I run a business that helps people bring their shoes back to life. Here’s a few tips I’ve discovered over the years that are really easy and super quick. Not only do they work wonders, they use every day household items you should already have lying around your kitchen.
The most common thing that goes wrong with dirty shoes is that the midsole gets creased with wear. This makes them look sad. You can fix this really easily using a hairdryer. First, make sure your shoe is dry. Then, hold the hairdryer at full heat and point it at the creases. The heat causes the rubber that the midsole is made from to expand and decrease. Hold it there for around 30 seconds, making sure not to burn your shoe or cause the paint to bubble. The crease should start going back to the original shape. It’s like having your own anti-aging cream. Now that the creases are out, all the dirt that was trapped in them will have come to the surface but we can easily get rid of that.
To wipe the main dirt off the shoes, get two tea towels and a bit of water. One towel is for the main bulk of the dirt and the other is for cleaning off the finer bits. Start with the main dirt. Wet the towel and start to wipe all the dust away. Try and use a new part of the towel each time, so you are not adding back the dust you already took off.
Once most of the main dirt is gone, focus on the small spot stains that are left. Grab some everyday kitchen cleaner like Cif and add a small drop to your second towel. Using the towel, rub it into the stain in a circular motion. The small abrasion particles in the Cif will help to build friction, which breaks down the stain. Just keep an eye that you're not rubbing too hard on the shoe, as it can get damaged. Now that the shoe is clean, let's focus on the laces.
Your best bet for these is to throw them in with your next load of washing. Simply pop them into a pocket of your trousers so they don’t get lost in the washing machine. They usually come out of the wash looking great. However, if they still have a few marks on them, use the same technique you used for the small stains on your shoes. Clean towel and some Cif, just rinsing the excess off afterwards.
Now that your shoes are looking fairly tidy, it's time to let them dry. This will take longer depending on how wet the shoes got during cleaning. Allow them to dry in a warm, well-ventilated area. Be warned - this is where most people destroy their shoes. They become impatient and throw them on top of the radiator. This overheats the shoe and warps the shape. If you’re patient, you should be rewarded with beautiful new pair of old shoes. Or should that be an old pair of new shoes?
