Cleaning White Soles on Sneakers - YouLookFab Forum

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Cleaning White Soles on Sneakers

Chris987

Veteran

It is finally warm enough that I feel like wearing sneakers. I have three new ones this year that have white soles. I'm discovering as I wear them that the SOLES need to be cleaned every time I wear them out of the house. The black Vionics are particularly prone to this. They seem to soak up dirt. The back bottom edge of the sneaker on my driving foot is particularly bad. The only way I can get them clean is to dilute some liquid dish soap in water and scrub with a nail brush. OxyClean would probably work too but haven't tried it yet. The bottom of the sole NEVER get completely clean but the sides do and that's good enough for me. Using a cleaning wipe or a cloth with water on it or a magic eraser does NOT clean them. The uppers are not so much of an issue - the don't get nearly as dirty.

I reviewed this great post from two years ago with all kinds of suggestions ... https://youlookfab.com/2021/08.....-sneakers/ .... but nothing specifically addresses the soles, at least not that I can see.

I'm not happy about having to clean shoes after each and every wearing :-). It only takes a few minutes ... but what a PITA!

Has anyone found a way to manage this? Does waterproofing spray make a difference on the SOLES?

TIA for any and all suggestions.

I may be swearing off white soled shoes ....

Ecco womens Soft 7 Slip-on

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35 replies

Latest reply was from danskogirl

JAileen

Veteran

Lower your standards. Seriously, a cleanser like Bon Ami has worked for me. And as I mentioned in the other post, I’ve put leather sneakers in the washing machine.

Chris987

Veteran

Jaileen, I guess I COULD lower my standards but I'm not likely to run the washing machine just for one pair of sneakers. Do you find the Bon Ami somehow inhibits dirt so you don't have to clean them as often as with other cleaners?

rachylou

Veteran

Curiosity, Chris: Do you have rubber or carpet car mats? I got a little carpet car mat and that helped some with the driving foot heel thing.

Chris987

Veteran

rachylou I have rubber mats. They came with the car and are the most practical choice given my climate and my gravel driveway. Interesting idea about a carpet mat ... will look into that.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I cleaned these with photoshop There was a smudge on one of them; if you zoom way in, you can probably see how I cheated with a little white line.
I’ve found the same as you, that a Magic eraser doesn’t work because the surface isn’t smooth enough. An old toothbrush does much better, when I really care.

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Kyle

Veteran

Nail polish remover for the white sides of sneakers. I used it on mine this morning. For the bottoms, mix a paste of hot water, laundry detergent or dish soap, and baking soda. Spread it on, let sit for awhile, then scrub with a brush and rinse.

JAileen

Veteran

I use a paste of Bon Ami and an old toothbrush, and rinse carefully under the faucet.

NancyW

Veteran

I am currently looking for white sneakers with black soles

Chris987

Veteran

SF - well, with the latest advancements in virtual reality etc maybe photoshop can be used IRL in the near future

Kyle, Jaileen, - thanks for the suggestions but I'm all set on HOW to clean them; what I'm seeking is a way to not have to do it every time I wear them.

NancyW, well that would certainly be a solution!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I lower my standards. Some of the time.

I have a pair that I wear when conditions are not lovely. (When the white is likely to get smudged). And another pair for "good."

I wonder if this is one reason people used to wear driving moccasins?

I rarely drive in mine and don't have the issue you describe when I do -- but I do walk in some mucky places.

Runcarla

Veteran

With Golden Goose selling ‘dirty’ sneakers for $750CA (I think $500US) and they have actually been trending since 2018 or 2019 and are still popular, I personally don’t worry too much if my sneakers look a little scruffy. When I want to spruce them up, I do like JAileen and toss then in the wash with a bunch of towels, some Oxyclean and Tide. Then I let them dry in the sun.

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Chris987

Veteran

Interesting comments Suz. I have to drive to get anywhere (except for neighborhood fitness walks where I wear running shoes), so maybe white soles are not so practical for me unless I can get over the need to clean frequently.

