How to Clean Sneakers: The Complete Guide
Last updated June 2026. Written by the SNKRR BAR lab in Memphis, TN, where our team has cleaned and restored over 31,000 pairs.
Cleaning sneakers properly means cleaning them thoroughly, not just wiping the worst stain. Take the laces out, work the whole shoe section by section (upper, midsole, outsole, tongue, and laces), and do not rush. Use light, repeated passes with a sneaker-safe solution and a soft brush until every part is genuinely clean, then air dry. A thorough clean protects the materials and makes the results last far longer than a quick once-over.
How to clean sneakers thoroughly, step by step
- Dry-brush the entire shoe. Knock loose dirt off every panel, seam, and outsole groove first, so you are not grinding grit in later.
- Take the laces out. Always remove them. It is the only way to thoroughly clean the tongue, eyelets, and gusset, and the laces clean better separately.
- Mix your solution. Add a small amount of sneaker cleaner to lukewarm water. Avoid hot water, which can loosen glue.
- Work the whole upper, section by section. Clean in small circles across every panel. Do not skip the seams, the tongue, the heel, or the inner collar. Thorough means no area gets missed.
- Clean the midsole and outsole. Get into the grooves, the sidewalls, and the tread. This is where most people stop short, and it is what separates a real clean from a surface wipe.
- Wipe, inspect, and repeat. Lift dirt with a microfiber towel, then look closely in good light. Hit any spot that is not fully clean again. Do not consider it done until every panel is even.
- Air dry properly. Stuff with paper to hold the shape and dry at room temperature, away from direct heat or sunlight.
Be thorough, not fast. The difference between an okay clean and a flawless one is patience. Use light, repeated passes rather than one hard scrub, clean every part of the shoe, and always finish the job. Rushing leaves tide lines, missed seams, and dirt in the outsole that makes the pair look worn even after cleaning.
How to fix yellowed soles
Yellowed soles are caused by oxidation, the same reaction that browns a sliced apple. Regular cleaning will not reverse it. You need an oxidation-reversal treatment plus UV light: apply it to clean, dry soles, wrap them, and expose them to UV (sunlight or a UV lamp) so the reaction reverses and the rubber returns toward white.
This is exactly what our Bounce Back Sauce is built for. Prefer not to DIY? Our mail-in restoration service handles sole whitening for you.
How to clean suede and nubuck sneakers
Never soak suede in water. Use a dry-application suede cleaner and a suede brush. Brush in one direction to lift dirt, treat stains thoroughly with the dedicated solution, and let the nap dry fully before brushing it back up. Water-based all-purpose cleaners can stain and matt suede, so always use a suede-specific product like Swade Cleaner.
How often should you clean your sneakers?
For daily wearers, a light clean every one to two weeks keeps grime from setting in. Spot-clean spills immediately, do a deeper, thorough clean monthly, and treat yellowing as soon as it appears, because oxidation gets harder to reverse the longer it sets.
Common sneaker-cleaning mistakes to avoid
- Rushing and only spot-cleaning the worst stain instead of cleaning the whole shoe.
- Leaving the laces in, so the tongue and eyelets never get properly cleaned.
- Putting sneakers in the washing machine, which can break down glue and warp the shape.
- Using hot water or harsh household cleaners that discolor materials.
- Cleaning suede with water-based products.
- Drying with direct heat, which can crack and yellow materials.
When to use a professional sneaker cleaning service
Some jobs are worth handing to a pro: deep yellowing, set-in stains, grails you do not want to risk, or a backlog of pairs. SNKRR BAR offers a mail-in cleaning and restoration service from our Memphis lab, so you can ship your kicks from anywhere in the US and get them back thoroughly cleaned and box-fresh. See the service and pricing.
What products do you need?
A complete kit covers three jobs: an all-purpose cleaner for everyday materials, a suede cleaner for napped materials, and an oxidation-reversal sauce for yellowed soles. The Bounce Back Bundle packages all three Solutions, and tools like a brush duo start at $9.99.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to clean white sneakers?
Clean them thoroughly: dry-brush first, take the laces out, then clean every panel with an all-purpose sneaker solution and lukewarm water using a soft brush in small circles. Do the midsole and outsole too, wipe, and repeat until fully even. For yellowed white soles, use an oxidation-reversal treatment with UV light, not just soap.
Can you really reverse yellowed soles?
Yes. Yellowing is oxidation, and it can be reversed with a UV-activated oxidation-reversal product applied to clean, dry soles. Standard cleaning will not do it. Our Bounce Back Sauce is formulated specifically for this.
Is it safe to put sneakers in the washing machine?
It is risky. Machine washing can dissolve glue, warp the shape, and damage materials. Hand cleaning thoroughly with a sneaker-safe solution and a soft brush is safer and gives better results.
How do you clean suede sneakers without ruining them?
Keep them dry. Use a dry-application suede cleaner and a suede brush, work in one direction, and avoid water-based cleaners, which stain and matt the nap.
Where can I get my sneakers professionally cleaned?
SNKRR BAR runs a mail-in cleaning and restoration service from Memphis. Ship your sneakers from anywhere in the US and we thoroughly clean, restore, and return them.