How to Clean Trainers with Eco-Friendly Products
- Clare Freeman
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
It’s frustrating when your favourite trainers start getting too grubby to wear in public, but is it possible to restore them to their former glory without using toxic or environmentally harmful products?
The answer is: yes you can! Using simple, eco-friendly products such as bicarbonate of soda, citric acid and rubbing alcohol (plus a little elbow grease) you can give most grungy training shoes a whole new lease of life. Just follow the steps below.
The eco-friendly method for cleaning trainers
Step 1: Remove loose dirt
The first step is to remove any loose dirt from your trainers. Bang the soles together to shake off any dried mud then use a brush or cloth to remove any dried on mud from the uppers.
Step 2: Soak those laces
Shoe laces attract not just dirt but can also acquire black marks from metal in the eyelets.
Remove the laces and soak them in a mixture of citric acid crystals, a few squirts of eco-friendly washing-up liquid and some hot water. Give them a good rub and swirl around in the mixture, then leave them to soak.
Step 3: Scrub the training shoes
Mix up a paste of bicarbonate of soda, washing-up liquid and hot water then use an old toothbrush or similar to thoroughly scrub the mixture all over the trainers. Pay particular attention to grubby creases and textured welts which trap grime. Leave them to stand for a little while.
Step 4: Finish off the laces
Check back on the laces. Any black marks from the eyelets and a lot of dirt should have lifted out, but if they’re still a little grubby, scrub them a little more or even drop them into the remains of your bicarb mix and rub well. Then rinse them well and leave them to dry.
Step 5: Wipe and dry the trainers
Back to the trainers: use a damp cloth to wipe the bicarb paste off all parts of the trainers. Pat dry.
Step 6: Finishing touches
To finish off the trainers, use some rubbing alcohol on a soft cloth to remove any remaining traces of bicarb, and also to deal with any stubborn black scuff marks.
Step 7: Admire your work
When the trainers are fully dry, replace the laces, then skip around in your rejuvenated footwear!
Further information
For ideas and recipes for more homemade eco-friendly cleaning solutions:
For an A to Z guide to eco-friendly stain removal:
Download our new Green Remedies for Laundry Stains e-book (via our Etsy store)
See also our blog posts:
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