How Do I Clean My Shoes?

Cleaning Leather Shoes

1. Remove any debris or dirt from the shoe’s surface.
Using a stiff bristled brush or an old toothbrush, gently removed any dirt from your leather shoes. Take care not to scrub too hard or you might accidentally scratch the surface of the shoe.

2. Wipe grease and grime from the shoe’s surface.
Find a clean and dry cloth you can use to gently wipe away any grease, oil, or grime that might be on the surface of the leather. An old washcloth, dish towel, or hand towel works well for this purpose.

3. Wipe down the shoe with a damp cloth.
Once you’ve used the dry cloth to wipe away grease and grime, wet a cloth with warm water and gently wipe down the surface of the shoe. Be sure you don’t saturate the leather or you can cause damage.

4. Air dry the shoes.
It’s important that you give your leather shoes an ample amount of time to air dry once you’ve finished the cleaning process and before you wear them. Allow shoes to dry for at least 30 minutes in a space away from direct sunlight, heat, or air vents.

5. Treat the leather.
Apply a cream leather polish with a soft cloth and allow to sit for a few minutes. Then take the cloth and buff the leather to a shine. This will help preserve and protect your leather shoes.

Cleaning Canvas Shoes

1. Remove dirt or debris from the shoes.
Use an old toothbrush or a small shoe brush and gently stroke the dirt or debris that is adhered to the shoe. Use just enough pressure to weaken the dirt’s bond to the shoe. This will loosen and remove the debris or dirt.

2. Clean the soles using a baking soda paste.
Getting the soles of your canvas shoes clean can be tough, so make a paste using equal parts baking soda and water. Dip the toothbrush in the paste and massage the soles of your shoes. Wipe clean with a wet cloth when finished.

3. Pretreat any stains with a stain remover.
If your canvas shoes have any stains on them, place a small amount of stain remover on the stained area of the shoe. Allow the stain remover to sit on the shoe for the time recommended on the stain remover packaging. Make sure you test the stain remover on an inconspicuous part of the shoe first. This way you can make sure the product isn’t going to fade or stain your shoes.

4. Wash in a washing machine on the gentle cycle.
Add a gentle laundry detergent to the machine, choose cold as the water temperature, and begin running the gentle or delicate cycle. When the machine is about three-quarters of the way filled with water, add the shoes and close the lid.

5. Air dry the shoes.
Once the washing machine has completely finished its cycle, it’s time to remove the shoes from the machine. Place them in an area that is away from direct sun, heat, or air vents. Allow to dry overnight.

Cleaning Suede Shoes

1. Use a soft shoe brush made specifically for suede and nubuck to remove debris.
Brush lightly over the surface of the shoes to remove any dirt or debris that has adhered itself to the surface of the shoe. Be sure you don’t apply too much pressure as this can scratch the suede and ruin your shoes.

Make sure you brush in the same direction. Brushing in different directions can make the shoes appear to be two different colours of suede. Don’t use a wire brush on suede. This can ruin your shoes.

2. Use a rubber eraser to eliminate any smudges or dirt.
Sometimes suede shoes get smudged, and an eraser is an easily accessible tool to help you eliminate any unsightly smudges. Gently rub any smudges or smears with the eraser to remove them.

3. Treat with a silicone spray.
Using a silicone spray will help prevent new stains or water damage on your suede shoes. Once you’ve finished removing dirt, debris, and smudges, gently spray the surface of the suede with a silicon spray for extra protection. This can enhance the overall life of your shoes.

Cleaning White Shoes

1. Clean white leather shoes with a wet cloth and white leather shoe cleaner.
Wipe the shoes down with a damp cloth every few days. If you get stains, squeeze a little bit of shoe cleaner made especially for white shoes or white toothpaste onto the shoes and then rub gently with a wet cloth. Use a clean, dry towel to wipe the shoe clean.

2. Scrub white canvas shoes with detergent.
Test a patch of the cleaner in an inconspicuous area of the shoe. If it doesn’t adversely affect the material or color of the shoe, use a shoe brush to gently scrub the shoes with detergent. Rinse thoroughly and then submerge in hot water with a drop of bleach and airy dry.

3. Clean white mesh sneakers in the washing machine.
After removing any excess dirt with a toothbrush, toss them in the machine with a splash of detergent on the hot water cycle. Make sure you remove the laces before washing. Avoid bleach as it can cause synthetic fibers to yellow.

There is also another option.

Why wait for your shoes to get really dirty? You can just clean them every time or every second time after you use them. It only takes 1-2 minutes. You can use Chuck Offs Shoe Cleaning Wipes. These patented wipes remove not only dirt but also rubber scuffs from your shoe making them look good as new! Oh and these Cleaning Wipes you can get in your December Gay Pack!