Tennis Shoes, Trainers and Sneakers are all types of athletic shoe, ranging from sport-specific shoes designed for serious strenuous exercise, to their more decorative cousins, designed for looking good and light exercise.
The shoe uppers can be made of a variety of materials, but are mainly composed of combinations of synthetics such as nylon, with canvas or textile, leather and suede.
Fantastic Looking, Great Reviews But A Challenge To Clean
Tennis Shoes Aren't Designed For Washing Machines
Generally speaking, the greater the amount of synthetic material in the shoe, the easier it will be to clean, as synthetics are much more water tolerant than other shoe components.
Many swear they can get away with putting their tennis shoes in the washing machine (minus laces and insoles) at a warm, gentle setting, surrounded by like-colored towels to cushion any knocks.
I wouldn't recommend this approach, even if some have been successful in achieving 'squeaky-clean' undamaged sneakers as a result, unless the manufacturer specifically encourages it. I'd bet that most would be horrified to see their products cleaned in this way, and it would certainly void any warranty.
Most of today's sneakers are a complex amalgam of materials including leather, which tends to wrinkle and shrink if immersed in water. So if you're unsure as to the makeup of your shoes, and want to err on the side of caution, it's better to approach the sneaker cleaning task in a more delicate and controlled fashion.
It's a rare commodity in today's society, but a degree of patience is a major 'plus' when it comes to shoe cleaning. It's very tempting to save time and energy by using a washing machine, but if you can set aside half an hour or less, you'll be rewarded with a great looking tennis sneaker again.
When your shoe is heavily caked in mud or other dirt, allow to dry at room temperature and gently knock the shoe to remove the larger chunks of dry soiling. Remove the laces and any shoe inserts to allow access to the more stubborn marks. As a general rule, try to use the least powerful shoe cleaning product or the least quantity of liquid that will get the job done.
An old toothbrush is a very useful tool in shoe cleaning as it's bristles are relatively soft and shouldn't scratch the shoe, yet are firm enough and intricate enough to root out dirt hiding in the stitching and other depressed areas. Warm water applied with a damp wet cloth will be sufficient for removing dirt loosened by the toothbrush.
We all know that some stains such as grass, sweat, blood, scuff marks etc, are harder to erase and will be easily visible on the white surfaces common in today's tennis sneakers and trainers. Diluted mild dish detergent, again applied with the warm, damp, white cloth, used lightly in a circular motion, should see off many of the tougher stains. Make sure to clean away any detergent residue with a cloth dampened with clean water.
If you're tempted to use bleach to whiten graying sneakers, even well diluted, its action may actually yellow the fabric (especially canvas), as it's too harsh a product for most shoes.
Shoe Care 'Wonder' Restorative Products From Trusted Brands
For those who'd rather spend a little money on a manufacturer recommended or shoe specific product, there are plenty out there, such as Penguin Sports White Shoe Polish. For a few dollars you'll get white shoe cleaning fluid, and white shoe polish with an applicator to buff-up the shoe as new.
Some athletic uppers are almost entirely leather, and would benefit greatly from products designed to clean, restore and protect leather. Legendary shoe makersDr Marten, supply a 'Wonder Shoe Balsam' for leather of all colors, which is almost magical in it's restorative capabilities.
Scuff marks disappear and the leather's appearance is enhanced and protected from liquid spills and further wear and tear. If used regulary from new, this 'wonder' product will significantly extend the life of your shoes, and it's protective nature will make any future cleaning a simpler process - after all prevention is better than cure!
If confronted by a really stubborn stain, a melamine eraser might be the solution if the surface to be cleaned isn't polished or coated, such as Mr Clean Magic Eraser. When dampened it works just like a pencil eraser, lightly abrading the upper layer until the stain is removed.
Naturally care must be taken when rubbing colored fabric, to ensure a lighter patch doesn't result where the stain once was.
If you've dampened your shoes during cleaning, or just soaked them with perspiration during exercise, the drying process for tennis shoes is almost as critical as the cleaning process: Inappropriate use of heat will likely damage them.
An artificial heat source can cause warping of uppers, and cause leather to separate from it's bonding glue. However, leaving a moisture-ridden shoe lying around will lead to other problems such as bacteria growth, decay and mould.
Natural ventilation is the best solution - room temperature with a light breeze, (maybe from a fan), or outside where climate permits, (not too hot or too cold). It's a good idea to stuff the shoes with paper towels during the drying process, (after removing sock liners, insoles, etc), to ensure their shape is maintained, and to absorb some of the moisture. Newspapers are an alternative, but they carry the risk of printer's ink transfer to the shoes.
A shoe tree is a better alternative, as it can be adjusted to the shoe's exact dimensions. Wooden Shoe Trees, especially cedar, can absorb moisture as well during the drying, and impart a lovely cedar aroma to the shoes. 'Woodlore' produce just such a product, with many happy customers testifying to it's effectiveness.
Don't Let Foot Odor Cause Your Shoe's Early Demise
Some athletic shoes can 'die a premature death' due to the build up of odor caused by bacteria growth in damp shoes after exercise. A single foot can produce a pint of perspiration in a day. If you're interested in a high-tec solution to moisture and bacteria growth, the Peet Dryer can solve both problems overnight. It's UV light radiation gently dries shoes and zaps bacteria at the same time.
There are also anti-bacterial sprays readily available from online shoe suppliers. One ingenious solution is to place your shoes in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer overnight. Then allow your shoes to warm and dry naturally in the morning, as mentioned above. The cooling process kills off the bacteria that causes the foot odor.
The laces and inserts you removed before all the processes detailed above can be hand or machine washed (in a mesh bag), and then dried separately before re-attaching to the shoes. For only a few dollars, replacement laces can enhance the look of your shoes if the old soiled ones don't respond enough to treatment.
If finances permit, it's a good idea to have more than one pair of tennis shoes for your activity. This allows you to alternate their use and gives one pair some 'recovery' time.
If your stored shoes are kept in a cool, dry, well ventilated place, and you use a Shoe Tree to apply gentle internal pressure to smooth out any creases, your shoes will look great and last much longer.
One Women's Tennis Apparel Visitor Wrote:
Cheri, "Thank you very much for all your assistance. I purchased the dress........and my wife was thrilled. Will continue to shop at your site. A very happy customer as a result of your great attention and service", Mark Siegel
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