How to Clean White Shoes: Canvas, Leather and Mesh

To clean white shoes, take out the laces and insoles, brush off dry dirt, then scrub with a little mild detergent or dish soap in warm water (Vans). To whiten canvas and rubber soles, brush on a paste of 2 parts baking soda to 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide and rinse after 30 minutes (Nike).

Leather gets a barely damp cloth, never a soak (Clarks). Whatever the material, let shoes air-dry at room temperature, away from heaters and the dryer (Vans).

Key takeaways

Clean by material: canvas and mesh take a soapy scrub and a paste, leather a barely damp cloth, and suede its own method.
To whiten canvas, mix 2 parts baking soda with 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide, leave it 30 minutes, then rinse.
Skip chlorine bleach on most shoes: it can yellow some fibers for good, while oxygen bleach is gentler on washable fabric.
Never mix hydrogen peroxide and vinegar in one container, because together they form corrosive peracetic acid.
Air-dry at room temperature with paper stuffed inside; dryer heat can loosen glue and warp the shoe.

How can I clean white shoes at home?

Hand-cleaning is the safest method for most white shoes, and the steps are the same whatever they're made of (Vans):

Prep. Remove the laces and insoles, then tap the shoes together to shake off loose dirt.
Dry brush. Brush off caked-on dirt before you add any water.
Scrub. Dip a soft brush or toothbrush in warm, soapy water and scrub the uppers in small circles.
Do the soles separately with a stiffer brush or a melamine sponge.
Wipe off the soap with a damp cloth.
Air-dry at room temperature, stuffed with paper so the shoes keep their shape.

What changes by material is how much water the shoe can take and which whitener is safe. The makers' own guides line up like this (Clarks; Nike; Vans):

Material	Clean with	Avoid
Canvas	Mild detergent, baking soda paste, baking soda and vinegar mix	Long soaks, the dryer, chlorine bleach
Leather	A barely damp cloth with diluted vinegar, or a leather cleaner	Soaking, the washer, bleach
Mesh and knit	Equal parts baking soda and warm water, gentle circles	Hard scrubbing, melamine sponges, long soaks
Rubber soles	Dish soap, baking soda paste, a melamine sponge	Sandpaper

Wash the laces separately: soak them in warm water with a few drops of mild detergent, scrub with a toothbrush and rinse (Clarks). You can also machine wash them in a mesh bag on a gentle cycle, then air-dry them, since heat can deform the plastic tips (Nike).

White suede is a different job: see how to clean suede shoes instead.

How do you clean white canvas shoes?

Start with a mild laundry detergent mixed into warm water, scrubbed on with a white cloth or old toothbrush and wiped off with a damp cloth (Nike). For stains that stay, use a paste (Arm & Hammer):

In a non-metal bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 1/2 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 tablespoon of warm water. Without peroxide, use 1 tablespoon of water.
Scrub the paste into the stains in small circles.
Let it dry on the shoe for at least 30 minutes.
Knock off the dried paste and rinse with a wet cloth or sponge. Repeat for coffee, blood or paint, which can take several rounds.

A vinegar version also works: 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of baking soda, scrubbed in and left 30 minutes before rinsing (Vans).

Should you use bleach on white canvas shoes?

The makers disagree. Nike suggests 1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach per quart of water for canvas only, never leather or suede, while Vans says to avoid chlorine bleach because it can weaken the fabric or turn it yellow over time.

Take the safer route. Being white doesn't make an item bleach-safe: spandex, finishes and trims can all react badly to chlorine bleach (American Cleaning Institute). Yellowing from chlorine bleach on spandex can't be removed (American Cleaning Institute). Oxygen bleach is gentler and safe on all washable fabrics, and works best in warm to hot water (American Cleaning Institute). Our chlorine vs. oxygen bleach guide covers the difference.

