White converse always looks excellent, especially when they are brand new. We all love them because they are easy to pair with almost everything in our wardrobe.
However, nothing is more disappointing than bringing out your pair of converse from the shoe rack and realizing it has mud stains on them. Don’t fret. Simple hacks make your converse look brand new in no time!
12 Hacks To Clean Your White Converse Shoes
It’s easy to dirty up your white converse, especially when you wear them frequently. Luckily, there are various methods on how to clean white converse to ensure you have almost brand-new-looking white shoes again.
These methods will also work for old pairs of white converse you might have abandoned over a long period.
Regardless of which method you decide to use, ensure you remove the shoelaces before you start cleaning your Converse shoes. This helps cleaning around the tongue and eyelets easier.
The following cleaning instructions aren’t just for Converse sneakers; they’ll work on any white canvas shoes. Here are some tips to wash your white converse:
1. Clean with a Washing Machine
Although Converse does not recommend this method to clean its converse, it works just fine for many people. But there are steps involved:
Step 1: Rinse
Remove any visible debris from your sneakers and wash them in warm water to avoid clogging your washing machine.
Step 2: Spray With a Stain Cleaner
Before putting the converse into the wash, make sure you apply a stain cleaner. Apply the stain cleaner all over the sneaker and allow it to stay according to the cleaning product’s instructions.
Step 3: Place the Sneakers in a Protective Bag
Before putting your shoes, and laces in the washer, put them in a bag. A pillowcase tied at the top or a garment bag is two options for the bag.
Step 4: Choose a Gentle Wash Style
To not destroy your sneaker, make sure you set the mashing to a low/gentle cycle. Also, don’t use hot water because it can damage the glue that holds your shoes together.
Step 5: Allow to Dry
Don’t use hot water because it can damage the glue that holds your shoes together. Also, avoid leaving your sneakers under sunlight. This can cause the color of the sneakers to change into yellow due to the sun’s bleaching effects. Once you are done with this step, your shoes will look like new.
2. Apply Vinegar and Baking Soda
One of the easiest methods to clean your white converse is using a little Baking soda and Vinegar.
Start by making it into a paste by combining one cup of baking soda and two teaspoons of vinegar in a small amount of boiling water. Make sure the paste has a spreadable consistency to apply it to your shoes easily.
Next, spread the paste on your white Converse shoes using an old toothbrush. Upon spreading, leave your shoes on for about 10 minutes. Afterward, rinse your sneakers properly using lukewarm water and dry them out in the sun.
If any stains are left on the sneakers, you can repeat the same process by focusing on the areas of stains.
Your sneakers might smell like vinegar at first, but the smell will go away after air-drying. If you notice a persistent smell, give your shoes a few more days; the smell will eventually disappear.
3. Use Maize Meal
This method sounds a bit weird, right? But it works, and it is a straightforward process. To successfully carry out this method, you need a little maize meal.
All you have to do is combine maize meal and water to produce a paste. Then, using an old brush, spread the maize meal paste over your footwear, just like in the previous approach.
Allow the shoes to sit in this state for one whole day before rinsing them well with an old toothbrush.
4. Use a Nail Polish Remover
This is one simple yet effective way of cleaning your sneakers. For this process, you only need nail polish and cotton wool. Soak a cotton ball in nail polish remover and use it to wipe away the stains on your shoes.
To erase the stain marks on the Converse, you may need to scrape a little with the cotton ball. After that, you’ll need to wash the shoes with liquid soap and water and thoroughly rinse them. You can further allow the sneakers to dry entirely in the sun.
5. Clean with Toothpaste
This is another great way to turn your dirty white converse shoes into a new pair. A simple white toothpaste and an old brush will do the trick.
Apply the toothpaste to your converse shoes using the old toothbrush. After spreading the toothpaste, let the shoes soak for a moment in little water. You can even scrub the sneakers a little with the toothbrush. Next, rinse the shoes with water until the paste washes out thoroughly. Then allow the shoes to dry.
Tip: Don’t use gel-based or colored toothpaste because it can leave stains on your white sneakers or spoil them.
6. Clean With Washing Powder
For this method, dissolve the washing powder with warm water, then soak the sneakers for 30-45 minutes. Next, clean the shoes carefully with water, and rinse them.
If there are any stains, you can scrub them with an old toothbrush and use water to clean the sneakers thoroughly. Finally, allow them to dry out in the sun.
If your sneaker is extremely dirty, you can add one to two drops of bleach to the washing powder solution you plan to use.
7. Use Lemon Juice
Lemon juice can be used as an alternative to bleach. When using lemon to clean your converse, cut a lemon in half and directly apply the cut side of one half to the scuff marks on your shoe. Allow the lemon juice to stay on the shoe for 15-20 minutes before rinsing it off with plain water.
8. Apply Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum jelly can attach itself to the dirty particles of scuffed-up material and lift away the debris. You can apply your petroleum jelly to the scruff parts and leave it for 5-8 minutes before wiping it off with a damp rag or warm water.
Avoid letting the petroleum jelly touch the cloth part of the converse shoe because the oil in the petroleum jelly tends to leave stains on a piece of fabric.
9. Apply Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is a powerful household product that can strip away many forms of stubborn particles. When using alcohol to clean dirty converse, ensure you unlace your shoes to expose as much of the white converse as possible. This would make it easier to clean your sneakers thoroughly.
Use a cotton ball or pad to apply alcohol onto the dirty parts for easy cleaning. Scrub well, then wipe away any residual alcohol with a damp rag.
10. Use Micellar Water
Micellar water is a great makeup remover that also doubles as an effective shoe cleaner. Simply dab your white sneakers with a clean cloth and some micellar water. Micellar water also works on leather, rubber, and suede shoes.
You should note that Micellar water doesn’t work well for deeper stains like oil or ink.
11. Use Magic Eraser
A magic eraser and a little water go a long way in cleaning dirty converse. The sponge on the eraser works like sandpaper to make your shoes look brand new. When using a magic eraser on your sneakers, you need to pay attention and be extra careful, so you do not peel off the color-treated areas.
Before using the magic eraser, wipe off the dirt with a rag. Then you can get little water on the magic eraser before you start using it on the sneakers.
12. Mix Baking Soda and Detergents
Using baking soda to clean is a timeless hack. Baking soda removes our stains from rugs, clothes, curtains, and light-colored shoes.
First, mix the two powders (baking soda and detergent) without adding water. Next, apply the powder to the shoe using the back of a spoon. Then allow the mixture to rest on the shoe for approximately one hour, brush the powder off and rinse with warm water.
Lastly, wash the shoes in a washing machine at the lowest setting. Let the shoe air dry instead of machine dry.
Cleaning Your Shoe Laces
Your shoelaces are part of the shoes, and you must clean them too. Start by soaking the shoelaces in warm soapy water. After a few minutes, wash and rinse them, then hang to dry.
You might not get the exact color of your shoelace after a long period, so it’s a good idea to get a similar type of shoelace as a replacement.