Untie and unthread the laces from the lace holes in the shoe. Removing the laces will allow you to thoroughly scrub the tongue area of the shoe while cleaning.


You could also clean the shoelaces later on, or just replace them.;
, Smack the shoes together over a garbage can to knock off dirt and dust from the bottoms of the shoes. Then use a soft bristled brush to brush off any loose dirt particles and impurities on the canvas areas of the shoes.


An old toothbrush works great for removing dirt, especially for reaching into tiny crevices.
 Any mild detergent mixed with water will work as a cleaning solution. Gentle body soap, dishwashing soap, or a small amount of laundry detergent, are all viable options. For about a cup of water, consider using about ½ a teaspoon of mild detergent. Use your old toothbrush to mix up the water and soap until some bubbles start to form.


You could also use a small amount of bleach if your shoes are white, but be aware that bleach can potentially yellow the canvas fabric. A mild detergent is the safer bet.
 If you’re planning on cleaning the laces rather than replacing them, drop the laces into the the cleaning solution. Allow them to soak in the solution for about 15 minutes.


While you wait for the laces to soak, you can clean the actual shoe.
 Dip your old toothbrush into the soapy water mixture, and start scrubbing at the dirty areas of the shoe. Move the toothbrush in circles to thoroughly loosen the dirt and remove the stains.Continue dipping the toothbrush into the soapy water mixtures as you focus on other areas of the shoe.
It's okay to saturate the canvas with the soapy water solution, but try your best to keep from getting the foot bedding of the shoe wet. If you get the foot bedding wet, it won’t ruin your shoe, but it could cause damage after repeated saturation.
 You can rinse the canvas of the shoe by running it under a small stream of cool water from a faucet.


A small stream will ensure you gently rinse off the soapy solution from the shoe without getting water into the inside of the shoe.
 After the laces have had time to soak, remove them from the soapy water solution. Use your old toothbrush to scrub away at the stains. Once you have scrubbed all the stained areas of the laces, rinse them in cool water.


It may help to hold down the laces with your fingers on one hand, and focus on scrubbing a stained area with your other hand.
 Once the shoes and laces are cleaned, dab them dry with a paper towel to soak up any remaining water. Then allow the shoes and laces to dry naturally, outside in the sun.


Drying shoes in the dryer can damage the adhesive on the shoe and shrink the canvas material.
Remove the shoelaces.
Remove surface dirt.
Mix your cleaning solution.
Soak the laces.
Scrub the shoe.
Rinse the shoe.
Scrub the laces.
Dry the shoes and laces.
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