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How to wash shoes?

 

To wash sneakers is something many people may not think of as a necessary thing to do at times when one often wears the same shoes over and over again. It can also be the case that you think that shoes are on a par with clothes and that you can certainly just throw the shoes into the washing machine to make them clean again. What often happens then is that one can destroy the delicate means that have been used to assemble the shoe and in the worst case, distort the shoes completely.

So if you are really thinking of washing your shoes in the washing machine, do so carefully and keep them away from the dryer. Put the shoes in pillowcases, use cold water, very little detergent, if you wash completely white shoes use bleach instead, and with low or no spin and let them air dry. Again, no dryer ! Furthermore, we will explain how you can do washing by hand so that you avoid ruining your favorite pair.

 

General tips

Here are some general tips for preserving the look and quality of your shoes before we jump right into how to wash them. They are very simple and can quickly become a nice little routine when you have returned home. It is always best to take care of these steps as early as possible so that you prevent it from becoming very difficult to get them clean again.

Step 1 - Wash away visible dirt. Evaluate the time you have to do it and use a clean towel, a used toothbrush that you have considered throwing away or if you are really having a bad time; your hands.

Just like with your teeth, it is important to remove dirt on your shoes so that the pain does not get worse - it will save you future problems and headaches.

Step 2 -The next thing you can do is remove any remaining dirt that came from a trip outside; whether you just took a walk to the store where the road is clean - you will be amazed at how much can get stuck under the shoe.
 
Rinse the shoes with a wet towel or a concentrated jet of water; for example under the sink or shower head if you are careful enough. It is especially nice to do it if you have been on a jog in the woods where it is wet and muddy.
 
Step 3 -Last but not least, clean the large and visible stains. If you have managed to get large stains on the shoe and it is recent; it will probably be possible to remove it if you are quick enough to apply a soap and water mixture on the stain.
 

What kind of products you can use for this depends on the shoe and we will go deeper into how you can get rid of difficult stains and marks later in the article.

You will go a long way with the other general tips, but it is important to be careful with the different materials the shoes have and it requires a little more attention from you if you have to clean them further. Furthermore, we will guide you through how to wash knitted, mesh, canvas, leather, synthetic leather and suede leather shoes .

 

Knitted and mesh shoes

Also called knit , or knitted shoes, which can be described as breathable with a mesh-like appearance. It has been a big trend lately to go with knitted sneakers, but the problem is that they are also easy to get dirty. Unlike other materials found in shoes, knitted materials are very porous in nature; in other words provided with pores and openings. That is, it attracts mud, dirt, sweat and everything that loves to soak into the material, and which can often be found to be impossible to clean.

Mesh shoes have the same problems as knitted shoes as they are both made of a breathable material, dirt and other dirt is trapped in the mesh around the shoe when you are on a jog or exercise, for example. The difference between mesh and knitted, on the other hand, is that mesh shoes are usually made of synthetic materials such as polyester or nylon and can then withstand more thorough cleaning.

How to wash shoes in the washing machine

Our running shoes is of a mesh material and we have come to the conclusion that it can withstand the washing machine as long as you remove the shoelaces and insoleand sets the washing machine at 30 degrees with low spin. The white shoes are made so that they retain their white color longer. But if you want to be more careful, follow the advice below.

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Using this guide, we will make the impossible possible. Although knit and mesh shoes require a lot of love, that does not mean that they can not be transformed into their original state - they just need a little extra patience and tenderness.

Here's how to do it

Withknitted shoes you have to be very careful, they are soft and malleable which makes them more fragile unlike a nylon blend mesh or other materials. This means that brushing is fy-fy and becomes too coarse for the fabric, so you must use a soft cloth or microfiber cloth to remove the stains.

  1. When it comes to cleaning products, you also need to be careful. The chemicals in detergents can be too powerful for the fabric. Instead, use mild shower gel.
  2. Cover the area you want to wash with the soap and soak it with cold water
  3. Gently rub it with the cloth you have available until the stain has been lifted out of the fabric.
  4. Remove the soap residue with a wet towel and let it air dry.

Withmesh,stronger materials such as nylon and polyester may have been used and it will then be possible to use a brush if you have it available or a used toothbrush. It also varies whether the shoes are soft or hard; so if you go for toothbrush, use soft bristles for soft shoes and hard bristles for hard shoes.

  1. You know your shoe best, so choose the right brush - soft too soft and hard too hard.
  2. Brush away dirt and grime that you have on the shoe.
  3. Mix 1 part baking soda / bicarbonate with 1 part vinegar and soak the mixture on the dirty areas or stains for about 15 minutes.
  4. After the 15 minutes have passed, scrubcareful area you covered for a few minutes before finally using a soft and wet cloth to wash and wipe it off.
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Synthetic leather shoes

Material in synthetic leather shoes does not hold stains as tightly as it does with nylon / polyester mesh and more forgiving than genuine leather shoes, so the degree of difficulty in washing your synthetic shoes is fortunately much easier. Hopefully you will notice that dirt and grime lift up easily as you start cleaning them.

