Your canvas shoes became dirty, and you are looking for the best way to solve this with some items you may already have around the house. Here is a technique to show you, how to clean canvas shoes
Cleaning Canvas Shoes: Basic Recommendations
Contents
Read your shoe label first for care recommendations before you apply any solution to your shoes.
To clean your canvas sneakers you will need:
- A detergent of your choosing. It can be laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, or any natural, eco-friendly alternative;
- Paper towels. Use all white paper towels and avoid newspapers, ink might leave stains when wet;
- A soft bristle brush or a toothbrush;
- An all-purpose brush;
- A towel, cotton sheet or mat.
3-Step Canvas Shoes Cleaning Process
Step 1. Dry Brushing
Start with your shoes completely dry to brush off caked dirt and mud with a bristle brush. We need to loosen the dirt and prepare shoes for deeper cleaning.
CAUTION: Do not apply too much pressure on the brush not to damage the tissue.
Once you’ve done the initial pre-treating, remove the laces and either toss them in a washing machine or wash them separately by hand or in a washing machine inside a laundry bag. You can also replace your laces with new.
Clean the soles with an all-purpose brush or use a magic eraser sponge to remove stubborn stains and dirt.
Step 2. Washing
To start the cleaning process, take a bowl of warm water, add a few drops of your detergent or a professional solution to it, and mix it up with a toothbrush.
Dip the soft brush into the soapy water, and start scrubbing on the strains in one direction. Some experts might suggest moving in circular motions; however, bristles can snag into the material and damage the cloth of your shoes.
Pay particular attention to the dirt marks in the lines on the top of your shoes. If you do not clean them properly, these lines can turn your shoes yellow with time.
As you go, don’t forget to rinse off your brush repeatedly. Also, make sure you do not wet the interior of your shoes.
Step 3. Drying
Insert paper towels inside the shoes to speed up the drying process and helps maintain the shoe shape while it dries. Let it air dry and do NOT put your shoes in a dryer; the dryer heat might melt the glue that holds the shoe together.
TIP! If your shoes happen to be stinky, you will need baking soda and an old sock. Put the baking soda into the sock and place it into the shoe overnight.
Canvas Shoes Safe Machine Washing
You can wash your white canvas shoes in a washing machine on a cold water small load circle. This method works wonders with canvas shoes, but you should not wash mesh or leather shoes in a washing machine.
Place your keds and laces in a delicates laundry bag or a pillowcase. Tie up tightly and put into a washing machine. Put a bath towel to prevent loud tumbling while washing. The pillowcase and towel should be white or any neutral color that will not bleed onto your shoes.
If you aren’t satisfied with the cleaning results after the first wash, you can repeat the procedure: gently clean the shoes with a soft brush and a solution, then machine-wash them once again.
Stuff your shoes with paper towels and let them naturally air-dry overnight. Do not expose your shoes to the sun because it can make them yellowish.
CAUTION: Some detergents, bleaches, and other whitening products may contain ingredients that might turn your all-white shoes yellow after washing. We recommend you avoid harsh detergents and use natural or professional solutions for delicate materials.
How To Remove Grass & Stubborn Mud Stains
You can try using the following homemade solutions:
- rubbing alcohol or nail remover to remove paint stains;
- baking soda mixed with hydrogen peroxide works best onto stubborn dirty spots;
- a magic eraser is a great tool to remove stains from midsoles.
Join our community Q&A and ask your question whether you need help removing stains off your white Vans or Converses.