How to Clean White Sneakers: The 5-Step Method (2026)

Five steps, about 15 minutes of work, and a different touch for mesh, vegan leather and genuine leather.

Last updated: October 2026

Clean white sneakers by hand in five steps: remove the laces, dry brush, scrub with mild soap and warm water, wipe off the suds, then air dry away from heat. It takes about 15 minutes of work. Skip the washing machine, which can warp soles and weaken glue.

In this article

• What are the five steps?
• How do you clean each upper material?
• What should you never do?
• Which white sneakers are easiest to keep clean?
• FAQ

What are the five steps?

Laces out, dry brush, soap and warm water, wipe, air dry. Five steps and about 15 minutes, then several hours of drying at room temperature.

1. Remove the laces and insoles and hand wash them separately.
2. Brush off loose dirt with a dry soft-bristle brush before any water touches the shoe.
3. Mix mild soap with warm water and work it in with small circles, focusing on the sole and scuffs.
4. Wipe away the suds with a clean damp cloth. Do not rinse under a running tap.
5. Stuff with paper towel to hold the shape and air dry at room temperature, away from sun and heaters.

How do you clean each upper material?

Mesh takes a soft brush, leather and vegan leather take a damp cloth, and rubber soles take a baking soda paste left for 10 minutes.

Material	Adam & Westcott white pair	How to clean	Avoid	Price
Mesh	Urban Oxford Sneakers	Soft brush, mild soap, blot dry	Soaking, stiff bristles	$39.99
Vegan leather	Smart Lace-Up Sneakers	Damp cloth, drop of mild soap	Solvents, bleach	$49.99
Genuine leather	Torino Leather Trainers	Damp cloth, then dry soft cloth	Soaking, heaters	$69.99
Rubber sole (all pairs)	Low Top Skate Sneakers	Brush, baking soda paste for 10 minutes	Machine wash	$39.99

What should you never do?

Never machine wash, never tumble dry, and never use bleach on the upper. Each can warp, weaken or discolour a white sneaker in one go.

Heat and agitation break down the glue between upper and sole. Bleach is only for a pure white rubber sole. Drying in direct sun yellows white materials faster than almost anything else, so dry indoors.

Which white sneakers are easiest to keep clean?

Smooth uppers. Our vegan leather pair is $49.99 in All White and our genuine leather pair is $69.99 in White. Both wipe clean with a damp cloth.

If you prefer airflow, the Urban Oxford Sneakers are our best-selling sneaker at $39.99, with 242 pairs sold in the last 30 days. Their mesh needs the gentle brush method above. The Low Top Skate Sneakers also come in White at $39.99, in US 6.5 to 14. Compare every white pair in the best white sneakers for men.

Frequently asked questions

Can you put white sneakers in the washing machine?

Best avoided. Heat and agitation can warp the sole and weaken the glue holding the upper. Hand cleaning in five steps takes about 15 minutes plus air drying.

How do you get yellow stains out of white soles?

Work in a paste of baking soda and a little water, leave it 10 minutes, then wipe clean. It lifts most yellowing on rubber soles without bleach.

How do you clean white mesh sneakers?

Dry brush first, then a soft brush with mild soap and warm water, blotted not soaked. Our mesh Urban Oxford Sneakers are $39.99 in White, US 6.5 to 14.

How do you clean white leather sneakers?

Wipe with a damp cloth and a drop of mild soap, then dry with a soft cloth. The genuine leather Torino Leather Trainers are water-resistant and $69.99 in White.

How often should white sneakers be cleaned?

Wipe scuffs the same day and give a full five-step clean whenever dirt is visible. Rotating two pairs gives each one a full day to dry.

More sneaker help: the six types of men's sneakers and Urban Oxford sizing and fit.