Tricks to Get White Shoes Clean

Sometimes unattractive black marks appear on the toe area, sides or heels of your white shoes. Never fear — all you need is a container of pre-wash spray. After you spritz the marked-up areas of the shoes with the spray, polish them back to perfection with a dry cloth. Voila! Clean, white kicks once again.

If your white shoes are of the rubber variety, use a special tool to bring them back to brightness. Try spraying the shoes with whitewall tire cleaner and rubbing the stains away with a clean cloth. You may have to use a little elbow grease to get them pristine, but the effort is well worth it.

Canvas shoes soak up stubborn stains and often don't respond to the methods that work on leather kicks. So, you can mix up your own concoction to blast away stains and restore your white shoes to their former brightness. Pour 2 tbsp. of powdered dish detergent into a small container and add 1 tbsp. of water. Stir to form a paste. Coat your kicks with the paste and leave it on for about 30 minutes. Come back and scrub the surface of your shoes with an old toothbrush. Rinse the kicks under running water and set out in the sun to dry.

For quick fixes — like when drops from a mud puddle splash on your shoes — whip out the wet wipes. With just a few quick swipes of the premoistened cloth, you can banish anything from a drink spill to a coating of dirt. Purse-sized packets are available, or pack a few in a zipper-locking style plastic bag for safe keeping.