How to Clean White Shoes Without Turning them Yellow

In this article I will show you how to clean white shoes without turning them yellow. A pair of white shoes is a prized possession for all of us. We cannot deny the fact that white shoes, regardless of the material, make us look smart and stylish in any attire. The biggest problem with white shoes is that it is quite challenging to clean them. Sometimes, you can do more harm than good to your shoes, when you clean them the incorrect way.  Are you disappointed on seeing your white shoes turn yellow when you clean them? Don’t worry; we are here to make things easy for you.

Keep reading to know more about some effective remedies you can try at home to bring back the whiteness and shine in your white shoes. You can be assured that these tips will not turn your white shoes yellow, no matter how many times you wash them. Whichever method you choose to clean your white shoes, always remember to remove the loose dirt particles settled on them.

Using baking soda and vinegar

• Remove the loose dirt on the shoes first. For this, untie the shoe laces, and tap the shoes against each other nicely. This will shake off all the mud and dirt accumulated there. Then, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to rub all over the white shoes (including the rubber parts) to clean off the excess dirt found on them.
• Make a thick paste using baking soda and vinegar in a bowl. Dip a toothbrush in this paste, and apply it all over the white shoes generously. Allow the paste to settle on the shoes for a while so that it dries completely. Use a clean cloth or paper towel to scrub off the dry paste. You will notice that the dust marks have completely gone from your white shoes.
• Wash your white shoes normally using warm water and mild liquid detergent.
• Use a magic eraser or a cleaner solution (exclusively designed to clean rubber soles) to get rid of any remaining stains on the rubber part of your shoes. Scrub this solution on the rubber soles, and wipe it off with a clean cloth or paper towel.
• Allow the white shoes to air-dry thoroughly before wearing them.

Using micellar water

Micellar water, an effective makeup remover, works very well in cleaning dirt off white shoes, and not turning them yellow in the process. Micellar water works well for many kinds of materials like leather, rubber, suede and the like.

• Apply a few drops of micellar water on a clean cloth.
• Immediately scrub your white shoes thoroughly with this cloth.
• Your white shoes start becoming clean once again, within minutes!

Using white toothpaste

Toothpaste not only helps to whiten your teeth, but it works quite well in whitening your white shoes as well!

• Apply some white toothpaste on a soft-bristled toothbrush. Add a few drops of water to this.
• Scrub the toothbrush nicely over the dirt marks on the shoes.
• Rinse well or wipe away with a clean cloth to see that the dirt marks have vanished completely.

Using toilet paper

White shoes, especially canvas shoes, are quite challenging to clean, because they tend to turn yellow very quickly. However, you will be surprised to know that you can get rid of this problem by using a very simple item found in your home – toilet paper!

• Soak toilet paper with water, and cover your white shoes well with these damp papers.
• Let the yellowed white shoes be covered in this damp toilet paper for about 12 hours.
• After 12 hours, peel the paper (which would have now become dry) of the shoes, and you will be surprised to notice no traces of yellow marks on the shoes!

Using baking soda and hydrogen peroxide

• Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda and ½ a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide.
• Dip a soft-bristled toothbrush in this mixture, and rub all over the white shoes thoroughly.
• Let the mixture remain in the shoes for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the extent of the stains.
• Rinse the shoes thoroughly with water, and allow them to completely air-dry before using them.

Some general tips for clean white shoes

• If white canvas shoes are very dirty, you can use an oven-cleaning solution to clean them. Spray some oven cleaning solution on the shoes directly, and rinse the shoes immediately. Don’t allow the oven cleaner to sit on the shoes even for 5 minutes, as the powerful chemicals of the solution can damage the canvas material significantly.
• A quick and effective remedy to get rid of excessive dirt on white shoes is to use a shoe whitener. Spread a generous amount of shoe whitener on the shoes using a toothbrush and allow it to dry completely before using the shoes.
• You can use a bleach solution to clean the white shoelaces. In a small bowl, mix some water and bleach powder. Put the white laces in a mesh bag and soak in this bowl of bleach solution for about 5 to 10 minutes. You can remove the laces from the mesh bag, and wash them as per their normal wash routine. This will remove all dirt marks from the laces completely. Allow the shoelaces to air-dry thoroughly.
• Yellowing of white shoes usually occurs when some traces of detergent or cleaning solution are left behind on the shoes after cleaning. To avoid this, you should rinse the shoes thoroughly after using the cleaning products as explained in the above sections. You should never allow the shoes to get exposed to the sunlight immediately after washing them, as this will lead yellowing of white shoes.
• When using bleach for cleaning white shoes, you should be very careful, as excessive quantities of bleach can cause the yellowing of white shoes. Even if a particular fabric of white shoes can be washed with bleach, you must use a very diluted solution for this purpose. It would be ideal to mix water and bleach in a ratio of 5:1 to ensure that the chemicals don’t hurt the shoes.