Top 4 mistakes when cleaning and removing shoe stains that you should not make

Have you ever wondered why you clean your shoes regularly but they quickly fade or even break? The cause of your shoes' quick aging sometimes comes from actions that seem harmless but are extremely dangerous.

So what is the root of the problem? Drying in the sun or soaking in soap for a long time are the two most common mistakes when cleaning shoes that many people make.

Besides, many other actions that seem "harmless" but also damage your shoes extremely quickly, let's find out with Celidior the mistakes to "avoid" in the article below!

Using the washing machine

Shoes often have many details that are difficult to clean, especially the inside of the shoe toe which is both hidden and hard. Therefore, cleaning with a washing machine can make your shoes not clean, not only that, the hard sole is very easy to break or dent when under strong pressure from the rotation of the washing drum.

To ensure that the shoes are clean and not damaged, Celidior's advice is to "wash" your shoes by hand or take them to a specialized shoe cleaning shop.

In addition to shoe cleaning, laundromats often offer other services such as cleaning handbags or hats.

There are times when you are too busy to wash your shoes yourself, you can choose to clean your shoes by machine. However, please note the following points to avoid damaging your "brainchild":

• Read carefully the information printed on the label attached to the inside of the shoe, you will know whether your shoes can be washed in the washing machine or not. Some materials that can be washed in the washing machine are cotton, nylon and polyester.
• Clean the mud and dirt stuck on the shoes. This will help the shoes to be washed cleaner and not dirty the washing drum, affecting the next washes.
• Don't forget to remove the shoelaces and clean them separately. Because shoelaces are usually made of fabric, if washed with the shoes, the laces will not be clean and will easily become "rough" on the surface, or even damaged.
• Choose a gentle wash mode with a slow spin speed throughout the process from washing to spinning so that the shoes do not deform.

Cleaning stubborn stains is important before putting shoes in the washing machine.

While cleaning shoes

The most basic mistake that many people think of is using detergent and bleach. These solutions have quite strong reducing properties, so they will accidentally "discolor" your shoes, especially dyed fabric shoes. In addition, if you soak your shoes in detergent for a long time, it will easily wear out the shoes, make the rubber brittle and cause the glue to come off.

With low cost and easy to find ingredients, Javel detergent and bleach are often used to clean shoes.

Another common mistake is using the same brush for all types of shoes. Instead, choose the most suitable brush depending on the material of the shoe.

For example, for sports shoes or canvas shoes, you can use a hard plastic brush, but for leather shoes, you should use a soft-bristled brush or a specialized brush to avoid damaging the shoes.

If the stain is small, a toothbrush is an optimal choice to help you "remove" the stain immediately.

Plastic shoe brushes cost around 1-5 USD, cheap and easy to use.

Drying by high temperature

After cleaning your shoes, you can use a dryer or place your shoes next to a radiator/heater to dry them faster so they can be "on your feet" at any time. However, this method will affect the shape of the shoes.

When cleaning rubber shoes at high heat, the shoes will shrink, the glue and rubber on the shoes will melt and deform. If you need to urgently, you can dry the shoes at a moderate temperature and keep the dryer 20-30 cm away from the shoes.

Deerma DEM-HX20 Xiaomi shoe deodorizer dryer, compact design helps dry shoes quickly

In addition to drying shoes, drying shoes in direct sunlight can also easily cause yellowing of shoes. The reason is that the sun's UV rays will destroy the leather layer of the shoe, causing the fabric color to fade and the leather details on the shoe to explode and peel off after a short time.

Direct sunlight with high temperature makes shoes easily turn yellow and lose shape.

To keep your shoes dry without losing their shape, you should dry them in a cool place, in the shade or turn on a fan to dry them faster.

In addition, Giffan recommends that you wrap the outside of the shoes in a layer of paper before drying them. This will help absorb any remaining moisture in the shoes and keep them bright white.

Wearing wet shoes will create favorable conditions for bacteria to grow, causing unpleasant odors and fungal infections, so make sure to let your shoes dry completely!

Not cleaning shoes regularly

Stains that stick to shoes for a long time will dry and make the shoes more difficult to clean. Therefore, for sports shoes that are worn regularly, clean them every week to protect your health and keep the shoes' lifespan as long as possible.

For materials that are difficult to clean such as leather shoes, high heels or white shoes, ... you should gently clean them after 1-2 uses to keep the shoes "clean" for a long time.

