How to clean white sneakers at home
Soft brush, mild soap, warm water and patience. That is how to clean white sneakers at home without wrecking them. Here is the method, the paste for stubborn marks, what to keep away from your pair, and when it is smarter to hand it over.
Start with the laces and the shape
Take the laces out and wash them separately. Stuff the shoe with paper or use shoe trees so it keeps its shape while you work.
The home method
- Mix mild detergent into warm water. Keep it gentle.
- Brush with a soft brush. Keep the shoe damp, not soaked.
- For soles and stubborn marks, make a paste of baking soda and 3% hydrogen peroxide, about two parts baking soda to one part peroxide. Brush it on, leave it for 30 minutes, then wipe it off. Nike lists this for soles and uppers in its white shoe care guide.
- On leather, the same guide suggests baking soda mixed with white vinegar and a little water instead.
- Dry them slowly. Leave them to air dry away from heat, still stuffed with paper.
Go gently. If a mark has not shifted after one careful pass, stop.
What ruins white sneakers
- The washing machine on canvas. Nike advises against it, and we never use one. Every pair we clean is washed by hand.
- Bleach on leather or suede. Do not do it.
- Soaking leather. Too much water damages it.
- Heat. A heater, a hairdryer or a day in the sun can warp the shape and the tips of the laces.
Be honest about the limits. A yellowed sole, an old stain or a set mark may never come fully out at home, and extra scrubbing only makes the next clean harder.
When to hand it over
Pay for it when the stain has set, when the sole has gone yellow, when the pair matters to you, or when you are not sure what the material is. Those are the jobs where a mistake costs more than the clean.
A pair from our bench: white Air Force 1s before and after a Deep Clean with outsole whitening.
Your options are a Basic Wash at R100 or a Deep Clean at R170. Basic Wash is for multicoloured insoles only. White interiors need a Deep Clean. Yellowed soles can be brightened with outsole whitening at R120, which goes with a Deep Clean.
Every pair is washed by hand, cleaned according to its material, then dried, bagged and stickered. Ready in 2 to 3 working days. Details are on our deep clean page.
Questions people ask
What is the best way to clean all white sneakers?
Gentle and by hand: mild detergent in warm water, a soft brush, and slow air drying away from heat. Match the method to the material, and keep water light on leather.
What can I use at home to whiten white sneakers?
A paste of baking soda and 3% hydrogen peroxide, left on for 30 minutes, is the home option Nike lists for soles and uppers.
Can you put white sneakers in the washing machine?
We do not. Nike advises against it for canvas, and we wash every pair by hand instead.
Can bleach be used on white sneakers?
Not on leather or suede, says Nike. We leave bleach out of this guide.
How long does a professional clean take?
2 to 3 working days. 24-hour express is R100 extra and is not available with whitening, crease removal, deodorising or colour restoration.