How to Clean White Sneakers, Following Nike's Own Care Guide

The cleaning methods below come from Nike's product-care guide to cleaning white shoes, last updated in December 2024. Nike's guide sorts its methods by canvas, leather and laces. When a shoe's own listing gives care instructions, follow those first: the Skechers slip-on in our best walking shoes for men guide, for example, says machine washable, air dry.

Nike suggests cleaning regularly so dirt does not build up. The first method it lists for canvas shoes is to mix a small amount of mild laundry detergent with warm water, dip a white cloth or old toothbrush in it, scrub stains on the uppers, brush dirt off the midsole and outsole, then wipe away the soap with a damp cloth. Under the same canvas heading, Nike also mentions toothpaste and an old toothbrush for stains on the soles.

Nike advises against the washing machine for canvas shoes, saying it can cause wear and tear and even damage the shoe's construction. Under its canvas heading, beyond the detergent method, it lists a paste of two parts baking soda to one part 3% hydrogen peroxide, left for 30 minutes before rinsing; a solution of one tablespoon of bleach in one quart of water, which Nike says not to use on leather or suede, then rinsed or wiped and left to dry completely; fresh lemon juice with a little water followed by a few hours in direct sunlight, then a rinse with clean water; and layering water-soaked toilet paper over the shoe, leaving it 12 hours to dry, then peeling it away.

Nike says leather needs more care because it can lose its shape when it gets wet, so put a shoe tree in or stuff the shoes with newspaper before you start. It then suggests a leather cleaning product or one of three methods: one tablespoon of baking soda and two tablespoons of white vinegar in a cup of water, scrubbed on gently; a Magic Eraser dipped in water for the upper and sole; or micellar water, which Nike says works on leather, suede and rubber. Nike says not to use bleach on leather or suede. Two of the three pairs in our best white sneakers for men guide list leather, and one of those is suede, where Nike names only micellar water; the third is textile and man-made. Of the women's pairs in our best white sneakers for women guide, the PUMA lists leather and synthetic, the Reebok a synthetic leather upper, and the Skechers listing disagrees with itself on material.

Nike says to take the laces out and wash them by hand with mild soap or detergent, or put them in a mesh laundry bag on the washing machine's gentle cycle. Nike says to let them air-dry because heat can deform the plastic tips. For laces that still are not white, Nike describes a soak of three tablespoons of bleach in a gallon of water for five minutes, wearing gloves and keeping the laces in a weighted mesh bag, followed by a thorough wash.