Regularly use a clean cloth soaked in soapy water and gently clean shoes.

Knowing that everyone wants to have a clean pair of shoes on their feet, you should not wash your shoes too often. If you "soak" them in water continuously, the glue on the soles will easily come loose or the shoe body will rot.

The appropriate frequency to wash your shoes is about every 2-3 weeks, or when the shoes are very dirty.

In addition, you should prepare many pairs of shoes or sandals to change every day, to avoid wearing one pair for too long, causing the shoes to smell and be difficult to clean.

How to clean yellowed white shoe soles

One of the reasons why white shoes look so “dirty” is because the soles are not cleaned regularly, leading to dirt accumulating into stains.

Improper washing and storage of shoes also causes white shoes to become old and dull.

Celidior will give you tips on how to deal with stains so that your white shoes look really clean!

Step 1: Use warm water to whiten shoelaces when washing

Step by step, first clean the shoelaces with warm water and a little mild soap. You can use a toothbrush to scrub gently and then dry the shoelaces in a ventilated place or in the shade.

The bristles of the toothbrush are quite soft, can clean dirt and limit scratches and roughness of the shoelaces and shoes.

The toothbrush bristles are soft enough to clean stains.

Step 2: Whiten the shoe surface with the following methods

Use a mixture of baking soda and vinegar

Baking soda and vinegar with outstanding bleaching properties can remove stains on your white shoes. First, dissolve baking soda with vinegar in a ratio of 3:2. Next, use a toothbrush or a specialized shoe cleaning brush to scrub the yellow stains on the surface of the shoes for about 7-10 minutes. Finally, choose a cool place to dry the shoes naturally!

Baking soda powder with bleaching properties

Use toothpaste

Toothpaste is super cheap and can effectively remove stains. Use a toothbrush to take a moderate amount of toothpaste and rub it on the surface of the shoe. Then, wash the shoe with warm water. The limitation of this method is that it is difficult to remove deep stains on the shoe.

Toothpaste effectively removes stains.

Use shampoo

Mix shampoo and warm water and dip your shoes into the newly mixed shoe sole cleaning solution. Use a brush to gently scrub until the stains on your favorite shoes are removed, then rinse the shoes under the tap to clean the shampoo foam.

Use lemon

Wet your shoes, cut a lemon in half and rub it on the leather. The organic acid in this fruit will remove stains. Rinse your shoes with water and let them dry to have a pair of white shoes like new.

Cut the lemon in half and rub it on the leather of your shoes.

Use alcohol and medical cotton

Alcohol is also a commonly used cleaning agent. You can soak a cotton swab in alcohol and rub it on the stains on your shoes, then use a warm towel to wipe them clean. Your shoes will be cleaner!

Step 3: Clean shoe soles with Vaseline

In addition to its familiar skin care and softening properties for women, Vaseline also has the "magical" ability to remove stains on white soles.

Apply a little Vaseline to the sole and wait about 3 minutes. Then, use a damp cloth to wipe off the stains on the sole. Note, avoid using this wax to bleach the fabric of the shoe.

Apply a little Vaseline to the sole of the shoe.

Step 4: Choose a dry, cool place to dry your shoes.

The step of drying shoes is very important, you need to choose a cool, shady place to dry shoes naturally, avoid leaving shoes directly under the sunlight.

Because then, the leather layer covering the surface of the shoe will be destroyed by UV rays, leading to the shoes turning black after a while, the shoes will look old and dull.

Choose a cool, shady place to dry shoes naturally.

Step 5: Store shoes properly

After washing and drying, you need to find a dry space for your shoes to live in such as a shoe box, plastic bag and put it in the closet. Avoid washing in a damp place because this will also cause your shoes to change color.

Need to find a dry space for the shoes to live

The above tips can be applied to bleach shoes made of different materials such as suede, canvas, etc. However, it is best to check the shoe label to better understand the material to have the right way to clean the shoes.

DinCox C17 White uses synthetic leather for the shoe body

The surface of Biti's Hunter Street Z Collection High White is covered with premium leather

Ananas Basas Simple Life NE – Mule has youthful canvas material

Conclusion

Sneakers and sports shoes are quite easy to clean with natural ingredients available at home. However, please note the correct cleaning method to keep your shoes clean and beautiful, making you more neat and impressive in the eyes of others.

Above are 5 mistakes to avoid when cleaning shoes to help your shoes always be "clean and shiny". If you have other great tips, please comment below to share with Celidior!