Whether it's a prized pair of Yeezys or that battered New Balance you wear to run errands, all sneakers get dirty. And there's no magic bullet to prevent this, according to Eduard Shimunov of Cobbler Express shoe repair shop in the Financial District, "unless you put a bag on top," he says. "Dirt is dirt. When you walk down the street you put it on your shoes.
For more serious damage like discoloration, take your shoes to a professional who can mix a custom color to hide them. For everyday scrapes, dirt and stains, there is a wide range of effective cleaning products for all types of footsteps, at all skill levels, from applying a stained leather cream with a toothbrush to tossing sneakers in a tub of OxiClean and leaving them to soak overnight . (And if you want to avoid future stains, you can also waterproof your shoes after cleaning.)
Overall Best | The best cheapest solution | The best kit for chamois |Ideal for high-quality leather | Cheapest for leather | The best cleaning brush | best microfiber cloth | Best Cheapest Microfiber Towel | Best Set | The best towels | Best Stain Remover | Ideal for canvas shoes | Ideal for soles |Ideal for midsoles
What are we looking for
Ingredients: Shoe polishes aren't required to list their ingredients, so it's difficult to compare formulas based on what they do and don't contain. Still, some brands' information about their makeup—whether natural or synthetic, wax-based or oil-based—can be helpful if you're sensitive to a particular ingredient or like a certain type of solvent. or wax that has worked well for you before.
Intended Use: Even the simplest sneakers are made from a range of different materials, from textiles and leather to metal and rubber eyelets. A good shoe cleaner can handle most of these - we prefer formulas that are equally effective on leather uppers, mesh overlays, rubber toecaps and suede details. The biggest gap in intended use is between products designed for general use and those designed specifically for suede and nubuck, which are prone to water damage, "like a shoe that's a sponge," according to Edward Andrade of Cesar's Shoe Repair . We've noted the suede-friendly options below.
Application Method: Choosing the right cleaner is half the battle; You also need to apply it effectively to clean the upper, shine the midsole, and remove dirt from the nooks and crannies of the seams. "The important step in cleaning shoes is as you brush in a circular motion, letting the solution and brush lather up the dirt and stains," says Steven Tran, a Jersey City, NJ, shoe cleaning expert. . -Sole Fresh catering shop. Liquid solutions, mousses, and creams make this list, and we also research the best brushes and microfiber cloths for removing dirt and debris.
overall better
Coconut oil and jojoba oil soaps | All Purpose | liquid solution
Some of the sneaker cleaning experts we spoke to named Reshoevn8r as one of their favorite all-purpose cleaners. "This solution works well on most materials (leather, suede, nubuck) and gets the job done," says Tran. Waleed Cope, the founder of Soap Box , a shoe shine and lingerie shop in Brooklyn, says the product can work wonders on retro Jordans, Adidas Ultraboosts, Yeezy Boost 350s, Balenciagas and Nike Air Forces.
The naturally-derived formula is gentle and doesn't leave a lot of lather, according to Richard Brown, founder of sneaker restoration company Proof Culture . It adds that when the solution is "combined with a medium- bristled shoe brush or toothbrush," it "provides a clean wash and maximum dirt removal."
The best cheapest shoe cleaning solution
Coconut oil and jojoba oil soaps | All Purpose | liquid solution
Daryll Blanding, one of the co-founders of Clean Sneaker Care in Detroit, says Jason Markk's all-purpose cleaner has a "slight advantage" over Reshoevn8r's. "It has very good conditioning properties" on leather, he says. "It brings out the color and gives it a nice shine."
Tran also loves this leather shoe cleaner and says it "smells great." Blanding says the formula works well for suede, too: "We have all kinds of dirt in the store, and we've been wearing it non-stop for two weeks, and it's handled everything," he says, including a pair of suede Yeezys.
The best shoe shine kit for suede and nubuck leather
multipurpose; works well on suede and nubuck leather | foam
For a suede-specific product, Tran recommends using the Foam Tex kit from Angelus, a sneaker customization company. "We like to use Foam Tex on delicate materials that shouldn't be overly saturated," he says. (Tran also notes that the product works well on UGGs .)
Best premium leather cleaner
Contains beeswax and mink oil | leather | cream
Sapphire is, according to shoemaker Lauren Brinkers , "the crème de la crème of shoe care", and the brand's Renovateur Leather Cream is a cult following among shoemakers and shoe connoisseurs alike. (Corresponding Joe Rocco of Jim's Shoe Repair Downtown, this is the product Hermes uses for the bags .) Rocco uses a rag or an old shirt to apply the cream to the shoes and then rubs the shoes with the rag until the dirt is removed.
Best cheapest leather cleaner
Contains beeswax and calendula wax | leather | cream
Rocco also uses this cream from Spanish brand Tarrago, makers of our best waterproofing spray , and says it "does the job". The cream also comes in an impressive color palette, which you can find on the brand's website, ranging from melon green to fire engine red, which can help tailor your shoeshine routine more to a pair of trainers.
