This article was co-authored by Rio Jongsae Kim and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Rio Jongsae Kim is a Designer Shoe and Bag Repair Specialist and the Owner of Kim’s Shoe & Bag Repair in Vancouver, BC, Canada. With over 40 years of experience, Rio and Kim’s Shoe & Bag Repair specialize in the repair and reconstruction of leather and luxury goods including shoes, handbags, and accessories. Rio’s experience and dedication to quality repair and restoration have led to his work being featured on Yahoo, Insider, and MSN.
There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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You’ve picked out the perfect outfit, but there’s only one problem: your shoes are filthy. If you’ve heard you can scrub your shoes with a toothbrush but you aren’t sure how, just create a detergent mixture for canvas and mesh shoes, a bleach mixture for white ones, or scrub out the dirt from your soles, and leave your footwear sparkling clean.
Steps
Scrubbing the Soles of Your Shoes
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1Wipe off your shoes with a damp cloth. Your shoes might have large clumps of dirt or dust that can be washed away with water. Wipe off any large clumps of dirt or debris with a wet cloth or paper towel.[1]
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2Mix 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of laundry detergent with 1 cup (240 mL) of water. Create your mixture in a container that you don’t mind getting soapy, like a plastic bowl or Tupperware container. Use a mild laundry detergent without bleach.[2]Advertisement
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3Dip your toothbrush in the mix and scrub the soles of your shoes. You can use this mixture on the entire bottom sole of your shoe. Firmly scrub the soles with the toothbrush, focusing extra attention on really dirty areas. Dip the toothbrush in the water mixture over and over as the toothbrush gets dirty.[3]
Warning: If your shoes are leather, do not get any detergent on the outside of your shoes. Detergent damages leather.
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4Wipe off the soles of your shoes with a towel. Use a clean rag to wipe the bottoms of your shoes off. Make sure they are totally dry before you put them back on, or they could cause you to slip.[4]
- You can air dry your shoes overnight if you have time.
Cleaning Canvas and Mesh Shoes
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1Mix 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) of detergent with 1 cup (240 mL) of water. Use the laundry detergent that you already have in your home. Mix the detergent and water together in a container that you don’t mind getting soapy, like a mixing bowl or Tupperware container.[5]
- Use a mild laundry detergent that doesn’t contain bleach.
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2Dip a clean toothbrush in the mixture and spot scrub your shoes. Saturate the toothbrush in your water/detergent mixture and use it to scrub the dirty parts of your shoes. Use the bristles to firmly scrub away dirt in a circular motion. You can use your mixture on every part of the shoe.[6]
Tip: Pay special attention to the toes of your shoes, because these usually get the dirtiest.
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3Use a damp sponge to wipe off the soap. Wet a clean sponge with cool water and wipe off any areas that you used your detergent mixture. Make sure there isn’t any soap left on your shoes.[7]
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4Let your shoes air dry. Leave your shoes out in the sun or a cool dry place to dry in order to prevent mildew. Make sure they are fully dry before you wear them again or store them.[8]
- Drying your shoes in a dryer could cause them to shrink or warp.
Using Bleach on White Sneakers
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1Mix 1 part bleach and 5 parts water together. To use bleach on white sneakers, you need to dilute it so that it doesn’t discolor your shoes. Mix bleach and water together in a plastic bowl that you don’t mind getting bleach on.[9]
- Wear gloves to protect your hands during this process.
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2Dip a clean toothbrush into your mixture and scrub your shoes. If your sneakers are all white, you don’t have to worry about discoloring any areas of your shoes. Use your toothbrush to firmly scrub the areas that are the dirtiest, and then give a once-over to your entire shoe.[10]
- If your shoes are not all white, do not use bleach on them. You could discolor the colored areas of your shoe.
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3Rinse your shoes with warm water. Wash the bleach off of your shoes so that they are safe to wear by running them under warm water in your sink or tub. Make sure to rinse them thoroughly so that no bleach is left on your shoes.[11]
- You can safely rinse bleach down your drain, as long as you don’t pour ammonia down it right afterwards. When ammonia and bleach mix, they create a dangerous gas that can knock you unconscious.
