Footwear
Cleaning white sneakers without wrecking them
The washing machine is not the answer. What to do instead, material by material.
The BubbleIQ team
4 min read
Do not put them in the washing machine. The drum deforms the midsole, dissolves the adhesive holding the sole to the upper, and turns leather stiff and cracked. Almost every ruined pair of white sneakers was ruined on a gentle cycle.
Work in three parts
Uppers, midsoles and laces are three different jobs. Remove the laces and soak them separately. Clean the midsole with a firm brush and a mild solution — it takes abrasion that the upper cannot. Then treat the upper according to what it is made of.
- Canvas: mild soap, soft brush, small circles, then blot rather than rinse under a tap.
- Smooth leather: damp cloth and a leather-safe cleaner, then condition so it does not dry out.
- Suede: dry brush first, always. Water sets stains into suede rather than lifting them.
- Knit uppers: least forgiving of scrubbing — light pressure, more passes.
If a pair is past hand cleaning, BubbleIQ cleans sports shoes at ₹279 a pair, canvas at ₹299, sneakers at ₹329 and leather or suede leather at ₹399.
Related services
- Shoe Cleaning See details
