How to Clean Every Kind of Sneaker

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This guide contains tips and tools for restoring trashed kicks.

We've all done it: dropped, dripped, stepped in or bumped into something and ruined a pair of brand new sneakers. Whether it was a puddle, pothole, beer or a burger (damn you, ketchup), there's no reason to overreact. Most stains come out with simple cleaners and others are worth the work to remove — simply put, you can probably get them out. No, they won't be as good as new, but you'll surely save yourself some precious dough; cleaning your sneakers is cheaper than buying new kicks, that's for sure.

To start, grab a few items you probably already own: a toothbrush, white toothpaste, towels and a bowl of warm water. But, that doesn't cut it for all kinds of stains or sneakers. There are loads of cleaning solutions and kits out there. Most come equipped with some sort of soap, a brush and perhaps a few wipes. Spot cleaners exist, too, and prove capable of eliminating recent and even rubbed-in blemishes. Some of these products proclaim universality, but how you clean leather differs from the ways you can wash canvas. (Hint: mesh ones can quite literally go in the wash.)

Here are the best tips and tools for refreshing footwear.

Jason Markk

Jason Markk

Mr. Clean

Namboo

Reshoevn8r

Jason Markk

X-14

DFNS

Jason Markk

Pink Miracle

Kimmama

NonScents

5A: Grab a bottle of SneakErasers Overnight Soak, which can extract stains from white rubber, canvas or leather sneakers. For this method you don't scrub; you simply fill a bucket, bin or your sink with warm water and one scoop — there's a scooper inside the packaging — of SneakErasers. Let the shoes soak for at least eight hours. Remove them once the time has passed and let them air dry.

5B: Take the cap off Kiwi's Shoe Whitener. The formula has an agent within it that can cover even yellowed or stained white sneakers, so be careful about getting it on your hands or other objects. Press the sponge tip to the sneaker to release some suds. Simply stroke it like a paint brush overtop the shoe, ensuring you’re doing so evenly all over. This will work on leather, canvas and mesh, but, per usual, avoid using this product on suede sneakers. Once finished, let it dry to be sure you covered every spot.

Jason Markk

Namboo

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