Stains on white sneakers after washing

Athletic shoes have long been worn outside of gyms and stadiums. She confidently “moved” into everyday life and is valued for her lightness, comfort, style, practicality and harmonious combination with everyday wardrobe. Basic sneakers in light shades are especially good, which, despite all the advantages, have a significant “minus” - the sneakers quickly get dirty and are harder to wash. But everything is not so bad: stains on white sneakers after washing can be prevented or removed at home. It remains to find out exactly how.

Various contaminants

It is best not to fight yellow stains, but not to allow them. It's not difficult if you know the reasons for their appearance. White sneakers turn yellow for several reasons, and the main one is improper or insufficient cleaning of the shoe to remove dirt.

Before washing your sneakers, you need to prepare them for the procedure. Otherwise, the dirt stuck to the sole or the debris accumulated inside the drum will leave its place of “dislocation” and transfer to the light-colored fabric of the sneakers, which is susceptible to contamination. To prevent this from happening, before cleaning you must:

• thoroughly clean the boot tread using soap, an old toothbrush and a knitting needle;
• remove the laces and insoles (they are washed separately);
• shake out your sneakers;
• Treat all external stains with a suitable stain remover.

Only high-quality sneakers without damage or defects can be washed in a washing machine.

It is better not to delay cleaning and wash stains immediately after they appear. Fresh dirt is more easily washed off from fabric fibers, while stubborn dirt, on the contrary, takes longer and is more difficult to remove.

It is advisable to pre-soak the prepared shoes in a warm soapy solution for 30-60 minutes. Insoles and laces are treated separately with soap, and it is recommended to use detergents with a bleaching effect. After soaking, the sneakers are rinsed under running water, placed in a special mesh bag and loaded into the washing machine. It is allowed to place no more than 2 pairs in the drum at the same time. If the sneakers are old, worn out, have defects and damage, then it is better to give preference to hand washing.

Tap water or powder

It is not only dirt that causes yellowing of white sneakers, but also poor quality tap water. In this case, stains will appear on other machine washable items. The fact is that in the absence of established filtration, various impurities, lime and iron enter the machine.

The vast majority of city apartments receive hard water, which becomes even dirtier after traveling through old rusty pipes. To correct the situation, it is recommended to constantly use special softeners, for example, store-bought “Calgon”. An excellent home alternative would be 9% vinegar added to the dispensary. But it’s better to spend money and install a high-quality filter on the washing machine.

White sneakers can turn yellow due to poor tap water and low-quality detergents.

Yellow stains can also be caused by the use of cheap and incorrectly selected detergents. The whole problem is saving money: if housewives still buy expensive products for washing clothes, then ordinary powder is used for shoes. As a result, stains from sneakers are difficult to remove, especially sweat absorbed into the fabric.Moreover, dry granules do not have time to dissolve, penetrate into the structure of the fibers, are not completely rinsed out and give off a yellow color when dry. It is better not to take risks and purchase special gels that do not contain chlorine-containing components.

Water too hot

Yellowness also appears on light-colored shoes due to too hot water. It is important to remember that turning on high-temperature modes is unacceptable - the temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. If you go beyond the maximum, the fabric will turn yellow and the sole will become deformed.

In order not to make a mistake with the temperature, it is recommended to wash white sneakers in a special program - “Sports” or “Sports Shoes”. Delicate or hand wash is also allowed. If desired, pre-soak is activated. It is recommended to turn on the rinse twice, and the “Spin” and “Drying” functions are contraindicated.

Moisture was not removed correctly

If absolutely white sneakers were taken out of the machine, and after drying they turned yellow, then the problem is not in washing, but in improper drying. Sneakers are dried according to special “laws”, violation of which threatens to ruin their appearance. We are talking about the following rules:

• automatic drying in a washing machine is prohibited;
• it is necessary to find a ventilated room;
• it is important to avoid artificial heat sources, heaters, batteries, as well as direct sunlight;
• after washing, it is recommended to immediately remove the bulk of the moisture by blotting the items with a dry terry towel;
• Insoles and laces are dried separately.

