Keeping white trainers clean always has and always will be a challenge. Be it grass stains, mud, scuffs or sticky drinks, it’s nearly impossible to keep them looking box fresh without rolling your sleeves up every now and then and giving them a good scrub. The damage always looks worse than it is and fortunately, baking soda provides a cheap and easy solution for dazzling shoes.
The Ancient Egyptians were using baking soda as a multi-purpose cleaning agent from as early as 3500BCE for a number of means, from cleaning teeth to mummifying bodies. Two very different ends of the spectrum.
Skip forward to the modern-day and you’ll find it in the cupboards of most kitchens as a baking ingredient, washing machine cleaner, weed remover - and more.
The natural chemical and physical properties of baking soda are the reason for its many safe and effective uses. It’s a mild alkali and when mixed with water, it can cause dirt and grease to dissolve or lift easier.
And while it works well for cleaning household appliances and de-weeding your paving stones, it’s also a great item to use to clean hardy stains off trainers.
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A natural instinct to clean shoes might be to throw them in the washing machine however, this can actually cause more harm than good.
They could end up damaged, frayed, or even sole-less when really, you could have saved half the time, water, and heartbreak with just a tablespoon of baking soda.
A lot of white trainers are made in a canvas material however, this method can work for leather trainers, too.
Here’s more on the easy trick to clean white trainers with baking soda.
Let the solution dry on the shoe for at least 30 minutes before you dust it off. Rinse the shoe thoroughly with clean water using a wet cloth or sponge.
If needed, repeat the process a few times until the stains have completely disappeared.
Baking soda can also be used to clean the soles of shoes - a much needed and effective hygiene boost for your footwear.
How to clean shoe soles with baking soda
If you wear shoes inside the house, it’s important to give the soles a spruce every now and then to reduce the amount of dirt you might traipse through.
It can also improve the grip, as it’ll remove the layers of dirt and debris that might cause you to slip.
To make up the dirt-busting solution, simply mix one-half water with one-half baking soda and mix it until it turns into a paste.
Like before, dip a toothbrush into the solution and paint it onto the soles, targeting the particular problem areas in a circular motion.
Once complete, wash the solution off with a wet cloth and voila, you should have much more hygienic and fresh shoe soles.
