TikTok's Hack For Cleaning Stained White Sneakers Is Already In Your Bathroom

Over time, white sneakers lose their color when you wear them for multiple days in a row, step in mud, or accidentally spill food and liquids on them. Stains on anything white, like shoes, linens, and clothes, are challenging to eliminate. Shoes can be slightly easier to clean, depending on the material. If you have synthetic cloth material on the outer part of your shoes, it'll be harder to remove stains than a shoe with rubber, leather, or foam material because no fibers can hold onto the stain. However, you can try removing any kind of stain from your shoes with toothpaste. Any whitening toothpaste will help brighten and whiten your stained white shoes. It's proven to clean even the toughest stains around the house, especially when you're cleaning the refrigerator. The best part about this hack is that you don't have to buy it; you already have it in your bathroom.

In addition, you can stop purchasing shoe cleaning products that cost too much money and don't always give you the results you're looking for. Whitening toothpaste works to remove stains because it contains peroxide, which is a bleaching agent that works to fight against stains. You can use Colgate, Arm & Hammer, Crest, or any other whitening toothpaste brand to clean your shoes. It should contain peroxide for the hack to work. You'll also need an old toothbrush and a damp cloth. Grab your materials; it's time to start scrubbing.

Before applying toothpaste all over your shoes, apply a tiny dollop to a small area and let it sit for 20 minutes to ensure it doesn't stain the shoe and worsen the problem. You want to avoid damaging your shoes by spot-testing. Wipe the toothpaste with a damp cloth; if there isn't a stain, you're in the clear. Then, apply another small dollop to your toothpaste and gently scrub your shoes. If the stains are tough and caked to the shoes, you can scrub harder to get to the surface. For stubborn stains, scrub the area multiple times with a back-and-forth motion to break down the stain.

After you've scrubbed until your hand hurts, let the toothpaste sit for 10 to 15 minutes. It'll seep into the fabric, and the peroxide will whiten the shoe. Once the timer goes off, wipe off the paste with a damp cloth to reveal brighter and whiter shoes. Of course, if you still notice a few stains, you can go back and scrub some more until you're satisfied with the results.

While your shoes are marinating in toothpaste, you can apply more to your shoelaces to clean them. The toothpaste will work to remove dark marks and gunk from your laces. Add water to a bowl and toothpaste to your toothbrush, and scrub the laces. Let them soak for a few minutes, then toss them in the dryer. Finally, put them back in your shoes.

Toothpaste can be a quick home remedy to bring back the brightness in your white shoes, but once you clean them, you'll want to keep them that way for as long as possible. There are a few ways to do so. An obvious example is wearing white shoes during the right weather conditions. Wearing them when it's raining or snowing can get them wet, which allows things to stick to them faster, especially if you're walking around muddy or grassy areas. Opt for dark-colored shoes or boots instead.

Another great way to protect your white shoes is by applying a repel spray immediately after deep cleaning them. The repel spray adds a thin layer of solution that prevents dirt, liquids, and food from staining the shoes. You can apply it to any shoe material, such as leather, suede, nylon, canvas, and other materials. Vans has a water and stain shield for $10 that can be applied to the materials we mentioned. It's one of the more affordable repel sprays for shoes. However, a well-known shoe care brand by Jason Markk sells a repel spray that customers claim is easy to use and works to protect their shoes. Amazon sells the repel spray for $17.99, which has a 4.4-star rating; it's safe to use on all shoe materials, and the bottle is eco-friendly, so you can refill it instead of buying a brand-new bottle.