How much does it cost to get sneakers cleaned in South Africa?

What sneaker cleaning costs across South Africa

We looked at the published prices of sneaker cleaners around the country in October 2026. The pattern is consistent:

Your takkies did not get dirty for free either. Most of the gap between the cheap end and the expensive end is time: a deep clean on a white pair is hand work that cannot be rushed, and the shops that price it low are usually doing something closer to a wash.

What we charge, in full

No hidden extras, and no "from" prices that turn into something else at the counter. This is every price on our list.

Every pair is washed by hand and cleaned according to its material, then dried, bagged and stickered. Ready in 2 to 3 working days. See the deep clean for exactly what it covers.

What pushes the price up

Four things move a pair up the list. None of them are surprises if you know them before you book.

• The material. Suede and nubuck take longer and are cleaned differently, so they carry a R50 surcharge on top of the wash. More on that in our suede cleaning guide.
• White insoles. A basic wash does not touch the insoles, so a pair with white or light interiors has to be a deep clean.
• Add-ons. Outsole whitening for yellowed soles is R120, crease removal R75 and deodorising R25. Each one is added to a deep clean.
• Speed. 24-hour express is R100 extra. It is not available with whitening, crease removal, deodorising or colour restoration, because those can only start once the shoe is washed and dry.

Pick-up and delivery in Potchefstroom is R80 a booking, not a pair. Everywhere else, use one of our drop-off points in Rustenburg or Potch.

What a deep clean actually buys

Same pair, before and after one deep clean. No filters, no new laces.

Kick-O-Mat started in matric as one person keeping one pair of Air Force 1s white, and grew because friends kept asking for the same thing. The Go-To Guy wrote about how it began. More than 1,500 pairs later, every one is still done by hand.

Basic wash or deep clean?

One rule decides it: look inside the shoe.

• Multicoloured or dark insoles, everyday dirt: a basic wash is enough, and it is the cheaper one.
• White or light insoles, or stains you can still see: it has to be a deep clean.

Not sure? Send a photo on WhatsApp before you book. We will tell you which one it needs, including when the cheaper one will do.

Is it worth paying, or should you do it yourself?

Honestly, for light dirt on canvas or leather, a brush, a bowl of warm water and a little mild soap will do the job. Where home cleaning goes wrong is predictable:

• The washing machine. Heat and tumbling soften the glue that holds the sole on.
• Bleach on white soles. It can turn them yellow, which is the thing you were trying to fix.
• Suede with water and a hard brush. It flattens the nap and leaves a tide line.
• Drying in the sun or by a heater. It warps the shape and stiffens the material.

Pay for it when the pair matters, the insoles are white, the material is suede or nubuck, or the soles have gone yellow. Those are the jobs where a mistake costs more than the clean.

How to pay less

• Book several pairs together. Pick-up and delivery is charged per booking, not per pair.
• Only pay for what the pair needs. A basic wash is the right call for multicoloured insoles.
• Skip express unless you need it. Standard is 2 to 3 working days.
• Come back. Our loyalty programme rewards repeat bookings. You can join when you book.

Questions people ask