For machine-washable white shoes, OxiClean recommends 1 scoop of its oxygen powder per gallon of the warmest water the care label allows, a 6-hour soak, then a normal wash. It warns against using it on wool, silk or leather.

Can white canvas shoes go in the washing machine?

Check the label first. Vans and Nike advise against machine washing because it can loosen the glue and damage the shoe's construction; Clarks says most fabric sneakers handle a gentle, cool cycle in a mesh bag, laces and insoles out. Our guide to washing shoes in the washing machine covers which pairs can go in. If yours can and you have no washer at home, find a laundromat near you and skip the dryer.

How do you clean white leather shoes?

Wipe leather; don't wash it. Leather reacts badly to lots of water, so Clarks gives this method:

Buff off caked-on dirt with a shoe brush.
Mix 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar into 1 cup of water.
Dampen a cloth, wring it well and wipe the stained areas. The cloth should never drip.
Air-dry away from direct sun and heaters, then buff.

Nike suggests 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar in a cup of water instead, with a shoe tree or newspaper inside so the leather keeps its shape. Keep bleach off leather entirely (Nike), and the same goes for oxygen stain removers, whose maker excludes leather (OxiClean).

Baking soda also deodorizes, but use it inside leather shoes only about once a month, because it absorbs the leather's oils (Arm & Hammer). If a mark won't lift from leather you can't risk ruining, ask a shop that offers professional stain removal whether it takes shoes.

How do you clean white mesh shoes?

Mesh running shoes need a gentle scrub, not a soak (Clarks):

Brush off loose dirt with a dry toothbrush.
Mix equal parts baking soda and warm water.
Brush it on and scrub the mesh in gentle circles. You can press harder on the soles.
Wipe the paste off with a clean, damp cloth and let the shoes air-dry.

Keep the scrubbing light and the shoe from sitting in water: long soaks can loosen glue and warp the shape (Vans). Melamine sponges belong on rubber soles and foxing only, not on fabric uppers (Vans). For a stain that stays on washable mesh, an oxygen stain remover can be blotted on with a white towel and blotted off with a damp one (OxiClean).

How do you clean white soles and midsoles?

Rubber soles take firmer cleaning than the uppers. Any of these methods works (Clarks):

Baking soda paste: mix baking soda with a little white vinegar, brush it on, wait 10 to 15 minutes, then wipe or rinse.
Melamine sponge: wet it, scrub the sole, then wipe with a damp cloth.
Dish soap: a squirt in warm water, scrubbed on with a brush and rinsed off.

For scuffs on the white rubber edge or toe cap, Arm & Hammer suggests a non-gel whitening toothpaste worked in with a toothbrush, left 10 to 15 minutes and wiped off.

How do you clean white rubber shoes that turned yellow?

Scrub the yellowed rubber with a baking soda and white vinegar paste, leave it at least 15 minutes, rinse, and repeat until the yellow fades (Clarks). For stubborn yellowing, Clarks uses a baking soda and hydrogen peroxide paste for 30 minutes. The next section covers why soles and uppers yellow.

Why do white shoes turn yellow, and how do you get them white again?

Shoes that yellow right after cleaning usually have detergent left in them, so rewash with a gentle cleaner and rinse thoroughly (Clarks). The other common causes:

Chlorine bleach. It can turn canvas yellow over time (Vans), and on spandex the yellowing is permanent (American Cleaning Institute).
Sunlight. In a 2009 lab study, polyurethane, a common synthetic, yellowed steadily under UV light as it oxidized (Polymer Degradation and Stability).
Drying in the sun or by a heater. Clarks says to dry white shoes in a cool, shaded spot to prevent fading or yellowing.

Sources differ on sunlight. Arm & Hammer suggests leaving baking soda paste to dry in bright sun for 3 to 4 hours, while Vans and Clarks say to keep shoes out of direct sun. Dry them in the shade.

