How to Clean Canvas Shoes

Easy to Love
You love the comfort and easy-breezy style of canvas shoes and they’re great for the kids, too. But how do you keep them looking clean? Especially when the kids play hard and get them so dirty you forget what color they actually are. The good news is that canvas shoes are easy to clean if you know how. Just another reason to love them.

Hand Wash or Machine: Consider the Style
If your shoes have adornments like sequins or beading, or mixed materials along with the canvas – leather trim, for instance – always hand wash. Espadrilles, shoes with rope soles, and dress shoes should also be hand-washed and less frequently. Try spot cleaning rather than a full immersion cleaning to avoid unnecessary wear.

Yes, Toss Those in the Laundry
It’s possible to clean some canvas shoes in the washer. This works best for sneakers and everyday shoes. Use a laundry mesh bag if you have one, but it’s not required. Do consider what other items you are washing with them. It can work well to combine shoes with throw rugs, jeans, or towels to keep them from banging around. On the other hand, you probably don’t want them in with more delicate items since things can get a little rough and tumble during the wash action. Consider the other colors in your load. And be careful if you wash them with cleaning towels that the towels don’t have cleaning chemicals on them that could discolor the sneaks.

Use cool to warm water and a mild detergent. ALWAYS air dry, and we recommend that you place them out of direct sunlight.

Good Old Soap & Water
For hand-washing, use a laundry sink or large bowl with cool to warm water and a small amount of mild detergent. Wet the shoe, then take a small brush and work your way around the entire shoe with a circular motion. Concentrate on the dirtiest areas. When rinsing, the idea is to not leave soap residue which can attract more dirt. Go easy on the detergent and rinse it off by dunking the shoes in clean water or cleaning lightly with a wet sponge. Air dry in an area out of direct sunlight.

A Few More Handy Tips

• Rinse or brush off first. If the shoes are especially dirty or caked with mud, brush them off outside or over the trash to get the major dirt off before washing. Even a garden hose can help, especially with the bottoms of those sneakers your kids took through the mud puddle instead of around it. Don’t put muddy shoes directly into the washer.
• For lace-up shoes, it’s a good idea to remove the laces first. You can wash them separately to make sure they get clean. If the laces are especially dirty, this is a good time for fresh ones.
• For stubborn stains, try pre-treating and letting it sit for a few minutes to an hour. Apply a color-safe stain remover or just take a little detergent and brush the stained area.
• For white canvas shoes, you can add a small amount of chlorine bleach to brighten them back up.
• Use a magic erasure or similar product for areas like the toe box, soles, and eyelets to remove extra stains and scuff marks.
• It’s a smart idea to check over your canvas dress shoes and sandals when you are putting them away for the season. Spot clean any dirt or stains and they’ll be fresh and ready for you next season!

With proper care, you can enjoy your favorite canvas shoes much longer and keep them looking like new.