How to Clean White Canvas Sneakers

Advice from our experts

Prep

With the (dry) nylon brush, brush the shoes to remove loose dirt or soil. This makes them easier to clean. Remove the shoe laces and set them aside to clean later.
Mix

Add 1 tablespoon of Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach with CLOROMAX® to 1 quart of water in a measuring cup and stir to mix.
Scrub

Working on one shoe at a time, dip the brush in the bleach and water solution, and then gently scrub the canvas in a circular motion. Dip the brush again as needed to keep applying the bleach solution to the canvas until the entire shoe has been treated. This only takes a few minutes; you can scrub the rubber outsole while you are at it.
Spray

Wait one minute, and then spray all the treated areas with hydrogen peroxide.
Rinse

Rinse the first shoe completely with clean water before starting the second shoe.
Check

For very dirty shoes, substitute Clorox® Bleach Pen Gel for the bleach and water solution, using the soft scrubber tip to apply the gel to the shoe. Scrub thoroughly with the nylon brush, then spray with the hydrogen peroxide before rinsing.
Dry

Let the shoes air dry overnight.
Soak

For the shoelaces, let them soak for 5 minutes in the bleach and water solution before rinsing thoroughly and laying them flat to air dry.
Wash

If you used Clorox® Bleach Pen Gel, transfer the laces to a lingerie bag and wash them with your regular bleach load using detergent and 1/3 cup Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach with CLOROMAX®.

TIp

Replace shoe laces once the shoes and laces have dried completely.
Only use a leather cleaner on leather shoes; make sure you know what material your shoes are made of before you use bleach to clean them (always avoid bleaching leather).
If you’re not sure, test a small hidden part of the shoe first.