How to wash and care for white sneakers after washing

When choosing sports shoes, preference is often given to dark colors, as they are considered more practical. However, if you know some of the features of care, the use of white shoes will not cause any inconvenience.

Methods for washing white sneakers from dirt

In a typewriter

Both in the manuals for the use of washing machines and in the instructions for the care of shoes, it is usually noted that automatic washing is not allowed for these items of clothing. However, if you follow some guidelines, you can get clean shoes absolutely safe both for themselves and for the equipment.

Important! When washing sneakers, the machine runs louder than during normal washing, so it is recommended to run it during the day.

Before you wash your sneakers in the washing machine, you should make sure they are suitable for washing. To do this, you need to check the following:

1. No damage and streamlined. If the shoes begin to lose their integrity, unstick or tear, or are decorated with protruding elements that can hook the drum blades during the washing process, then such cleaning will be disastrous not only for sneakers, but also for equipment.
2. The presence of inserts, rivets, reflectors, appliques and the like. In their presence, the shoes are not suitable for washing.
3. Material. Textile, but not leather, sneakers, stitched in addition to gluing, will work.

Next, the shoes are prepared, for which it follows:

1. Remove the insoles and laces from the sneakers. The latter can be washed by hand or sent to the drum in a specialized bag (which can be replaced with a sock). This, on the one hand, will allow you to wash them much more efficiently, and on the other hand, it will not harm the drum with metal or plastic tips. It is recommended to simply replace the insoles, as washing will cause them to deform. You can also wash them by hand or wipe them with a damp sponge, depending on the condition.
2. Thoroughly remove dirt (stones, dirt, branches, etc.) from the sole. Then walk over the surface of the shoe with a damp brush for maximum dust removal.
3. Prepare a bag for washing underwear and shoes. Instead of it, a regular pillowcase is quite suitable, and non-dyeing rags and towels can act as a counterweight. The presence of the latter is necessary to improve the quality of washing and the safety of the drum blades.

Important! It is worth loading no more than two pairs of shoes into the drum at a time to avoid damaging the machine.

Some washing machines have a separate option for washing sportswear and shoes. If you have it, you just need to use it. If absent, select a delicate or hand wash mode, as well as the following parameters:

• temperature 30-40 ° C;
• short duration;
• turning off spinning and drying.

Such settings allow not only to wash, but also to preserve the shoes.Colder water will not allow you to get rid of dirt, and hotter water can provoke the sticking of sneakers. For the same reason, drying is contraindicated, since it is performed using high temperatures, which leads to deformation. Spinning is not used, as it can damage the equipment itself, the bearings of which react negatively to increased vibrations.

The powder is suitable for the most common used for everyday machine wash. Before falling asleep, it should be dissolved in water. You can also pour liquid soap, which rinses out better without leaving streaks. Optionally add a small amount of bleach or non-chlorine stain remover.

Manually

For the most delicate care, hand wash is optimal.

It does not take much time and consists of the following steps:

1. Preparation of tools. You need a bowl of warm but not hot water, a specialized sneaker cleaner, a medium-hard brush (like a toothbrush), and a few towels.
2. Preparing shoes. The insoles and laces are removed, the outer surface of the sneakers is wiped with a soft cloth to remove dust. Inside, the steam is spread with towels, which is necessary to protect the inner layers of the sole from moisture.
3. Cleaning. Using a brush moistened with soapy water, shoes are carefully cleaned to a sufficient result. Then the sneakers are rinsed with clean water and removed from the towels.
4. Drying. Since sneakers do not react well to heat, it is worth drying them naturally at room temperature and with tongues raised up.
5. Prevention. After drying is complete, the shoes should be treated with dirt and moisture-repellent agents on the outside and antibacterial deodorant on the inside.

Dry wash

If you don't want to use water to clean your sneakers, then toothpaste is a good solution. It can be of any brand, because in any case it will bleach well. Tooth powder will also work. The paste should be applied to the inner and outer surfaces of the sneakers, and then leave for an hour. Then you need to remove it with a slightly damp piece of foam rubber.

Cleaning products for sneakers

Before starting cleaning, you should do the following:

• remove the laces and insoles;
• carefully clean from dust and dirt;
• test the product on an inconspicuous fragment of the shoe.

