This is how to clean your leather sneakers to perfection

By Simon

You’ve owned your leather sneakers for a while and over time they’ve accumulated some dirt. Of course you would like to clean them so that they will look like they did when you first bought them. Luckily there’s two different methods you can try in order to make this happen. To prevent making any mistakes, always try the remedies on an inconspicuous spot first. You can avoid creating any large spots with noticeable colour differences from appearing this way. We advise you to only buy mild cleaning agents and to use them carefully. This will ensure that the risk of damaging your leather sneakers is minimal, while ensuring beautifully clean trainers that will make you look great again.

Cleaning your leather sneakers in 2 different ways

There are various different ways that you can go about cleaning your leather sneakers. In this article we will be sharing two relatively simple ways to do so. These are very low-risk methods that don't require any special means or material. Instead, chances are you have exactly what you need waiting for you at home. The first method includes using a brush and a bit of Cif cleaning agent - and the other requires applying some baking soda and water. We’ll explain both methods in two simple step-by-step guides that anyone can follow.

Method 1: Applying Cif cleaning agent with a brush

The first method we will be discussing is the use of a brush combined with Cif cleaning agent. Almost every household is familiar with the cleaning products of the amazing brand Cif. They have a wide range of cleaning products to choose from, but you’ll be looking for the classic yellow-and-green bottle in specific.

Step 1: start treating the stain A.S.A.P.

It is important not to wait too long before trying to remove a stain from your shoes. Once it has dried up completely, it is often a lot harder to remove the stains. In order to prevent dealing with this hardship, you will have to get to cleaning it as soon as you can. So have you noticed a dirty spot on your shoes after arriving at home? When possible, clean it right away so it doesn’t become harder to do so later on.

Step 2: use a brush first

Use a dry and soft brush to wipe off the excess dirt. This way, you also make sure you remove dust and sand. This should not be mixed with the cleaning product later on. Else you might end up creating a bigger stain. Combining dust or sand with water will cause a smear that will take you longer to clean up entirely.

Step 3: apply a few drops of Cif to a damp cloth

Once the dirt has been loosened up and the excess of it removed, you can start with the next step. First you should apply a few drops of the Cif cleaning agent to a damp cloth. This can then be gently rubbed onto your shoes to remove any stains. In particular when it comes to white sneakers you will be able to see a noticeable difference immediately. Are your sneakers a different colour, like black, brown or red? Always make sure to test this method on an inconspicuous spot first to make sure it will not cause any unwanted discolouration.

Step 4: dry your shoes properly

Finally, it’s time to put your shoes down to dry in a clean spot, away from the sun and other sources of heat. Once cleaned, you can polish them if you’d like. This will ensure for the best-looking result, because it will bring back at least some of their original shine. After cleaning your leather sneakers you’ll remember exactly why you first fell in love with them.

Method 2: Mixing baking soda and water

Most households by far have some baking soda hiding in one of their kitchen cupboards. As you have probably heard of before, baking soda can be used for a variety of cleaning tasks around the house. However, it can also provide you with a great and easy way to safely clean your leather shoes! That means you will not be needing a cleaning product in order to do so. Oftentimes you can achieve the same astonishing results using this second method.

Step 1: create the mixture

Before you can start cleaning your shoes using this method, you need to prepare the requirements. Mix a bit of baking soda together with water in a bowl. Make sure it creates a thick paste that can be applied easily onto the shoes.

Step 2: start scrubbing

Do you suspect the stain to be stubborn? In that case, first leave the paste on the stain for a couple of minutes in order to loosen the dirt. Next, you can gently wipe and, if necessary, scrub the dirt off the leather using a sponge. Once the stain has appeared to have been removed, you can wipe off the mixture of baking soda and water with a damp cloth.

Repeat the above steps for method 2 until the stains are removed. You may have to do this a few times, depending on how stubborn the stains are that you want to remove. When you’re satisfied, make sure to dry the leather trainers thoroughly to remove the very last of the baking soda and water mixture. Afterwards you can then give the shoes an extra polish to make them appear as good as new. It will also help protect and maintain the material from outside influences, making it a wise decision not to skip this step.

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