Most sneakers are pretty durable; unless you’re running several miles per day in them, the outside of these shoes are going to show signs of wear and tear before the soles. This is especially true of white sneakers, which naturally attract dirt, grime, and other stains since they are so close to the ground, collecting all the nasty things that come with it.

Fortunately, there are some methods—either through us at Red Moose or DIY options—that you can use to restore the sparkle to those white sneakers that have turned an off-white, gray, or tan color.

1. Red Moose Sneaker Cleaner

Our sneaker cleaner is effective and affordable. This foaming cleanser deep-cleans the soles, tops, and tongues of both sneakers or any other shoe that has a white sole, as it’s safe on all fabrics. Dirt and stains come off your shoes in just a few minutes with this handy product. You can also save 15% by subscribing and have it regularly sent to your door.

2. Do-It-Yourself Methods

This will take a bit longer to gather the materials instead of having one convenient cleaner, but if you’re the DIY type, you can go about getting that shine back in your sneakers yourself.

First, you can make a paste out of baking soda and water, but this should be done on white shoes only, as it can discolor other color shoes.

You can also make a solution out of equal parts water and white vinegar, applying the solution with a cloth and then scrubbing the stains away.

There are also two quick-fix options: individual shoe wipes and a stain eraser product, such as Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.

3. What Not to Do

Under no circumstances should you put your sneakers in the washing machine, as it will break down the material and wear the shoes out quicker. If you have no other alternative but to do so, let them air-dry indoors. Laces, however, are machine-washable and should be done after you clean your shoes; otherwise, the laces will look dirty next to the sparkly white shoes.

It’s also recommended not to use straight-up bleach to clean white shoes. If you do decide to use bleach, heavily dilute it with water and see if your solution works.