How to Clean Your Shoes?: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you wear the perfect-polished shoes, you can master the art of putting your best foot forward. You feel comfortable and confident while wearing your favorite pair of shoes. However, when your shoes lose their charm, the leather scuffs and soles become thin. So, what should you do now?
If you think about resigning and tossing them aside, it's not a good option. At least, you should avoid doing it so fast! Research and look out for shoe repair near you. Getting a shoe cleaning service in the UK at once is all you need.
In this guide, we will explore how to clean your shoes completely. Let's understand the whole process to make your boots stand the test of time.

Complete Shoe Cleaning Guide

As per the report, the global shoe care market is projected to reach a valuation of US$ 9,210 million by 2031. Here is a complete guide you can get aware of to make your shoes long-lasting.

Determining Your Shoe Material

First of all, identify what your shoes are made from before grabbing any tool. The reason is; that different materials require different care for the best results.

Some of the most common shoe fabrics and products you’ll need to clean them:

Leather Shoes

Since leather is porous, leather shoes can stain and scuff easily. What do you need:

• Dish soap or leather cleaner
• Soft-bristle brush
• Clean, dry cloths
• Leather conditioner

Suede Shoes

Suede shoes are very sensitive because scrapping and or getting wet can damage the nap. Materials you need:

• Suede brush
• Suede eraser
• Vinegar
• Clean cloths

Canvas Shoes

The fabric of the canvas shoe is very durable but still, it is prone to stains. The things you need are:

• Liquid detergent
• Toothbrush
• Baking soda
• Vinegar or bleach pen

Mesh and Knit Shoes

Every Mesh and knit shoes like Nike Flyknits feature technical, breathable fabrics. What you need to clean them:

• Liquid detergent
• Soft-bristle brush
• Clean cloths

How To Clean Your Leather Shoes

While the option to take your leather shoes to a professional cleaning service in the UK is always viable, you can do it yourself too:

• Remove the Laces: Begin by removing your laces and clean your shoes alone. However, if your laces require a touch-up, you can place them in a regular machine washing load.
• Brush Away Dirt and Debris: for the best treatment, you must remove any surface dirt or debris. Take a soft brush, gently work away the muck, and keep an eye out for any scuffs and scrapes during the process.
• Make Your Cleaning Solution: Create a cleaning solution at home by adding a teaspoon of washing-up liquid into warm water. Warm water helps to tackle scuffs and stains.
• Apply Your Solution: Now apply the mixture to the shoes by wiping them in a circular motion. Try dabbing tricky stains if they don't wipe away or apply slightly more pressure and rub until clear.
• Wipe Away the Soap: Lastly, use another clean cloth to wipe away excess soapy water and gently dry the leather. Then leave them to air dry further for 20-60 minutes.

Cleaning Soiled Suede Shoes

Read the process if your suede shoes reveal dirty heel marks and mysterious spots after only a couple of wears.

• Eliminate Dirt and Debris: Use a suede brush or toothbrush to gently brush away any dirt or debris on the surface. Alternatively, you can use cloth instead of brush and do it in a quick side-to-side brushing motion.
• Rub Away Surface Marks: A suede rubber goes a long way to remove surface marks. Now apply a little more pressure but avoid rubbing suede too hard.
• Sprinkle Baking Soda: All you need to do is sprinkle the soda over the dirty heel and let it absorb oils and moisture. It can be a most suitable option for odor and stain removal.
• Use Water to Combat Water Stains: Don't soak your suede shoes usually. But when it comes to combating water stains and water spots, grab a spray bottle to lightly spray water on the surface of the shoe. After this, lightly brush the stain and soak up any excess water with a paper towel.

How to Clean Canvas and Fabric Shoes

These five simple steps help you to restore your dirty footwear to its former glory.

1. Make a Mixture: A lot of cleaning solutions exist in the market but you can create one. Foremost mix the warm water with a small amount of laundry detergent or washing-up liquid.

2. Tackle the Exterior: Secondly, take a rough cloth or brush and dig it into a soapy solution. Now clean the waterproof areas of the shoe including rubber soles, plastic panels, and non-fabric logos. Remove the dirt by scrubbing the back and forth

3. Rinse and Repeat: Get another cloth and some warm water, then take another clean cloth and wipe over all the cleaned areas to ‘rinse’ the soap and leftover dirt. Repeat this twice or thrice to lift dirt from especially muddy parts.

4. Let Them Air-dry: Finally, pat away the extra water using a dry towel and let your shoes air-dry at room temperature. Avoid exposing them to direct sunlight.

Washing Mesh Sneakers

Since they’re made of polyester knit blends, you can handle them with a machine washing method.

• Unlace: Remove the shoelaces first and wash them in a separate mesh bag. It will prevent tangling during the cycle.

• Spot Clean: Pre-treat any visible stains on the mesh upper before tossing in the wash. Rub the diluted detergent solution into them with an old toothbrush.

• Use a Delicate Bag: Place the sneakers in a zippered bag. This bag helps trap soling from abrading in the machine.

• Wash Gentle Cycle: You require delicate, cold water cycles to clean mesh-constructed shoes. Because warm water can warp fly-knit material and damage technical components.

Additional Tips for the Longevity of Your Shoes

Here are some additional tips to extend the lifespan of your footwear:

• Regularly clean your shoes
• Polish them with a suitable polisher
• Use the right shoe care products
• Rotate them with other pairs in your collection
• Buy shoe racks and store them in original boxes

Conclusion

Your favorite shoes deserve to be cherished and protected for as long as possible. By following this shoe-cleaning guide you can keep them looking great and feeling comfortable for many years to come. If you don't want to take any risks with DIY cleaning, Gold dry cleaners are here to help you.