How to Clean Your White Shoes at Home: Easy Methods

Oct 19, 2023

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No matter the material, your sneakers will be spotless in no time.

All white sneakers have gained so much popularity in recent years, but the trendy kicks come at a cost: they’re impossible to keep looking clean all the time. And once you’ve worn your new favorite sneakers outside, you come home to find yourself frantically googling “how to clean white shoes” so your shoes can be good as new before your next photo op.

So, what’s the secret? Scrubbing your shoes with bleach? Throwing them in the washing machine and hoping for the best? We can do better than that.

We’ve consulted Carolyn Forté, the executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab, to detail the best way to go about cleaning your white shoes, no matter the material. Below, find step-by-step solutions for canvas, leather, and suede shoes alike. Plus, how to keep your white shoes white for longer!

While there’s no exact shoe-cleaning schedule that you should stick to, Forté points out that “the dirtier they get, the harder they are to clean.” If you’re wearing your favorite white sneakers regularly, she says it’s a good idea to “wash them every month or so and remove obvious spots and stains as soon as you see them to keep shoes looking cleaner longer.”

For cleaning white canvas sneakers from brands like Vans or Converse, Forté recommends following this method:

For cleaning white leather shoes from brands like Adidas or Nike, Forté suggests following these steps:

For tough stains on white leather shoes, Forté suggests dipping a wet brush in baking soda and rub gently. “Wipe with a clean, wet cloth and air dry.”

White suede should only be cleaned with a suede cleaner, says Forté. “I wouldn’t risk using any home method since suede shouldn’t get too wet,” she says. Washing the entire shoe in water can cause stains to settle into the fabric.

To use suede cleaner properly, follow these guidelines:

Note: Be sure to spot test first and apply the cleaner to a small, less visible spot to make sure that it won’t damage your shoes.

1. Apply the cleaner with a soft cloth and then gently rub the stained area in a circular motion

2. Once you’re done, use a different clean, damp cloth to remove any excess cleaner from your shoes.

After you’ve made your shoes look as good as new, you don’t want to thread back in those dirty, dingy shoelaces. So, give your laces some TLC, too. Forté says you can follow these easy steps for a quick tidying up:

Although you can’t escape all the elements in your white shoes, there are some habits you can follow in order to keep your kicks sparkling for longer in between deep cleans:

According to Forté, here’s some helpful tips to keep in mind:

Madeleine, Prevention’s assistant editor, has a history with health writing from her experience as an editorial assistant at WebMD, and from her personal research at university. She graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in biopsychology, cognition, and neuroscience—and she helps strategize for success across Prevention’s social media platforms.

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