Improvised means

The following most effective cleaning methods can be distinguished:

1. A mixture of washing powder, table vinegar and lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide. The components are mixed until the consistency of a thick pasty mass, which must be gently rubbed into the sneakers and left for 7-10 minutes, then gently rinsed with warm water.
2. Soda and washing machine powder. They must be dissolved in water, applied to shoes for 15 minutes, and the remains must be removed with a sponge or napkin.
3. Cow's milk and starch in equal proportions. The sneakers are covered with a mixture and left to dry, after which they are washed under running water.
4. Table vinegar and acetone. The method is effective for cleaning the sole. The ingredients are combined in equal proportions and applied to a cotton pad, which is used to wipe the shoes. After that you need to rinse it with warm water.

Purchased chemicals

A universal cleaner is a washing powder that is suitable for both automatic and hand washing, as well as for local cleaning. Liquid soap has a similar effect. However, if they are heavily soiled, they should be used in combination with bleach. At the same time, it is important to choose the right one: chlorine-containing products (for example, "Whiteness") are suitable only for sneakers with linen or cotton tops, and oxygen (like "Persol") can be used for all models.

You can also use a specialized cleaner such as White Express foam. It allows you to quickly and conveniently whiten your sneakers, while saving time.

Painting with white paint

Before painting, the sneakers need to be prepared: take out the laces, bleach the sole and wash. Next, you need to purchase paint, acrylic or powder.

For painting you will need the following:

• gloves;
• a capacity of sufficient volume for the free arrangement of shoes;
• toothbrush or sponge;
• vinegar;
• petrolatum;
• clean napkins;
• water.

The process of painting in white is as follows:

1. Dilute the paint according to the instructions.
2. Liberally lubricate the rubber parts of the sneakers with Vaseline and place the shoes in the paint. Leave on for ten minutes.
3. Dip the sneakers in a mixture of water and vinegar to set the color.
4. Rinse the shoes thoroughly under clean water until the latter is transparent.
5. Air dry the steam, then remove the petroleum jelly with baking soda and napkins.

You can also use special shoe paint. For leather sneakers, this will be the best solution.

Shoelace cleaning

If the dirt is not significant and the fabric just turned gray, it is enough to simply rub the laces with laundry soap and then wash them in a typewriter.

For more serious contaminants, the following scheme is used:

1. Add a stain remover designed for white clothes to a container of warm water.
2. Soak the laces in this solution and leave them overnight.
3. Wash laces either by hand with soap or with light-colored items in a typewriter.
4. Repeat the procedure if necessary.

How to dry white sneakers

For primary drying, it is highly discouraged to use special shoe dryers. They are quite effective, but negatively affect the preservation of the shape of the sneakers. In order to avoid deformation of the shoes, it is better to put tightly crumpled paper in it (preferably white, since newsprint, despite its high absorption efficiency, can leave a specific smell). Replace it as it gets wet. It is better to place the pair itself to dry in the sun or on a battery covered with a towel.

What to do if yellow stains appear after washing

Sometimes after washing or while wearing, yellow spots may appear on the sneakers. You can get rid of them using one of the following methods:

1. Adding table vinegar to water for hand wash. The ratio of the components is 1: 1.
2. Soaking shoes in a solution prepared by mixing water, washing gel and oxygen bleach.
3. Treat stains with a mixture of machine powder and white vinegar in equal proportions. After the sneakers, rinse with plenty of clean water.
4. Treating contaminants with a mixture of liquid soap and baking soda. It is convenient to use an old toothbrush.After that, the shoes must be rinsed thoroughly.

Important! Since the soles of sneakers are made of plastic or rubber, the use of chlorine-based bleaches, as well as kerosene, gasoline and chemical solvents, is contraindicated for cleaning them.

Caring for white sneakers

Sneakers can be either fabric or leather. Care measures also depend on the material. The differences lie in the products used for whitening and how to wash the white sneakers:

• it is permissible to wash fabric shoes using a typewriter, while leather shoes do not tolerate strong wetting and can crack and deform when dried;
• for sneakers made of leather, you need to use special sponges and soft fabrics so as not to scratch the surface;
• for textile footwear, stiff brushes are required to clean deep-seated dirt;
• small abrasions and scratches on the surface of leather shoes can be easily masked with special creams, while this cannot be done with fabric sneakers.

Proper care of white sneakers is not too difficult. However, it allows you to maintain a neat appearance and extend the service life.

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