 

Here's how to do it

  1. Mix a mixture containing warm water and a little mild detergent
  2. Take a clean cloth and soak it in the mixture before you start washing away and soaking the dirty areas on your shoe.
  3. After soaking the dirty areas, scrub them gently with a brush or toothbrush for a few minutes.
  4. Then dry the shoes clean with a soft and wet cloth to remove the soap residue and allow the shoes to air dry.

 

Canvas sneakers

However, canvas shoes are less forgiving and easier to get dirty than the synthetic leather shoes, but they make up for the fact that they are very durable or durable. That said, it will then be possible to clean the shoes with the washing machine your;

just be careful and make sure you put them in pillowcases and let it run on a sensitive program with cold water and very little detergent, and if the shoes are completely white you can add bleach and drop the detergent. When done, take them out and let them air dry. But it is always best to wash the shoes by hand, as you will have more control over what goes where.

How to do it by hand

  1. Make a mixture that contains an equal amount of baking soda and hot water.
  2. Find the good old, and used or a new one specifically for shoes, the toothbrush and dip it in the mixture you mixed together.
  3. Then scrub the stains and dirt that have ended up on the shoes with the toothbrush until it is clean.
  4. Let the shoes dry with the mixture you still scrubbed in before you wash away the baking soda mixture that has dried in and become hard with a damp cloth. 

 

Learn shoes

Leather can be a fantastic material that can do great for an outfit, but it can also create great frustration and headaches when cleaning the garments. You can easily get some stains on the leather shoes and they are very easy to get wear marks on and off just about anything, which can distort the material's natural patina.

As soon as you notice that the shoes have got a stain on them, the most important thing will be to carefully perform a cleaning on the stains that have occurred.

 

Here's how to do it

  1. Make a mixture with a little liquid detergent and water in a bowl. Dip a microfiber cloth into the mixture and use it to gently wash away visible dirt and salt stains from the surface of the shoe.
  1. Add baking soda to the mixture from step 1, and mix it with a used toothbrush if you use it or a brush with a suitable bristle for leather. Use the toothbrush to scrub the soles of the shoe until you do not see any dirt again. Then wipe off soap and dirt with the microfiber cloth, or gently rinse it off under the sink.
  1. An ingenious idea we have come up with is that you can use window cleaner to make the shoes shinier! Spray the product either directly on the shoe or on a microfiber cloth, then polish it and wipe it dry.
  1. Do the same with the other shoe and let them dry completely, but shade them away from direct sunlight and heat.

 

Suede shoes

Suede sneakers, or suede, are one of the most frustrating shoes to try to preserve the quality of. Suede lacks the outer protective barrier of leather which gives it the velvety feel of the shoes, but it opens up that it also becomes very vulnerable to a sea of nasty accidents you can come across when you walk with them. To make matters worse, suede is also quite resistant to cleaning.

If you have not done so, then it would be wise to invest in a brush especially suitable for suede. Just be careful with the brushing as you will not be too aggressive, but the brush can work wonders to clean the surface.

Another thing you can invest in is a suede eraser. You press the eraser against the stain and rub and manipulate it until the stain disappears. When you are done, take a clean cloth to remove any residue that came off the cleaning.

If the shoes have still not been cleaned by the two funds you invested in or just do not want to invest in it, then you can resort to white vinegar.

 

Here's how to do it

  1. Apply some of the white vinegar on a clean cloth before gently soaking the cloth on the stain. You do not need much of the vinegar, so apply as little as possible.
  2. Wash the stain gently with the cloth that has white vinegar on it.
  3. When you have managed to wash away the stain, clean the area with a water-steamed cloth or towel and let it air dry.

 

How to keep your shoes clean

Now that you've got a real introduction to how to clean sneakers, we can summarize the guide with a few simple tips to keep them clean.

  1. Spot-check the shoes your every time you come home. It may seem like an unnecessary and tiring extra thing to do, but if you have control over how your shoes feel before you put them away, you can maintain their quality.
  2. It is super important toclean stains immediately when you notice them. Gravel, soil and other sticky things you encounter can be easiest to get cleaned immediately as they come in contact with your shoes, so try to do something about it as soon as possible, even if all you have available is some soap and water on the toilet at the bar.
  3. Last but not least,apply agents that create a protective barrier when necessary. Not all shoe variants need to be sprayed or rubbed in, but it is especially leather and suede that will enjoy a little extra love. Remember to impregnate your shoes.
  4. You impregnates leather shoes with wax. Suede / Nubuck or other shoes such as sneakers and sneakers; do you use spray. Remember to wash the shoes and let them air dry unless they are brand new before you impregnate, so that the impregnation becomes a fresh and protective layer.
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