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4Let your shoes air dry before using them. Set your shoes on a towel in the sun or a cool, dry area of your home to air dry. Leave them for a few hours or even overnight until they are no longer wet to the touch.[12]
- Storing wet shoes could lead to mildew.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhy would I clean the soles with a toothbrush?
Rio Jongsae KimRio Jongsae Kim is a Designer Shoe and Bag Repair Specialist and the Owner of Kim’s Shoe & Bag Repair in Vancouver, BC, Canada. With over 40 years of experience, Rio and Kim’s Shoe & Bag Repair specialize in the repair and reconstruction of leather and luxury goods including shoes, handbags, and accessories. Rio’s experience and dedication to quality repair and restoration have led to his work being featured on Yahoo, Insider, and MSN.
Designer Shoe & Bag Care SpecialistThe bristles are strong and it's easy to get the small bristles inside the grooves of soles. A toothbrush is actually a near-perfect tool for the job! -
QuestionWhat can I do if my toothbrush is too soft?Rio Jongsae KimRio Jongsae Kim is a Designer Shoe and Bag Repair Specialist and the Owner of Kim’s Shoe & Bag Repair in Vancouver, BC, Canada. With over 40 years of experience, Rio and Kim’s Shoe & Bag Repair specialize in the repair and reconstruction of leather and luxury goods including shoes, handbags, and accessories. Rio’s experience and dedication to quality repair and restoration have led to his work being featured on Yahoo, Insider, and MSN.
Designer Shoe & Bag Care SpecialistCut the hairs in half! Just grab some scissors and cut the bristles down halfway so that they're super short. That way, they'll feel a lot stiffer and stronger.
Warnings
- Do not use laundry detergent to clean leather or suede shoes. The detergent will damage and discolor your shoes.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
Scrubbing the Soles of Your Shoes
- Cloth or towel
- Laundry detergent
- Plastic bowl
- Toothbrush
Cleaning Canvas and Mesh Shoes
- Cloth or towel
- Laundry detergent
- Plastic bowl
- Toothbrush
Using Bleach on White Sneakers
- Bleach
- Plastic bowl
- Toothbrush
- Cloth or towel
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5l901bMIXM&feature=youtu.be&t=23
- ↑ https://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/how-to-clean-shoes/#targetText=Running%20shoes&targetText=Get%20loose%20dirt%20off%20with,it%20on%20foam%20or%20leather.
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbRBNAfMdMQ&feature=youtu.be&t=40
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbRBNAfMdMQ&feature=youtu.be&t=44
- ↑ https://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/how-to-clean-shoes/#targetText=Running%20shoes&targetText=Get%20loose%20dirt%20off%20with,it%20on%20foam%20or%20leather.
- ↑ https://www.whowhatwear.com/how-to-clean-white-mesh-shoes/slide4
- ↑ https://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/how-to-clean-shoes/#targetText=Running%20shoes&targetText=Get%20loose%20dirt%20off%20with,it%20on%20foam%20or%20leather.
- ↑ https://thewiredrunner.com/how-to-dry-running-shoes-without-ruining-them/
- ↑ https://www.rd.com/home/cleaning-organizing/how-to-clean-shoes/#targetText=Running%20shoes&targetText=Get%20loose%20dirt%20off%20with,it%20on%20foam%20or%20leather.
About This Article
You can use a toothbrush to clean the soles on any pair of shoes, and you can use it to clean the body of your shoes if they're made out of canvas or mesh. To clean the soles on your shoes, first wipe off any large pieces of dirt with a cloth. Then, mix 1 teaspoon of laundry detergent with 1 cup of water, dip a toothbrush in the mixture, and scrub your soles until they're clean. Wipe off the soles with a towel when you're all done. To clean the body of your shoes, dip the toothbrush in the soapy water and scrub any dirty areas on your shoes with it. Once they're clean, go over them with a damp sponge to get rid of any soapy residue. Let your shoes air dry, and you're good to go. To learn how to use bleach to get your white shoes looking brand new again, scroll down!
