Your Guide to White Sneakers

A good pair of white sneakers will always be a classic. I wear mine year round but I really love them as a staple for Spring and Summer.

Simple white sneakers can be super versatile. The right pair can go with both jeans and sundresses or skirts. They can even go with dressier pieces like a blazer or tweed jacket. But keeping white sneakers clean can be a little intimidating.

A couple of years ago I shared my guide to cleaning white sneakers so today I’m sharing an updated guide with a few new tricks I’ve discovered along with a round up of some of my favorite pairs.

Spot Treat: I always carry around shout wipes and of course baby wipes too which are both great for quickly fixing a small stain. Magic-erasers also work great for treating scuffs on white soles. Another great option for soles that have started to discolor or look dirty is the Laundress Wash & Stain bar. Get the bar wet and then scrub carefully along the sole. Then wipe clean with a damp paper towel. The wash and stain hard also works well for spot treatment on canvas sneakers. But always test a product first in an inconspicuous spot before treating the entire shoe.
Protect: When I get a new pair of shoes I make sure that I spray them with a leather or fabric protector before wearing them. This helps reduce the risk of irreversible stains. For fabrics like canvas I use ScotchGard and for leather shoes I use this Kiwi All-protector. (And I actually treat ALL of my shoes before wearing to help them last longer, and give them another protective coat about every year).
Clean: For canvas shoes I soak them in cold water mixed with the Laundress Bleach Alternative overnight. Then I wash them in cold water in a delicates bag by themselves (or with another white pair) and air dry. This method works so well, they come out looking good as new! I also like using the Wash & Stain Bar from Laundress to get out any tougher stains on canvas shoes. Leather shoes can be a bit trickier to clean (you obviously don’t want to throw them in the wash) so spot treating and wiping down after each wear is key. And you can also use this leather-safe cleaner to whiten them.
Laces: Don’t forget to clean your laces too! For canvas sneakers they can be washed with the shoes (take them out first). And for leather sneakers just take the laces out and throw them in your next whites/light colors cycle. I prefer to air dry my laces as well just so they don’t shrink or shorten.

Now that you know how to keep those white sneaks looking brand new I hope you won’t shy away from wearing them! I have a few different pairs that I really love so here are some of my personal favorites along with a few others I think are fun!