The best white shoe cleaning tip revealed – 9Honey – Nine

White sneakers are a wardrobe staple. They're conservative enough to wear to work, but fashionable enough to wear for a night out. They are worn by everyone from duchesses to college students.

However, they get dirty quickly and, unlike a pair of beloved jeans, you can't just throw your white Converse in the washing machine if they get a little dirty. (Nothing will stop you, but don't expect them to last too long if you do.)

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Often the solution is to throw them in the trash, a sustainability and budget nightmare.

Many online sites tell you that you can keep your white sneakers in top condition with a few household items. But do they really work?

The left shoe was protected with a commercially available shoe protection spray. Not the right one. They are about the same age. (Kylie Klein Nixon/Stuff)

This combination is a household cleaner that I recommend for cleaning almost everything in the house.

Add some lemon and it has antibacterial properties and a pleasant smell. Works on everything from the oven to the glass of your shower door.

It will also do wonders for your toilet.

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But as a shoe shiner? Not as much.

I mixed about three teaspoons with some white vinegar to make a thick paste and spread it on two different pairs of white plimsolls.

A few had large stains. The other was treated with water and stain remover but now has a small fresh grass stain.

The white vinegar and baking soda didn't have much of an effect on my shoes after an hour. (Kylie Klein Nixon/Stuff)

After an hour I removed the paste from both shoes and the result was completely disappointing.

Although some surface dirt was removed, the soda paste did not touch the deeper stains. Even the last spot remained motionless.

Score: 1/5

white toothpaste

Toothpaste rubbed with old toothpaste can remove some stains. (Kylie Klein Nixon/Stuff)

I thought white toothpaste was as strong as vinegar and baking soda, so I didn't have high hopes for this one.

I rubbed a pea-sized dollop of toothpaste onto the grass stain and left it on for about five minutes.

I wiped it with a damp cloth and although this removed most of the green stains, the dirt stain was still there. However, my shoe smelled like fresh mint afterwards, so that's a plus.

White toothpaste removed the green grass stain from this shoe but did not remove the deeper stain, even though the shoe had been protected with a commercial spray. (Kylie Klein Nixon/Stuff)

Score: 2/5

bleaching

Luxury leather restoration and repair artist Jenna Milesi of Restituto believes bleach is where most people go wrong when trying to save their dirty white shoes.

"Bleach can turn shoes yellow if not used properly. In combination with other substances, strong gas development can occur. Never mix acetone and bleach."

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I didn't even bother with it as I have suffered from contact dermatitis from using bleach in the past.

However, according to an online site, the key is to mix one part bleach with six parts water and apply the solution with gloves. You should then rinse the discolored area well.

Score: 0/5

Prevention is better than cure, even when it comes to white sneakers. (Kylie Klein Nixon/Stuff)

Instead of trying to repair a badly damaged white shoe, Milesi is dedicated to "prevention and maintenance."

"Most people clean their shoes when the stains are already there and it is too late to clean them at home. When it comes to white shoes, you have to clean them little by little."

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Ultimately, prevention is better than cure: always spray white shoes with protective water and stain remover. Consider using a full-strength product like Dasco Nano Protector ($38.90) and reapply regularly.

If you're currently looking at a pair of dirty white sneakers, forgive the protective shame. There's still hope for your shoes, but they won't be in your kitchen cupboard.

Water-based protectors on low-quality shoes can deliver excellent results. (Getty)

The more often you clean white shoes, the better.

"Do it more regularly than you think," Milesi says. "I do mine every week just because it's [horrible] to clean the whites."

Milesi uses several specially designed products to give your shoes a "mini clean" during regular care.

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For leather, not suede or nubuck, use Hillmark Leather Cleaning Wipes ($7.99) or Hillmark Leather Kleen Spray ($12), a three-in-1 cleaner that also conditions and protects leather.

"I just take a nice, clean cloth, spray the product onto the cloth and wipe it evenly over the surface before letting it dry completely before using it."

For the fabric or mesh parts of white shoes, you can also try using a brush. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

For dirtier shoes, Milesi recommends using Mr Minit Foaming Cleaner ($16), which works on suede, leather, nubuck, and canvas.

"The Ethique stain pen isn't bad either."

The lightning bolt of ethics! The All-Purpose Stain Remover Pen ($9) is a sustainable, cruelty-free, and climate-positive option for cleaning white shoes that you can take almost anywhere. It even smells pretty good.

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How to clean your home with vinegar

Of course, you should not wet the entire shoe "at all costs," as this can damage the shoe's adhesive and weaken its structure.

If your shoe is in really bad shape, Dasco's Combo Cleaner ($19) might help. It is designed to clean almost all materials that make up a shoe.

This article originally appeared on Stuff.co.nz

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