- Knock loose dirt off your shoes with your fingers or a dry brush, then wipe them down with a cloth soaked in warm water and laundry detergent. Air dry overnight.
- To clean your laces, remove them from the shoes, spray them with stain remover (if needed), then toss them in the laundry machine. Air dry overnight.
- To freshen your insoles, remove them and sprinkle them with baking soda. Let them air out overnight, then brush the baking powder off.
Cleaning the Outside of Your Shoes
Shake off any dirt on your shoes. Do it outside so dirt doesn’t get all over your floor. Hit the soles of your shoes together a few times to help dislodge caked-on dirt and grime.
Remove stubborn dirt clumps on the soles with a dry, clean toothbrush. Take the toothbrush and gently brush it back and forth over any dirt spots. Don’t use the toothbrush on the upper fabric portion of your shoes or you could damage them. Rinse off the toothbrush when you’re finished and store it in a plastic bag so you have it for the next time you clean your shoes.
Wipe down your shoes with laundry detergent and warm water. Add 1 drop of detergent to a bowl of warm water and dip a cloth in the mixture. Clean the soles and the upper sections of your shoes using the cloth. Rub the cloth back and forth over any dirt spots until they fade away. Use a clear laundry detergent if your shoes are white.
Rinse the cloth in warm water and wipe the detergent off your shoes. Go over the soles and upper sections of your shoes so there’s no detergent left on them. You should wipe off all of the suds on your shoes. It's important you get all the detergent off so it doesn't dry on your shoes and damage them.
Let your shoes air dry overnight. Set your shoes somewhere inside so they dry out at room temperature. Don’t use a heater to speed up the process or you could damage your shoes.
Washing Your Shoelaces
Take the shoelaces off your shoes. It’s easiest to clean them when they’re separate. Set your shoes aside after you remove the laces.
Apply a gentle stain remover to any spots or stains. If you’re using a spray bottle, spray the stain remover directly onto the shoelaces. If you’re using a liquid stain remover, pour some onto a washcloth and dab it onto the shoelaces. Read the instructions that came with the stain remover to see if you need to let it set in for a few minutes before washing.
Wash the shoelaces in a washing machine with a load of your laundry. If the shoelaces are white, wash them with other whites so they don’t absorb dye and change color. If you have colored shoelaces, wash them with similar colored laundry. Wash the shoelaces on the same setting you would use to wash your clothes.
Let the shoelaces air dry overnight. Lay them out on a table or countertop to dry. Avoid machine drying the shoelaces or they could shrink. Once the shoelaces are dry, lace them back into your shoes.
Airing Out Your Insoles
Take the insoles out of your shoes. The insoles are the padded flaps that line the bottom of your shoes on the inside. Just lift and pull them up to remove them. If the insoles won't come out, try to clean them while they're still in your shoes.
Sprinkle baking soda over the insoles and let them sit overnight. The baking soda will absorb any bad odors on the insoles that are causing your shoes to smell. You don’t need a lot of baking soda. Just use enough to lightly cover the entire surface of both insoles.
Brush the baking soda off the insoles. Brush it off into the trash or a plastic bag, or take the insoles outside and shake the baking soda off. Once all the baking soda is off, you can slip the insoles back into your shoes.
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