How to Clean and Restore Canvas Tennis Shoes

Dirt and grime on white shoes does not mean they have to be retired to the trash. Clean canvas tennis shoes to restore them to a like new condition. Do not throw your tennis shoes in the trash because they have dirt and grime on them. Save money on shoes when you prolong their life by restoring them to a clean state.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Cool water
• Old toothbrush or soft scrubbing brush
• Mild soap
• Paper towels
• White tube sock
• Washing machine

1. Let wet and muddy shoes dry before cleaning them. Take shoes outside and beat them together or against a hard surface to remove caked on mud and dirt.

2. Take the shoe laces out of the shoes. Put the laces inside a long tube sock and tie a knot in the top of the sock. Wash and dry the laces with like colors.

3. Wet the shoes with cool water. Apply a mild soap to a soft scrubbing brush. Scrub both the inside and outside of the shoes with the brush. Apply more soap as needed.

4. Wash the soap off of the shoes with clean cool water. Scrub stubborn stains with additional soap. Rinse all soap out of the shoes.

5. Dump excess water out of the shoes. Blot the shoes dry with a clean white towel. Crinkle heavy duty paper towels into balls. Stuff the paper towels into the shoes to absorb water.

6. Set the shoes on a surface where they can dry at room temperature. Remove the wet paper towels from the shoes after an hour. Replace them with dry paper towels. Change out the paper towels frequently until all of the excess moisture is absorbed.

7. Replace the laces in the tennis shoes. Purchase new laces when the old laces do not come as clean as the shoes.