A Simple and Effective Guide to Clean Your White Trainers
A man’s outfit can be judged by how the shoes appear. From the color, design, and style, it can be figured out how well the entire outfit is pulled off. Footwear, like anything else in men’s clothing and accessories, has grown and evolved over the years. From being rigid to a particular dress combo to wearing them with nearly everything, the journey is one to remember.
Like different evolutions in menswear, especially shoes, men’s trainers hold special mention. Why? That’s because what was once considered gym-only footwear has become a more versatile and popular choice among men. Regardless of your taste, you simply can’t deny how white trainers are a must-have.
However, keeping these factory-like clean is nothing less than a nightmare. With their stubborn habit of attracting dirt and mud, white shoes give users a hard time. If this is also your story, then here’s a small and practical guide to cleaning them –
Step #1 Remove Mud Cakes –
An afternoon stroll in the rain often turns out to be way muddier than expected. So, you are most likely to have mud cakes on the white trainers, something equivalent to calling it a nightmare.
In such a scenario, the first thing to do is to let the trainers dry. Banging them together will make the big clusters of mud fall off. After that, to remove the stubborn remnants, one can use anything robust, like the back of a knife or scissors.
Step #2 Soak the Laces in Strong Detergent/Bleach Solution –
Clean and bright laces are a big component of white trainers. If you have soiled laces, start by unthreading them from the shoes. The white laces probably look yellowish-brown after they are washed with normal water.
What you need to do here is use a strong detergent or one that has bleaching components. Make a solution of it and put the laces into it. Let it soak for about an hour or more. Once done, rinse the laces and dry them up. That’ll get them white enough for a fresh stroll down the road.
Step #3 Clean the Surface –
For Leather footwear: Avoid using harsh detergents or chemicals on leather footwear. Just wipe the surface with a weak solution of washing liquid. This is supposed to do the trick. If the dirty look doesn’t go on the first go, try doing it again the next day. Laundry detergents are to be strictly avoided as they can damage the leather.
For Canvas footwear: Only use soft brushes to remove loose dirt on the surface. Avoid scratching the rubber edges and the tongue area. Use the same washing liquid in lukewarm water, and scrub the shoes with a soft brush. One can also use a soft cloth and rinse it with clean water to wash off the muddy residue.
Wrapping Up
When cleaning men’s trainers, always make sure you air-dry them after washing. Also, never put them in the washing machine, or let them dry under direct sunlight.
A special trick to keep white shoes squeaky clean is by using stain protection sprays. These are designed to help users keep their white footwear clean without too much effort. However, don’t buy any random product you find online without researching.