Best shoe shine brush
walnut handle, pig hair | Cotton fabric, suede, premium leather
"Besides solutions, using the right brush is crucial to cleaning your shoes ," says Tran. "Stiff brushes should only be used on the bottom sole and some midsoles. A medium brush can be used around the shoe but should not be used on delicate materials such as suede, nubuck, or satin. A soft bristled brush is essential when working with delicate materials.
When investing in grooming your sneakers, it's a good idea to have both a soft-bristled brush and a hard-bristled brush available. For softer hair, social media whiz and sneaker enthusiast Zach Higgins, fiancé of former Strategist collaborator Chloe Anello, says the Jason Markk brush is his "one brush to rule them all." (The brand also makes a stiff bristle brush, below.) He had issues with the wooden handles of similar Reshoevn8r brushes splitting from moisture, but says the Jason Markk version is sturdy and designed for lighter tasks, but " perfect for cleaning an entire shoe".
The best microfiber cloth for cleaning shoes
Microfiber | multipurpose
Jason Markk also makes "by far the best microfiber cloth," according to Blanding, an essential tool for cleaning all parts of a shoe that offers finer control than a brush. While a cheaper option works too, Blanding says a higher-quality towel makes a difference when cleaning your shoes, as it's less likely to leave lint and small fibers behind.
Best Microfiber Cloth (Cheapest)
The best shoe shine kit for beginners
All Purpose | foam
Jason Markk's starter kit is "the most complete care system when consumers take care of their sneakers at home," says Blanding. Although there are several branded shoe care kits, the Essentials kit is our favorite for its versatility and long-term usefulness. It comes with our favorite brush and microfiber cloth, as well as the brand's foam cleaner, which works equally well on suede and other materials.
Best cleaning wipes for sneakers
All Purpose | Disposable wipe
The longer you don't clean your shoes, the more difficult it becomes to remove dirt. Rocco therefore recommends that real sneaker fans use cloths for daily cleaning. "It's almost like baby wipes , but for sneakers," he explains. "Often the dirt stays too long. If you have leather shoes and wet wipes, you can clean your shoes every time you wear them. Blanding is also a big proponent of sneaker wipes. "I've been using some kind of wipe for 15 years," he says.
best stain remover
Based on hydrogen peroxide; no bleach | Textiles | pencil
If you're quickly cleaning a textile like canvas or mesh on your way out the door, or trying to get stains out of some of the little nooks and crannies in your shoes, such as B. the stitching along the sole, Brown suggests Tide. detergent pen.
Ideal for cleaning canvas shoes.
sodium percarbonate, sodium carbonate, surfactants and polymer; No Chlorine Bleach | textile rubber | Dust
To clean canvas shoes like Vans or Keds, Strategist editor Jen Trolio recommends soaking them in a bowl with a tablespoon of OxiClean for "at least a few hours, ideally overnight," then rinsing thoroughly. The method "completely revitalized a mud-covered pair of slippers for one of my sons," he says, and even for less-worn shoes, "it's a very good brightener" and makes the shoes almost brand new. . (One caveat: The soaking method will damage any material that can't be soaked, so check if your shoes have leather or suede trims.) Trolio and Brown also recommend OxiClean for cleaning removable insoles, which can be as simple as adding them . to a load of laundry in a laundry bag.
Ideal for interior cleaning and stencils
soles | spray
Rocco prefers not to wet the inside of the shoes with soap and water when cleaning, especially if the insoles are not removable. "I'm not a fan of soap inside," he says. "I'm not saying it's wrong; I like the feel of my shoes and don't want to change them. Instead, he suggests using something else you might already have at home: Windex. "You can use it to clean sneakers from the inside," he says. "I would spray it on a rag and then wipe the inside. »
Ideal for cleaning midsoles.
melamine foam | Insensitive materials | sponge
A sneaker cleaning trick I learned from an old roommate: Magic Erasers. Melamine sponges are abrasive, so avoid using them on delicate, scratch-prone surfaces like leather or suede, but a thorough cleaning with a magic eraser will work wonders on a dull white midsole or rubber toe cap. . (I'm very careful with my sneakers and managed to get my hands on a pair of pristine white Reeboks using just a magic eraser.)
Our specialists
• Edward Andrade, owner of Cesar's Shoe Repair
• Daryll Blanding, co-founder of Clean Sneaker Care
• Lauren Brinkers, shoemaker
• Richard Brown, founder of Culture Test
• Waleed Cope, founder of Soap Box
• Zach Higgins, social media strategist and sneaker enthusiast
• Joe Rocco, owner of Jim's Shoe Repair
• Steven Tran, cleaning expert at Sole Fresh
• Jen Trolio, strategy editor
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