How to Clean White Converse Shoes

White Converse shoes look great at first, but after a while of use, the white fabric will quickly turn yellow due to stains sticking to the fabric surface and the rubber sole around the shoe. Even so, it’s not difficult to clean your white Converse pair and keep it looking like new.

Table of Contents

Clean all shoes with baking soda and vinegar

Remove the shoelaces. Removing the shoelaces will help clean every nook and cranny of the shoe’s surface and also make cleaning easier.

You can wash your shoelaces separately by soaking them in a bucket or basin of warm soapy water, but you should be aware that they won’t be as white as they were when you first bought them, unless you replace them with new ones.

Wet shoes under running water. You can either leave your shoes under running water or dip them in a large basin of water to get them all wet.

Use cold water instead of hot water to avoid staining, discolouration and damage to the fabric.
You can do the entire shoe cleaning process right at the sink or on any flat surface, but a cover or mat is required. While washing shoes can be a bit messy, you need to be careful not to spill detergent on the floor and surrounding items.

Mix baking soda and vinegar. Mix baking soda with vinegar in a plastic or glass bowl to form a smooth paste.

Never use metal bowls or spoons because vinegar is corrosive to metal.
If you don’t have baking soda and vinegar, you can mix laundry detergent with a synthetic detergent solution. This mixture won’t foam much when combined, but it’s still very effective. ^{[1] X Research Sources}^{[2] X Research Sources}
The mixture of baking soda and vinegar is mixed in a ratio of 2:3. You should get the right amount of each for the perfect smooth consistency.

Rub your shoes with the mixture you just made. First, dip a clean toothbrush into that mixture. Next, use a brush to scrub the entire surface of the shoes, especially the dirty areas.

Rinse the shoes with cold water after scrubbing. This step isn’t strictly necessary, but it does help you check if your shoes are clean and prevent baking soda or vinegar from getting into the washing machine.

Some tips for cleaning scratches

Use regular soap and water. Scratches will disappear when you use a sponge soaked in soapy water to rub them.

Use mild soap such as hand soap or unscented, chemical-free dishwashing liquid. Add a few drops of soap to a bowl of warm water and stir until foamy.
Then, use the sponge to rub vigorously in a circular motion around the scratch.

Use WD-40 anti-rust oil. Spray a little anti-rust oil directly onto the scratch and polish the spot with a sponge or towel.

WD-40 anti-rust oil is used to prevent moisture and clean stubborn stains on some surfaces. However, it should only be used to clean the rubber part of the shoes, not for the fabric surface. Since WD-40 is an oily product, it may leave stains on fabrics.

Use nail polish remover. Wet a cotton ball or cotton pad with nail polish remover and rub it over the scratch until it disappears.

Rub nail polish remover vigorously over the scratch. You will see the scratch fade immediately.
Using nail polish remover that contains acetone is most effective.

Use bleach. Dilute some bleach in the water. Then, dip a toothbrush into the mixture and rub it on the scratch.

Bleach is a strong bleaching agent. Therefore, you should only take a sufficient amount to avoid damaging the shoes. In addition, you should only use bleach on the rubber part of the shoe, not on the fabric surface.

Use a toothpaste that contains bleach. You can apply toothpaste directly to the scratch and then scrub it with a brush.

It is best to use a toothpaste that contains baking soda. Baking soda works as a mild cleanser and it can soften scratches.
If you don’t have a toothpaste that contains baking soda, you can also use a toothpaste with bleach.

Use lemon. Cut a lemon in half and rub it directly on the scratch. Rub a piece of fresh lemon vigorously to remove the scratch.

Lemon juice is considered a natural bleach.
After rubbing lemon on the scratch, you should let it dry for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash it off with cold water.
If you don’t have a lot of lemons, you can squeeze some lemon juice on the scratch and then use a brush or towel to scrub it away.

Use foam

Remove the shoelaces. Removing the shoelaces will help you clean every nook and cranny of the shoe’s surface and also make cleaning the shoe easier.

You can clean your own shoelaces by soaking them in a bucket or basin of warm soapy water, but you should be aware that they won’t be as white as they were when you first bought them, unless you replace them with new ones.

Wet shoes. First, use cold water to wet the shoes. You can either wash your shoes under running water or dip them in a large basin of water to get them all wet.

You can also just wet the sponge instead of wetting the whole shoe, but the sponge will dry quickly and will not ensure enough wetness during the cleaning process.

Rub the sponge on the shoe. Use a sponge to rub the entire surface of the shoes, not leaving any spots.

As soon as the sponge becomes dirty, change to the remaining clean surface of the sponge to continue cleaning the shoe.
Styrofoam does not contain any chemicals, so it is a good choice if you have small children or when you are someone who does not like to use chemicals.
This sponge is made of melamine resin. ^{[3] X Research Source} Although soft and resilient, sponges can also scratch fabrics if you have to scrub hard to remove stains from shoes.

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Dry the shoes. Converse shoes must be allowed to dry naturally. If you want your shoes to dry quickly and increase their brightness, you should dry your shoes in a cool, dry place.

Warm sun, in addition to making shoes dry faster, also helps to whiten shoes.
Do not use a dryer to dry shoes because the heat of the machine can cause the shoes to deform.

Stain removal

Remove the shoelaces. Removing the shoelaces will help you clean every nook and cranny of the shoe’s surface and also make cleaning the shoe easier.

You can clean your own shoelaces by soaking them in a bucket or basin of warm soapy water, but you should be aware that they won’t be as white as they were when you first bought them, unless you replace them with new ones.

Apply stain remover. Use a stain remover to apply to any stains on the shoes that you want to clean. You should carefully read the instructions for use before applying to the stain.

It is not necessary to pre-wet the shoe before applying the stain remover unless required in the instructions for use. In case you have to wet your shoes, you should read the instructions carefully to know the amount of water to use.
While instructions for use can vary from one type to another, you’ll usually have to scrub vigorously in a circular motion and spread the cleaner evenly over the stain. You need to apply it very carefully to avoid spreading the stain to the surrounding clean white fabric.

Put your shoes in the washing machine. You can add a little more of your regular detergent along with your shoes to the washing machine. Then let the machine do the washing operation with cold water.

Do not use chlorine-containing cleaners.
To prevent your shoes from being hit hard while washing, you should put your shoes in a laundry bag before putting them in the washing machine.

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Dry the shoes. Converse shoes must be allowed to dry naturally. If you want your shoes to dry quickly and increase their brightness, you should dry your shoes in a cool, dry place.

Warm sun, in addition to making shoes dry faster, also helps to whiten shoes.
Do not use a dryer to dry shoes because the heat of the machine can cause the shoes to deform.

Things you need

Shoelaces (optional)
Bowl, basin, or bucket
Water
Clean towel
Styrofoam pads
Baking soda
Vinegar
Stain remover
Bowls and spoons
Laundry bag
Chlorine-free synthetic detergent
Magic Eraser Foam
Gentle soap
Anti-rust oil WD-40
Nail polish remover
Bleach
Toothpaste contains bleach
Vaseline
Lemon
Cleaning alcohol

Steps

Clean all shoes with baking soda and vinegar

Some tips for cleaning scratches

Use foam

Stain removal

Things you need

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