We wash our clothes regularly because we use them everyday. Whatever we use on daily basis needs cleaning or washing frequently but there are certain things we use every day but do not bother cleaning them, like shoes! We obviously need not clean them every time we use it but once every 4-5 months or when soiled, cleaning is good since it can keep your favourite pair of shoes looking new and clean. More: How often you should wash everything in your closet?
Way of cleaning your shoes depends on the type of shoe you have and also the material. Here are some clever hacks to clean every type of shoe in your closet:
SNEAKERS/SPORTS SHOES
For soiled stains on your sneakers, use toothpaste! Toothpaste acts particularly well as a cleaning agent for dirty sneakers. Apply a bit of toothpaste to an old toothbrush, and work it into the dirty spots on the rubber, making sure to scrub the sides well and wipe it off. For cleaning the entire shoe, make a paste of vinegar and baking soda and scrub it using toothbrush.
HEELS
High heeled shoes like stiletto, wedges, platforms, kitten heels, peep toe etc. too can be cleaned easily. They may not be the best ones for soaking in soapy water like you would normally do with converse shoes, but spot cleaning works the best here. Chalk powder/chalk can be used for spot cleaning. Scrape the powder over the stain and then set the heels down and give them a moment so that the powder will be absorbed by the shoes. After about 5 to 10 minutes, you can wipe off the excessive chalk powder which is no longer useful. To overall clean it, steam the shoe for few minutes and air dry. More: How to take care of high heels >>
FLIP FLOPS/CROCS
Silicon or rubber footwear like flip flops or crocs are the easiest one to clean. You can keep them soaked in soapy water of they are very soiled and dirty and then scrub them using more soap. You can also use baking soda paste to scrub it gently using washcloth to remove any settled dirt. This footwear can also be washed/cleaned in a dishwasher.
FLAT BOOTS
Flat shoes like ballerinas, loafers and other slip-ons are usually made up of fabric or suede material. Fabric material can be soaked in soapy water for 30 minutes along with little lemon juice and then scrubbed a bit using toothbrush to remove any dirt. Suede shoes can only be spot cleaned as soaking or entire washing will only make the texture hard and rough. Make a paste of baking soda and lemon and scrub the spot with it using a toothbrush. Furthermore, take few drops castile soap on toothbrush and scrub it further to remove stubborn stains. Blot it feels dry and dry in shade.
OCCASIONAL/LUXURIOUS FOOTWEAR
There are some footwear we don’t use everyday like gladiators, peep toes with hand work (bridal ones for example), jutti with sequences, thigh heel boots etc. These need professional cleaning due to material and detailed work. For mild stains and touch-ups, you can always use castile soap with lemon juice for spot cleaning. For greasy stains, use the chalk method mentioned previously.