Runcarla - hah, that "dirty" sneaker golden goose trend reminds me of the $400 ripped/torn jeans someone was selling a few years ago

Sal

Veteran

I do give them a wash and a wipe down, but not every time I wear them. I am not a pristine person though.

Some soles tend to mark more easily than others though. And I would be cautious about adding white canvas sneakers again - they stained very easily.

JamC

Veteran

Chris987, I don’t have any additional suggestions for cleaning the white soles of sneakers but am also annoyed by the dirty look! I am not inclined to clean them after every wear so I guess I have lowered my standards as others suggested.
In addition, I have a few pairs of sneakers whose sidewalls have yellowed which looks terrible! Anyone have a suggestion to clean these or prevent it from happening in the future?

Chris987

Veteran

Sal, good comment about some marking up more easily than others. I think I may try some waterproof spray on the soles of the Vionics since they seem to soak up dirt more than the others. I'm with you on avoiding white canvas shoes - too hard to keep clean.

JamC - maybe lowering standards a bit is the way to go ... and/or not buying more of them! I have a few older ones with the same sidewall yellowing and I've tried all kinds of things including letting diluted bleach sit on them for a bit and then putting out in the sun - nothing really seems to work. Maybe someone has a miracle cure they can post here.

Jules

Veteran

I suspect the yellowing is the material itself actually changing (with age and exposure to air), so it’s not something that can be removed. The lesson for me (in theory) is to keep a smaller wardrobe so I can wear things out before they ‘age’! However in reality the pandemic has had me buying more footwear than I can actually use.

Chris987

Veteran

Jules, you hit the nail on the head about having a smaller wardrobe so will wear things out before they age. I keep thinking about this but am not doing it very well; the "need for variety" keeps overshadowing it ...

kkards

Veteran

I’m not one to fuss over this, after all shoes are meant to be worn, and so will show some wear…
but I’m wondering if my go to BORAX would work. It’s fabulous for cleaning tea stains on porcelain, water stains of shower doors and so much more…I’d try a small Borax paste with an old toothbrush.

Chris987

Veteran

kkards, I think I have tried Borax and it does work, but it does nothing for the need to clean after each wearing that's my real issue.

Sal

Veteran

Oh that’s a useful tip kkards. I hate shower doors and I hate tea/coffee stains on work cups.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Barkeepers Friend would also work like Borax. And baking soda.

What if you painted the soles with clear nail polish before wearing them. Or -- apply body glide or similar? Then stains could be wiped off?

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Chris I thought of your post when I popped into a shoe shop today. There were so many sneakers in there and every single one I saw had white soles, which I personally do not like. Of my 4 pairs of sneakers only my “running shoes” ( which I only walk in, not run) have them. Otherwise I find them too stark a contrast on me. It is really limiting any sneaker purchases!

Chris987

Veteran

Suz - like your ideas for "treatment" - the body glide especially! May try them.

Jenni NZ I generally agree with you! I'm trying a black pair this year with white soles but sometimes I just don't like the high contrast. If the sneaker is a lighter color it's much better to my eye. It does limit ones options for sure.

RobinF

Veteran

I have definitely lowered my standards. I find it really annoying how quickly they get dirty but I also don't have the patience to scrub them after every wear.

Chris987

Veteran

RobinF - I may end up there!

Joyce B

Veteran

I would try a magic eraser sponge on the soles, I have cleaned several white soles with good results.
As for the driving, I keep in the car a shoe for driving so that my shoes don’t get ruined. My shoe is good for driving as it does not slip and gives me good footing on the pedals.

Chris987

Veteran

Joyce B good idea about keeping shoes in the car for driving. I have a feeling I did that during some of m working/commuting years.

approprio

(website)

Veteran

I think this is inevitable, for all the reasons above, says the woman who has just painted the soles of her white platform sneakers with blanco.

When white shoes are past their best, I like to change over the laces to a darker colour. The contrast has a way of making them look whiter.

Chris987

Veteran

approprio, yes, perhaps inevitable as you suggest. What type of paint (or whatever) did you use on the soles of your sneakers?

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