The sneaker is made mainly of non-plastic woven fabric with some part being leather (and of course the sole part is rubber). I tried wiping them with moist tissue paper but it does not work so well and it wastes paper. Below are some photos of the muddy water-soaked sneakers. Please help :'(
1 Answer
Easy. Remove the insert and wash separately in a washing machine (with rags or jeans, items not sensitive). Since you have removed the loose dirt, take the shoes and place them in a bucket or basin large enough to submerge completely. You can use a sink if necessary. Fill the bucket with about 2" of hot water. Add 2 capfuls of Woolite
or other washing liquid for "delicate" clothes. Add 1 scoop of OxiClean or other laundry oxygenator. Stir until majority of the powder is dissolved. Fill the bucket to 2/3 full, add shoes ensuring they are submerged. Let stand in bucket for 1 hour, longer if very soiled. Afterward, using your hands, vigorously squeeze and release the shoes while still submerged. This will agitate the dirt to be released into the water. Next, carefully remove the shoes, squeezing out excess water. Now rinse in clean, warm water until suddsing subsides. Depending on how soiled they were when you began, you may have to repeat this procedure, if not, then squeeze out excess water, set on an old towel in a semi-sunny spot. They will be clean and dry the next day. The leather portions of the shoe will be fine as long as they don't stay in the water for a long period of time.
-
For a lot of shoes, you can just unlaced them and toss them in the washer with an old towel. No manual cleaning required.– JacobMar 30, 2017 at 21:11
-
@JacobJones I've had sneakers fall apart after machine washing- which is why I recommend hand washing.– M.MatApr 6, 2017 at 19:52
-
If the parts of the shoe are glued together (common with tennis shoes), you need to use cold water with only a tiny bit of soap (or no soap). The hot water can dissolve the glue.– JacobApr 6, 2017 at 20:14