The core of sneakers maintenance is cleaning. To make it easier, it is best to apply a protective waterproofing coat right after you have purchased your shoes. Not only will it prevent your shoes from getting wet in the rain, but it will also block dust and dirt particles from penetrating the material structure, making every cleaning easier. Moreover, it will protect the original colours from fading too quickly.
Shoe cleaning starts with… brushing and vacuuming. Sometimes a few minutes with a brush and vacuum cleaner is enough and it turns out we don’t need to wet wipe our sneakers, use foam or shampoo. The suction power of a vacuum cleaner will collect all dust and dirt, revealing colour and clean surface of the uppers.
If there are still spots of dirt on the vacuumed surface, then we reach for the shampoo. We can apply it directly onto the surface with a sponge or add a little bit of it to a bowl of water and scrub the shoes there with a brush. It is important to wash the whole surface thoroughly so that it can dry evenly without stain edges. Dry by absorbing excess water with a clean cotton cloth or paper towel and only then leave in the open air to dry freely.
White and light (ivory, light grey, beige, sky-blue, yellow) sneaker soles can be cleaned with a special cleaner. It washes away all possible soiling: dust, dirt, grease, grass juice and reveals the original colour. Easy to apply agent does not stain uppers and does not leave stains. If we do not have time for a thorough shampooing and drying – the effects of cleaned soles are half of the success.
Greasy stains – from oil or barbecue – need a separate treatment: Power Cleaner can handle them. A white powder spray which absorbs grease and removes all greasy stains from fabric and nubuck leather. It’s best to apply it to a fresh stain, but if you haven’t had it around – don’t worry, old stains will be gone too. Apply to a dry surface and after a few minutes, brush or use a vacuum cleaner to remove the powder along with the dirt.
And after washing and drying the shoes thoroughly, we can waterproof them again to enjoy the recovered beauty of our favourite sneakers for longer.