Removing Stains from Tennis Shoes

Due to the very nature of their use, the tennis shoes are destined to gather tones of dirt and demand regular cleanings. It is not possible to wash them daily either by hand or in a washing machine, and it is not good for the durability of the shoes either. However, it is important to keep shoes clean. Most tennis shoes today are made of easy-to-clean synthetic material. There are many techniques available that turn stain removal for modern tennis shoes into an effortless affair.

Take immediate action to clean up your tennis shoes. Remember that the tennis shoes of different companies are made differently and therefore require different handling for stain removal.

• General. A real outdoor beating leaves your tennis shoes stained with sleet, ice, mud, dust, grass stains and what not. The latest tennis shoes are made of synthetic material, so getting them wet will not harm them in any way. Start your stain removal process by giving them a heavy-duty wash with water. Use only warm water, as hot water tends to affect your shoes' longevity. Scrub them hard with soap and water, then rinse them off and let them dry in the sun. You can find a variety of cleaning agents on the market just perfect for cleaning your tennis shoes, but elbow grease by far remains the traditional favorite all over the world.
• Dirt. With too much exposure to the outdoors, your tennis shoes become soiled. To get rid of dirt or mud, first place your shoes under the tap and rinse them off with warm running water. The pressure you get from the tap should be enough to loosen up fresh dirt. Next, scrub any stains that did not disappear from rinsing with a stiff brush and shoe cleaner or simple soap and water. KIWI Sport Shoe Stuff Scrub-Off Heavy Duty Cleaner is a renowned product used for this purpose. Keep a piece of cloth handy to blot up extra soap. After you scrub, rinse off the soap from the body of the shoe immediately.
• Bleach. It is very common for chlorine bleach to cause a yellow tinge on your sneakers. In order to deal with this problem, first make a solution of one part cream of tartar to two parts very hot water. Soak the shoes in the solution for one half to one and a half hours. After that, rinse the shoes under running water.
• Chewing gum. It is quite irritating to find chewing gum stuck to the sole of your tennis shoe. To get gum out, first press a plastic bag full of ice on the spot to harden the gum. When it is hard enough to crumble off, scrape it out using a blunt spatula or butter knife.
• Coffee. To remove stains created by the acids in tea or coffee, rub glycerin into the stained area with a soft cloth.
• Blood. Ammonia and meat tenderizer are particularly effective to remove bloodstains from shoes. You can also remove bloodstains by soaking the shoes overnight in a solution of equal parts milk and water.
• Grease. To remove grease marks from a shoe, first sprinkle the marks heavily with starch. Next, rub the area with a clean cloth soaked in glycerin.
• Oil. A very easy way to remove an oil stain from your white tennis shoes is to apply a strong shampoo to the stain and scrub it away with a firm-bristled brush.