Your shoes are precious to you. When your sneakers mean something to you, you might decide to put them through the wash. But it does not seem to look as good after a few cycles. Why?
Some of the most common reasons for yellowing shoes are:
-
- Detergents
- Dirt
- Long exposure to the sun after a wash.
- Sweat
- Dirty soles
- Bleach
All these reasons seem unavoidable. That is because they are. Once you open the box, you will be cursed to the formidable fate of attracting almost every possible cause of dirt to your prized possessions.
There is a solution to this problem. In fact, there are many solutions, they can be found all through the internet. It is important to note that not all of them work. So, this is the breakdown of the most effective methods on how to get your Rockstars rocking again.
How to fix your yellowed shoes
Shoe whitener
It is the most common and time effective solution. The application is simple, just apply the whitener on the affected areas.
Note that your shoes have had to be in the washing and drying process before attempting to use the shoe whitener.
Shoe whiteners can be bought online, Amazon has a few products available at good prices.
You might think you are budget smart by using bleach. But now you own albino giraffe skin shoes. It’s okay, don’t worry, you have a second chance.
Baking Soda
Baking soda, when accompanied with non-gel white toothpaste, does a decent job of removing bleach stains.
All you need to do is make a paste with the two ingredients. Use a toothbrush to work the paste onto the affected areas. Let the shoe rest with the paste for about half an hour.
After the time has passed, and the paste has hardened, tap your shoes together so that most of the paste falls off. Thoroughly rinse the remainder of the paste off the shoe.
Do not let bleach scare you. It can help remove stubborn stains. The issue that plagues many is the amount of bleach they use. You need to get the ratio of bleach to water right, otherwise it will look like an old vomit stain on your shoes.
The majority suggest that a one-part bleach to five parts water ratio can work. Just be sure to give your shoes a good rinse afterwards. Wear gloves when using bleach, it is a harmful chemical.
So, now that you have probably learnt your lesson, here is a shoe washing solution that should be shoe friendly.
How to do it right
Cleaning shoes becomes a dominant feature in your life, especially when you own quality items, and they are white. Unless you walk with plastic wrapped around your shoes you will never be able to keep them looking the way they did when you first got them.
If you take the time and put in the effort to clean them, then you might stand a chance at maintaining their beautiful original color.
The list of things you need is not that long:
Washing machine.
Laundry detergent.
Scrubbing brush/toothbrush (Needs to be soft bristled).
A rag.
Vinegar (make sure it’s white).
Borax.
If you do not own a washing machine, then use your mom’s. When you have everything you need, follow these steps:
Step 1
Get all the dirt and gunk, you picked up at the mall, off your shoes with the soft-bristle brush. Every bit of dirt that you can take off with the brush has to, at least, come loose for this cleaning method to work.
Step 2
Prepare the cleaning rag by soaking it in the white vinegar. After the rag retains the vinegar wipe the shoes’ surface with the rag.
This is the only part of the cleaning that will get rid of any scuff marks, so you need to do a good job. Soak the rag in the vinegar repeatedly in order to get good use out of the vinegar.
Now the hard part is done.
Step 3
Get your shoes into the machine. Get your mom to gauge how much laundry detergent you will need to use on the shoes. Sprinkle some Borax in with the shoes and set the machine to a cycle that resembles a warm gentle wash. Get a soda, you deserve it, and relax as the machine works its magic.
Step 4
Once the machine is finished, and you have followed all the instructions, you can take your shoes out to dry. Preferably not for long in sunlight, just long enough to remove any remaining bacteria.
Tips
Remove shoelaces and inner soles from the shoes when washing. These items tend to carry a lot of dirt and sweat and can cause staining.
Give it a last rinse and soak in clean water to remove any leftover detergent.
At the end
There are many methods to get rid of yellow stains from your shoes. There are many causes of yellow staining on shoes.
The main cause for yellow stains is the attempt to use bleach when trying to clean your white canvas Vans. Avoid bleach unless you know how to use it. Bleach is inappropriately used leaves yellow stains.
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