Unless you’re a true sneakerhead, have a bit of a cleaning thing or actually just commit to the promise you make when you first buy them, it’s likely your shoes end up getting pretty battered over time.
Sure, you keep them clean, at first. But then various factors come into play and your once white fashionable trainers end up more of a dutty off-white, the suede is speckled with mud or the laces are barely distinguishable from the shoe.
Or maybe you do clean your creps with a quick wipe and think you’re a pro.
But either way, Nike’s surprising advice on how often you should be washing your shoes might make you rethink things.
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How often should you clean your shoes?
The trainer greats say: “To ensure peak performance of a pair of sneakers over time, it’s important to give them proper care and maintenance, including cleaning.”
And while your cleaning schedule depends on how often you wear your creps and ‘where your feet take you', the company has some pretty clear guidelines on how often to clean them.
Maybe you remember to wipe them down every month or perhaps give them a freshen up every few weeks but Nike says you should be cleaning ‘every two weeks’.
Or simply, ‘whenever they start to look dirty’.
“Regular maintenance can help reduce cleaning time,” it adds.
Now, while you’re realising you’ve never followed this two-week guideline, Nike has a simple six-step routine for keeping them clean.
But I’d say you’re going to want to put some time aside because it’s not exactly the quickest sounding process – especially if you’ve been neglecting your shoes altogether.
How to best clean your shoes
The first step is to use a dry brush to remove any loose dirt from the outsole, midsole and uppers. If you don’t have one, Nike says a spare toothbrush will work just fine.
Then, you want to mix warm water with a small amount of mild laundry detergent or dish soap to make a cleaning solution. Apply a small amount of this to the (removed) shoelaces and massage them with your hands before rinsing them and dabbing dry with a soft cloth.
The fourth step is to take a soft-bristled brush, toothbrush or washcloth and clean the outsole and midsole of the shoes with the solution.
Clean up every part of the soles before drying with a soft cloth.
Once that’s done, wash and blot the uppers with the solution, again using the soft-bristled brush, toothbrush or damp cloth.
When you’re satisfied with how they look, use a dry microfibre towel or soft cloth to blot and lift as much of the soapiness and moisture from the surface, avoiding rubbing.
Then, you need to leave them to air dry at room temperature, typically taking at least eight hours.
Yep, easy, but a whole lot of time every two weeks for your dutty shoes.
Jess Battison