To get dingy shoes white again, work from gentlest to strongest: a soapy scrub, then the baking soda paste, then the peroxide paste or an oxygen bleach soak for washable fabric. Set your expectations: oxygen bleach is better at keeping things white than restoring them (American Cleaning Institute). For whites in general, see how to wash white clothes and keep them white.

Does hydrogen peroxide help whiten shoes?

Yes, on canvas and soles. Nike says 3% hydrogen peroxide removes stains and brightens whites; mix 2 parts baking soda with 1 part peroxide, brush it on the uppers and soles, and rinse after 30 minutes. Use only the 3% household strength: small exposures usually cause mild irritation, but stronger solutions can burn (Poison Control).

Peroxide also goes flat. A sealed opaque bottle lasts about 3 years, but an open one lasts 1 to 6 months. If a few drops poured in the sink don't fizz, it's spent (Poison Control).

What should you never clean with hydrogen peroxide?

Never mix it with vinegar: the combination makes peracetic acid, which can be highly corrosive (University of Rochester Medical Center). On shoes, keep peroxide pastes to canvas and rubber soles, as Nike's method does, and keep oxygen stain removers off leather, wool and silk (OxiClean). If you switch to chlorine bleach, never let it meet vinegar or ammonia, which release toxic chlorine gas or chloramine (University of Rochester Medical Center).

What's better for cleaning, hydrogen peroxide or vinegar?

For whitening, peroxide is the one with bleaching action (Nike). Vinegar's role in the makers' recipes is milder: in a baking soda paste for canvas, or a weak wipe for leather (Clarks). Use one or the other on a shoe, and never in the same container (University of Rochester Medical Center).

Why do doctors say not to use hydrogen peroxide?

On wounds, that is. It was once used to disinfect cuts, but it's no longer recommended because it can damage the cells that heal the skin (Poison Control). If it splashes in your eyes, rinse with running water for 15 to 20 minutes (Poison Control).

Does vinegar or Dawn dish soap clean white shoes?

Does vinegar clean white shoes?

Yes, as part of a mix. Makers use 2 tablespoons of white vinegar with 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a cup of water for canvas (Vans), and 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar in a cup of water to wipe leather (Clarks).

Does Dawn dish soap help whiten shoes?

A grease-cutting dish soap like Dawn cleans white shoes but doesn't bleach them. A few drops in warm water make the quick clean for white canvas (Vans), and the same mix works on rubber soles (Clarks). For whitening, follow it with a baking soda or peroxide paste.

What happens when you mix Dawn dish soap and hydrogen peroxide?

Dish soap and peroxide aren't on the University of Rochester's list of cleaners never to mix; the peroxide pairing it flags is vinegar (University of Rochester Medical Center). Mix only what you'll use in one session, and keep the peroxide in its original opaque bottle (Poison Control).

Frequently asked questions

How do you clean white shoelaces?

Soak them in warm water with a few drops of mild detergent, scrub with a toothbrush and rinse. You can also wash them in a mesh laundry bag on a gentle cycle. Always air-dry them, because heat can deform the plastic tips.

Can you use a melamine sponge on white shoes?

Yes, on rubber soles and foxing. Keep it off fabric uppers.

Can you put white shoes in the dryer?

No. Dryer and heater heat can damage materials and adhesives and warp the shoe. Stuff them with paper or towels and air-dry at room temperature.

Does baking soda damage white leather shoes?

Not as a light cleaner, but don't overuse it as a deodorizer inside leather shoes. Limit that to about once a month, because baking soda absorbs the leather's oils.

How we researched this

We read the care instructions that shoe makers publish for their own white shoes (Nike, Vans and Clarks), the baking soda and oxygen bleach makers' instructions for their products, the American Cleaning Institute on bleach safety, Poison Control and a University of Rochester chemical safety sheet. A peer-reviewed study supported the sunlight point. Where makers disagreed, on chlorine bleach and on drying in the sun, we gave the safer option. We did not test these methods ourselves. Researched October 2026.

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