How to Clean White Shoes and Make Them Look New
White shoes are a timeless wardrobe staple 🤍 but they’re also notorious for getting dirty fast. From scuffs and stains to yellowing soles, white sneakers require a little extra care to maintain their fresh, clean look. Luckily, with the right tools, techniques, and a little patience 🧽, you can restore your white shoes to look as good as new. Here’s a step-by-step guide to keep them pristine:
🧰 What You'll Need
Before you start cleaning, gather these essential tools and supplies:
-
✅ Crep Hero Foam Cleaner and Conditioner (biodegradable, eco-friendly, and powerful on stubborn stains)
-
🪥 Soft-Bristled Brush (for delicate materials)
-
🧼 Medium-Bristled Brush (for rubber soles and tougher areas)
-
🧻 Microfiber Cloth (for wiping and drying)
-
💧 Small Bowl of Warm Water (for rinsing)
-
🦷 Old Toothbrush (optional for precision work)
-
🧽 Magic Eraser (for stubborn scuffs)
-
🥄 Baking Soda and White Vinegar (optional DIY alternative)
-
🛡️ Protective Spray (for added protection after cleaning)
-
✨ Sodium Percarbonate Oxi Cleaner (for extra whitening power)
🔗 Our Cleaning and Repair Kit List has everything we personally use and recommend, including the powerful Crep Hero Foam Cleaner and Conditioner. Keep your sneakers looking new, fresh, and ready for any occasion with these expert tips and trusted products.
🪛 Step 1: Remove Laces and Insoles
Start by removing the laces and insoles 👟. This allows a more thorough clean, especially around the tongue and eyelets.
🧼 Soak dirty laces in warm, soapy water for 10–15 mins, scrub gently, and let them air-dry.
💡 Pro Tip: Stained beyond saving? Swap them out for fresh new laces for that brand-new look!
🧹 Step 2: Dry Brush to Remove Loose Dirt
Use a soft or medium-bristled brush to remove dirt, dust, or debris from the surface. Focus on seams, eyelets, and soles.
🪛 Pro Tip: Use a metal pick tool to remove small stones or packed dirt in the sole’s grooves—super satisfying.
🧴 Step 3: Apply the Cleaning Solution
Time to foam up! 🫧
Use Crep Hero Foam Cleaner and Conditioner for its eco-safe, fabric-friendly power:
-
Shake the bottle and apply foam directly onto the surface.
-
Use a soft brush for mesh, suede, or canvas. Use a medium brush for leather or rubber.
-
Scrub gently in circles, targeting stains and buildup.
-
For tough marks (mud, food, grass), reapply and add pressure.
-
Mix in Sodium Percarbonate Oxi Cleaner for extra whitening power.
-
Wipe away with a damp microfiber cloth.
🔁 Repeat if needed on stubborn areas.
💡 Pro Tip: Use a magic eraser on midsoles to buff out scuffs. Avoid on fabric or suede.
💛 Step 4: Tackle Yellowed Soles
Yellow soles? You’re not alone.
👨🔬 DIY Fix: Mix equal parts baking soda + vinegar into a paste. Apply with a toothbrush, scrub, let sit 30 mins, then rinse.
🎯 Pro-Level: Use a deoxidation product from a sneaker cleaning kit for the best transformation.
🚫 Pro Tip: Avoid direct sun while cleaning—it can make yellowing worse!
🧼 Step 5: Clean the Laces and Insoles
While your shoes dry:
-
Soak laces in warm water + sneaker cleaner 🪥
-
Scrub between hands or with a brush
-
Rinse & air-dry
For insoles: Foam cleaner + soft brush → rinse → air-dry.
🌬️ Step 6: Dry Your Shoes Properly
Correct drying is key to keeping shape and avoiding yellowing:
-
Wipe excess water with a microfiber cloth
-
Stuff shoes with paper towels or rags to hold shape
-
Air-dry at room temperature—no heat! 🚫🔥
💡 Pro Tip: Use a fan for quicker dry time—but make sure it’s cool air!
🛡️ Step 7: Apply a Protective Coating
Once fully dry, protect your clean kicks from future mess:
-
Hold spray 6–8 inches away
-
Apply evenly across the surface
-
Let dry 15–20 mins before wearing
💡 Pro Tip: Reapply every few weeks—especially in wet weather 🌧️
🧪 BONUS: Secret Whitening Weapon – Sodium Percarbonate
For next-level whitening, don’t forget to add a sprinkle of Sodium Percarbonate Oxi Cleaner to your foam mix. It lifts deep-set stains and revives faded mesh and soles 💥
🧼 Want Pro Results Without the Work?
If you'd rather skip the mess, let us do it for you. Our Professional Cleaning and Repair Service has restored thousands of shoes across every brand and material.
📦 We include pre-paid QR-coded labels for easy, hassle-free shipping to our expert team.
🛠️ Let us do it for you → Book your clean now
We clean, deoxidise, repaint, re-glue, de-crease—and everything in between 💯
🧪 Want to See the Real Tools We Use?
We’ve revealed our full Pro Kit List showing every little-known tool, brush, and chemical we trust in the lab. From whitening powders to advanced solutions, we’ve got it all.
