash shoes in the washing machine (shown on our dedicated page for washing machine cleaning)
  • How to wash your sneakers by hand
  • Washing sneakers with tooth paste (which can be found on our clean white sneakers and how to maintain them page)
  • Creating a cleaning solution with baking soda to clean your sneakers (Also shown on our clean white sneakers page)
  • And much much more!

How To Wash Your Sneakers By Hand

1. Remove Your Sneaker Laces

Removing your sneaker laces is the first thing you should do because (a) the shoe laces are the fastest and easiest element of the sneaker to clean and (b) when you attempt to clean the whole sneaker you don’t want the laces to get in your way. Once the laces are out of the sneaker we suggest tying a knot at the end of each lace so that it is easier to clean both laces at one time. Then you’re going to want to place your laces on a washing or draining board.

Now what you want to do is get a cup and fill it up with warm water and normal home dish detergent. Take the laces and place them in the soapy cup and use your hands to soak and scrub the laces. Proceed to clean the laces until you feel like they are nice and soapy! Take the laces and run them under warm water at a sink until all of the soap is out. Put the laces in your palms and squeeze them until most of the water is out. Now set them outside or by your window to fully and completely dry.

2. Remove Your Sneaker Insoles

Remove both insoles out of each sneaker. Cleaning the insoles are important because this is probably the smelliest part of your shoe and the goal is to have clean and fresh sneakers all throughout. Once your insoles are removed you’re going to want to take a soft bristle tooth brush or sneaker comb and dip it in that soapy mixture you created for your laces in step 1. Now you’re going to take the soapy brush and scrub your insoles until they are good and wet. Also guys in this case don’t be afraid to double dip because they aren’t chips people! When your done scrubbing take a sponge or a paper towel and soak up as much water as you can. Finally let both insoles dry completely before placing them back into your sneakers.

3. Pre Clean Your Sneakers

Now everything in life deserves a good old pre cleaning am I right?! Well before you tackle the beast which is your dirty sneakers I suggest you take your soft bristle tooth brush or sneaker brush, wet it a little, and then clean the excess dirt from around the shoe. Then take a Q-Tip, wet it and try to get the dirt out of the little crevices on the sneaker which the brush can not get.

4. How to Wash Sneakers Your Final Step

I’m so proud of you! You really made it this far and now you’re ready for the big leagues on how to wash sneakers! Now what you’re going to want to do is to get a big cup or bowl and make more of your water/detergent solution mix. Take your tooth brush or sneaker comb, dip it in the solution and begin to scrub your sneakers. On the out sole of the sneaker it is ok to use a hard bristle brush if you have one but on the mid sole and the outer area of the sneaker you’re going to want to use the soft bristle brush to prevent messing up the material or cracking your mid sole.

If you have a really bad stain on your sneaker you may want to let the solution soak on that one spot for a little bit longer before going on to the next part of your sneaker. Please advise that materials like suede and nubuck have a slightly different method of cleaning which can be explained in our cleaning material guide section. After your sneakers are all soaped up take a wet towel or sponge (note: use a micro fiber towel so you don’t get any unwanted hairs from the towel on your sneakers) and wipe away the soap with normal water until all the solution is gone. You can now take your sneakers and sit them in a dark room to dry and viola clean and fresh kicks baby!

Here is an example video by YouTuber ItzAriaMHD showcasing a similar method to ours for cleaning your sneakers! This Video has over 200,000+ views and displays the effectiveness you can achieve when cleaning your kicks!