How to Clean and Care for Your Sneakers (Mesh, Canvas, Suede & Leather)

How To Maintenance Sneaker Care

A pair of sneakers that's looked after will outlast a neglected one by a year or more. The routine below takes about ten minutes, uses things you already have, and is broken down by material so you don't damage a knit upper with a method meant for leather.

What you need

A soft brush (an old toothbrush is perfect)
A stiffer brush for soles
Mild soap or a few drops of dish liquid in warm water
Two cloths: one for washing, one for drying
Paper or newspaper to stuff the shoes

Skip bleach, strong solvents and anything abrasive. They'll strip colour and weaken glue.

Step 1 — Prep

Remove the laces and insoles. Knock the soles together outside to shed loose dirt, then go over the whole shoe with the dry soft brush. Most "stains" on mesh are just dust sitting in the weave and come out at this stage.

Step 2 — Clean the upper (by material)

Mesh and knit (running shoes, trainers, colour-block runners): dip the soft brush in the soapy water, shake off the excess, and brush in small circles following the direction of the weave. Never soak the shoe — the foam midsole absorbs water and takes days to dry. Blot with the damp cloth, then the dry one.

Canvas (skate shoes, kids' high-tops): same method, but you can be a little firmer. For stubborn marks, make a paste of baking soda and a splash of water, work it in, wait five minutes, then wipe clean.

Suede and leather (white suede low-tops, platform sneakers, ankle boots): use the brush dry first. For suede, brush in one direction only to lift the nap. For smooth leather, wipe with a barely damp cloth and dry immediately. Water spots on suede are permanent, so keep it as dry as you can.

Step 3 — Soles and midsoles

The rubber or TPR outsole can take the stiff brush and plenty of soapy water. For yellowed or scuffed foam midsoles, a melamine sponge ("magic eraser") works well — use light pressure so you don't thin the foam.

Step 4 — Laces and insoles

Laces go in a bowl of soapy water for ten minutes, then get rinsed and hung. Insoles get a wipe with the damp cloth and a sprinkle of baking soda left overnight to kill odour. Don't put either in the washing machine unless you want them a different shape.

Step 5 — Dry them properly

Stuff each shoe with paper to hold its shape and pull moisture from inside, then leave them somewhere with airflow and no direct heat. Radiators, hair dryers and direct sun all cook the adhesive that holds the sole on, and yellow white materials. A full dry takes 12–24 hours.

Between cleans

Rotate. Wearing the same pair every day never gives the midsole time to decompress or the lining time to dry. Two pairs in rotation last far longer than two pairs worn one after the other.
Spot-clean immediately. A wet wipe on a fresh mark beats a scrub on a set-in one.
Protect suede. A suede protector spray before the first wear makes every later clean easier.
Store them out of the light. UV fades colour and yellows white soles, even through a window.

When to retire a pair

Cleaning won't fix a midsole that's gone flat. If the cushioning has stopped springing back, or the outsole tread has worn smooth in the heel, the shoe is done as a daily wearer — keep it for the garden and pick up a fresh pair from New Drops.

Questions about a specific material? Message us with a photo and we'll tell you the safest way to clean it.