If you’re anything like us you love your white shoes to stay ‘clean and crisp’ and sometimes keeping your shoes that way can be hard, right? Need to know how to clean white shoes? Look no further, here are so simple tricks you can try at home!

What are the Options?

There are so many ways you can get your white shoes looking like new again and most use basic household products you hopefully already have at home!

Here are our go-to cleaning hacks to clean white sneakers, sandals or heels:

  1. Warm soapy water: Good for cleaning shoes made from almost any material, just add about one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid to one cup of warm water and stir. Using a cloth or toothbrush, gently scrub the shoe until clean, wipe off any excess water and leave to air dry for several hours.
  2. Baking soda and white vinegar: Great for canvas shoes but also works for other shoe types. Mix one tablespoon of hot water with one tablespoon of white vinegar and one tablespoon of baking soda together to form a paste. Using a toothbrush, apply to the shoes in a circular motion, then leave shoes to air for several hours before brushing and shaking off the dried paste.
  3. Heavily diluted bleach: A very effective way to clean fabric shoes provided you do it in a well-ventilated location while protecting your skin and eyes. Create a cleaning solution made from one part bleach and five parts water (adding too much bleach could turn your shoes yellow), and work it into the shoes using a toothbrush in circular motions. When finished, use a damp cloth to wipe off the solution and leave to dry for at least 5 hours.
  4. Toothpaste: You can also try using toothpaste (the white creamy type and not a coloured gel). Apply it to the entire shoe in a circular motion, paying extra attention to any heavy stains. Leave for 10 minutes before wiping away with a damp towel, then repeat if needed.

Keeping Your White Shoes Clean

Once your white shoes are looking fresh again, here are some useful tips to help you keep them in the best condition:

  1. Prevention is key: Stop stains before they happen by using a stain and water repellent spray every few weeks. While you’ll still need to give them a good clean from time-to-time, it will make it harder for dirt and grime to penetrate into the shoe. Water repellants aren't ideal for patent shoes as it can dull the shiny finish.
  2. Spot cleaning: Get onto any stains or spots as soon as you notice them. The longer you leave them, the harder they’ll be to remove.
  3. Avoid the washing machine: While it may be tempting to throw your shoes in the washing machine, this can damage your shoes and make them age prematurely (eep!).

If you’ve tried everything but your shoes are still looking a little worse for wear, maybe it really is time to invest in a new pair. To ease the pain of saying goodbye to your old shoes, we've put together a range of shoe designs to help you find your next favourite pair of trusty whites!