How to Clean Canvas Tennis Shoes

Canvas tennis shoes like Chuck Taylors require different care than leather shoes. The cloth-based shoes are easier to get dirty than leather shoes as they absorb dirty water and mud. Cleaning stains out of canvas shoes is very similar to getting tough stains out of any other fabrics or clothing. While you can run them through a cycle in the washing machine, cleaning the shoes by hand will help preserve your shoes longer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mild laundry or dish detergent
• Toothbrush
• Nylon scrubbing pad
• Baking soda
• Plain white/brown paper
• White shoe polish

1. Wait for the shoes to dry if they are damp and muddy. Remove any loose dirt by knocking the soles against the ground or each other. Remove any remaining clumps of caked dirt with a flat edge such as a flathead screwdriver. Take out the laces.

2. Rinse the inside and outside of the shoes with warm water. Gently scrub the canvas inside and outside and the liners using a toothbrush and mixture of mild bleach-free detergent and water. Rinse them a second time with cool water.

3. Scrub any scuff marks that remain with a nylon pad and rinse one more time. Scrub the liners with a mixture of water and baking soda if they still have foot odor.

4. Crumple up pieces of clean white or brown paper and stuff them into the shoes. Leave the shoes to dry in the open air. Don't dry them near a heater or fire because the heat will break down the fabric and make the shoes brittle.

5. Clean the laces in a washing machine, putting them in a load of clothes that are the same color. Let them dry in open air with the shoes and thread them back in the shoes once they are all dry.

6. Cover any stains that persist on white canvas shoes with white shoe polish. Lightly dab the polish on and rub it in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Follow any other instructions recommended by the shoes' manufacturer. Consider treating your new canvas shoes with a cloth care spray prior to wearing, which can be purchase at most shoe stores.
• Canvas tennis shoes can be washed in a washing machine and dried in the dryer, but you run the risk of breaking down the adhesives holding the shoes together. Do not use bleach on canvas shoes, even if the shoes are white, as bleach can cause a yellowing effect.

References

• About: Shoes