Pair of shoes in row against wall. Photo: Leonard Mc Lane (Getty).
If you’re a sneakerhead like me, then you know keeping your shoes clean is at the top of the list of important things, like brushing your teeth, paying bills and breathing oxygen. If you’re not taking care of your footwear with attention on par with neurosurgeons, you’re not a true sneakerhead and you should give your Jordans away immediately.
But the process of keeping your sole clean (see what I did there?) can be a long and arduous one. I’ve literally spent hours using various methods to clean my shoes, and people think I’m crazy, but I just don’t care because my Nike Air More Uptempos are the cleanest on the block. I’m not going to lie, though — shit gets tiring, especially with when you have white sneakers that seem to get dirty just by stepping outside.
The folks at Daily Mail have learned of this struggle and, luckily for us, have the solution.
Shoe-Cleaning Hacks That Will Give Joy To Sneakerheads
I’ve used everything from store-bought foam to Windex when cleaning my sneakers. The rundown below is not only effective, but I highly recommend it as someone who has spent all of his adult life collecting and cleaning shoes.
h/t BroBible
Of course, there’s always this extremely simple method: Woman’s Hack For Getting Sneakers Super Clean And White Again Is Going Viral
Hacks Of Life: Shoe-Cleaning Hacks
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Use white nail polish to cover scratches.
Have a girlfriend? Wife? Both? Chances are, she has white nail polish somewhere in the crib. Find it and start covering scuffs on your white shoes with it. Hell, you guys can even make it a couples thing -- while she's doing her nails, you're covering up that ugly scratch on your Air Jordan 6s. Clean shoes and time with the lady that she'll appreciate. You're welcome.
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Use vinegar to get rid of stains.
You may or may not like cooking. If you do, you have some vinegar hanging out somewhere in the kitchen. If you don't, make your way to Costco and stock up, because it'll pull double duty between cooking food and cleaning shoes. Lightly dab vinegar with a clean cloth on your sneakers when trying to remove stains from various material. Keep in mind, though, your sneakers might smell something fierce if you use too much. But it can't be worse than the natural stank of your feet, right?
Old stinky sneaker. Photo: Bastun (Getty).
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Use a toothbrush.
Your sneakers have crevices that your stubby fingers can't reach. The best thing to do in this situation is head to the bathroom and grab a toothbrush. It's a useful tool for getting a deep clean on the hard-to-reach places. If you're trying to be super efficient about it, get a motorized toothbrush. Those things save you from having to use up all your elbow grease.
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Use gentle shampoo on oil stains.
Let's just put our sneaker-cleaning breakdown on hold for a moment and ask this important question: Why the f--k are there oil stains on your shoes?" If you're doing anything that sees you having to be around oil for an extended period of time, buy some boots. For real, get yourself of a pair of Timberlands and leave your retro Kobes at home! However, if you've found your precious sneakers stained with oil, rub in some shampoo to make the stain go away. Head and Shoulders? More like Head, Shoulders and Sneakers, right? LOL
Wash shoes. Photo: bee32 (Getty).
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Avoid sun exposure.
This is something most of us don't think about. Overexposing your sneakers to sun and heat causes them to turn a nasty tint of yellow, making them ugly and moving them to "outdoor basketball pair" status. It happened with my Team Jumpman 1s -- which damn near broke my heart -- and there's only so much nail polish to fix this problem. It's best to keep the box your shoes came in, and put them back in when they're not being worn. Keep them in the closet and the white shine will last a hell of a lot longer than it would if you just wore them every day and threw them by the window.