You should not wear wet sneakers - dirt sticks to wet textiles faster and is more difficult to remove.

It is best to put wet sneakers on the balcony, finding a shaded place. To speed up drying, you can stuff the shoe with white paper.You cannot use newspapers, magazines, or colored napkins for stuffing - the pigment from the sheets will transfer to the fabric of the sneakers. It is strongly not recommended to wear sneakers that are still wet, as dirt will stick faster and penetrate deep into the fibers.

How to clear yellowness?

If after cleaning your white sneakers are covered with yellow spots, then you should try to wash the shoe. The surest way is to repeat the wash, avoiding initial mistakes. Oxygen bleach will help remove stains. We find a remedy and follow the instructions:

• soak the sneakers in warm soapy water;
• mix bleach with water until mushy;
• generously treat the yellow areas with the resulting mass;
• leave the product on the shoes for 2-4 hours;
• go over the shoe with a soft brush;
• rinse the sneakers in water;
• place the sneakers in a mesh washing bag and put them in the drum;
• set up a cycle (“Delicate mode” with double rinse and minimal spin);
• add bleach or stain remover to the powder receptacle;
• we start the machine.

You can remove yellow stains from white shoes using oxygen bleach, soda, dish gel and vinegar.

In the absence of industrial bleach, you can get by with a “homemade” alternative. A mixture of soda with liquid soap or dish gel perfectly removes yellowness from a white sneaker. We dilute the components to “sour cream”, apply to the affected areas and leave for 1-2 hours. Afterwards, all stains are rubbed with a brush, and then the shoes are rinsed and washed again.

You can return a light-colored sneaker to its previous appearance using a warm soap solution, to which, in addition to soap, powder and 9% vinegar are added. It is enough to soak the sneakers for 2-3 hours, and then wipe them with a swab soaked in acid.After rinsing, the shoes are washed again and dried according to the rules.

Cleaning without water

You can clean white sneakers and remove “rusty” stains without subsequent washing. The main thing is to choose an effective detergent. Thus, toothpaste, ammonia, peroxide, lemon juice and vinegar have shown themselves to be excellent in removing yellowness. Now for more details on each recipe.

1. Toothpaste or powder. Whitening toothpaste is often used to remove stains and smudges. Colored options are not suitable, as the pigment may transfer to the light fabric of the sneakers. The product is used simply: apply the gel to the affected area, brush until the stain is completely removed, and then wash off with clean water and a sponge.

Toothpaste with a whitening effect can remove yellowness and grayness from the white fabric of sneakers.

2. Ammonia. We wet the cotton wool in ammonia and treat the stained surfaces. Afterwards, the alcohol is thoroughly washed off. Minus - the typical reserve will remain for 2-3 hours.
3. Mixture. A solution made from lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar is effective in cleaning yellowed fabric. All ingredients are taken in equal proportions, and for better results we add a spoonful of regular powder. The resulting composition is applied to the stains and left for 5-7 minutes. Then rinse, rinse and dry.

When using peroxide you should be extremely careful. The product bleaches effectively, but after using it, you must rinse the fabric thoroughly. The peroxide remaining in the fibers under direct sunlight will have the opposite effect - yellowness will appear.

If the stains could not be removed?

Sometimes, after washing, such persistent yellow stains appear on sneakers that they cannot be removed even with several cleaning procedures.But this is not a reason to throw away whole, high-quality shoes. It is much cheaper to disguise yellowness.

• By coloring. Yellowed crosses can be painted by choosing a special pigment for textiles at a hardware store. The dye is sold in powder or spray form in any color. The main thing is to carefully read the instructions on the package before use.
• Decor. If there are not many yellow spots, then you should try to cover them with decorations: stripes, key rings or badges.

Light shades are very difficult to care for and, if washed and dried incorrectly, often turn yellow and gray. You can avoid divorces - all the secrets are revealed above.

1 reader comment

1. 06/29/2021 at 18:27

   Guest:

   If the material of the sneaker is initially dirty white, nothing can whiten it. I tried everything, the result was the same - the yellowness was still there.

   Answer