How To Clean Shoes

Shoes can make or break a person's appearance and should look decent, no matter how long you had them. It is normal that wearing shoes after a certain period they will get a few dirt stains and scuffles in them but before they can get any worse, read this article on how to clean shoes.

1. Choose the type of shoes you want to clean. Suede, leather or canvas, there are different methods to cleaning these shoes from home without using store bought products. Usually there are materials you have at home that are usable for clean shoes so use them to your advantage.
2. Clean white tennis shoes. You can turn your shoes from dingy to sparkly with only the basic products- toothpaste, toothbrush, a rag, and water. To get clean shoes, take a small amount of whitening toothpaste and place on a toothbrush. Mix the toothpaste with warm water; you can dip the paste in the water (use an old bowl or cup) and start cleaning your shoes, including the soles. Get rid of any excess toothpaste by wiping it away with water. Finish cleaning with a dry rag and leave it to dry. Another alternative is placing the shoes into a washing machine in warm water. After they are washed, let it air dry.
3. Buff and shine leather shoes. For dressy leather footwear, clean shoes by gently brushing the dirt and stains away. If there are scuffles on your leather shoes try Murphy’s oil soap, using a damp cloth and let it dry. To bring shine to the shoes, rub a small amount of Vaseline into them or use the tried and true spit shine method; apply one or two drops of water, along with a shoe polisher. Take a dry cloth and move the cloth back and forth until your shoes get shiny.
4. Clean suede shoes. These shoes are normally worn in the winter season and often stained by snow, mud, and worse, salt. Clean shoes using white vinegar and a dry rag rubbed lightly over the suede shoe. Let the shoe dry out for a while, then take a suede brush to ruffle the stubborn stains. For water stains, take a water spray and spray the entire outer parts of the shoes. If there is an abundance of water remaining on the suede shoes, wipe it off gently with dry cloth and dry these shoes during the night. Once dried, use a suede brush to finish. With mud stains, let it dry out at first then gently scrape the mud off with a nailbrush and erase any leftover mud stains with a damp cloth.
5. Clean canvas shoes. Canvas sneakers get easily dirty but the good thing is these shoes are the easiest to clean. For white canvas shoes, first lightly wet them with water, then mix baking soda and water to create a paste. Just take an old toothbrush and clean them all over and let them dry overnight. To clean shoes that are colored, scrub off stains with liquid dish detergent and a nail brush, afterwards, put the shoes in the washing machine, just make sure to rinse them on a low temp and air dry them.
6. Buy store bought products. If you want a quick and simple solutions to cleaning shoes, there are shoe polishers and stain removers for different shoe materials. Also, look into shoe cleaning services that will professionally make your shoes look brand new.