Do you have white canvas shoes? If yes, then you know they need extra care then your leather white sneakers.
Well, the simple reason behind that is canvas shoes are made of fabric that can absorb any liquid.
Though cleaning canvas shoes is not a big deal as they are made of thick cotton fabric, still the fear of yellow stains remains there.
So, what you can do or how to clean white canvas Shoes without turning them yellow? Well, that is what I’m going to discuss in this article.
The best thing about canvas shoes is that they are made of thick fabric and this fabric doesn’t peel off while cleaning. So, you don’t have to worry that using a brush will damage the fabric.
However, white canvas shoes have one problem: they turn yellow if anything goes wrong.
So, it is important to know what to avoid while cleaning your white canvas shoes than how to clean them.
So, let’s dicuss about things that you should avoid to prevent your white canvas shoes from turning yellow.
Avoid white canvas shoes from turning yellow
Firstly, you should avoid using bleach to clean your white canvas shoes. If you are using bleach then make sure the water quantity is 3 times the bleach quantity.
If the concentration of bleach is high, it can leave you yellow spots on your shoes.
There are ways to turn your shoes back to white but sometimes it is hard to reverse the effect 100%.
Instead of bleach you can use other cleansing agents like toothpaste, detergent, or show cleaner.
The second big mistake that you should avoid to prevent your white shoes from turning yellow is never to put them under direct sunlight for drying.
Sunlight might be the main reason why white shoes turn yellow. Instead of putting them under direct sunlight, instead, let them air dry naturally.
Put them under a shadow in a well-ventilated area and let them air dry. Usually, canvas shoes take 24 hours to dry if the ventilation is good. So, be patient with the drying process.
Also, don’t put your white canvas shoes in a dryer to speed up the process as it can melt the canvas. Similarly, you should avoid hairdryer.
Out of all, letting your canvas shoes dry by themselves is the best option to prevent them from turning yellow or to ruin the fabric.
Lastly, with time, the dirt accumulates on your shoes. Canvas shoes are made of hard cotton fabric that can absorb dirt and liquid.
So, with time, white shoes are going to turn yellow, does matter how much you care for them.
But, if you can delay that process by taking care of your shoes. Clean your white canvas at least once a week if you wear them regularly.
Moreover, clean the dirt with a microfiber cloth daily to get rid of dirt. I use a microfiber cloth to clean my all shoes.
After wearing my shoes for the day, I use a slightly wet microfiber cloth to clean all the dirt. The best thing about microfiber cloth is that it absorbs all the dirt instead of spreading it.
By mistake, if your shoes turn yellow, then wash them immediately and don’t let the chemicals or dirt settle in.
It is easier to get rid of yellowish spots until the liquid or chemicals settle in.
If yellow spots are still there use white polish or white chalk to cover up the yellow color.
The best thing about canvas shoes is that you can use white chalk and make them look new, I used to do that a lot on my white canvas shoes.
Related: How To Bleach Black Jeans White
How to wash white canvas shoes without turning them yellow
You can wash your white canvas shoes in a washing machine or you can also handwash them.
Handwash is a better option as it is less harsh on fabric.
But as I already discussed canvas is a hard fabric you can wash it in a washing machine.
But make sure your shoes don’t have any leather or suede material. The agitation cycle of a washing machine is so harsh that it can ruin the suede or leather material.
But if your shoes are only canvas, then you can wash them in the washing machine.
Use a mild detergent and add it to the washing machine with warm water. Slightly warm water will work better in cleaning the cold water.
Now use the normal cycle to wash your shoes.
Always wash the laces separately from the shoes so that the tongue area gets the same cleansing treatment as the other part of the shoes.
If your shoes have dirt or mid stains then make sure to remove them before putting them into the washing machine.
If the mud stains are wet then let them dry. Then use a brush to remove the dry stains. After that use a wet microfiber cloth to absorb all the dirt remaining on the shoes.
Now, you can remove the shoelaces and their your shoes in a washing machine, and follow the process explained above.
So, there are many products and cleansing agents that you can use to make your white canvas shoes look in new condition.
Related: How To Clean Suede Shoes Without Suede Cleaner?
However, you never know how these cleansing agents will react to your shoes.
If the chemicals are harsh, they can make your shoes look pure white for the first time, but if you continuously use them, it can turn your white shoes yellow.
For me, a mild detergent can do the work.
If your white canvas shoes are not clean after washing in the machine, then you can handwash them.
First, you have to remove the dust from the shoes. As I already discussed, use a brush and microfiber cloth to remove the dust.
If there is mud, use a brush, then clean it with a microfiber cloth.
After cleansing, pour some warm water over the shoes. Don’t put your shoes directly in water if you only want to clean the shoes from outside.
Instead, pour some water on the stained part of the shoes.
Now apply the toothpaste on the toothbrush and start rubbing on the wet part. Toothpaste has. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, which is a good cleansing agent.
Now, pour some water again on the shoes and follow the same process.
If the toothbrush is flexible and too small for you, use a big brush.
The best thing about canvas shoes is that they are made of tough fabric, and don’t get peeled off with brush.
After brushing the whole shoe, you can wash the shoes to get rid of dirt and toothpaste.
Lastly, you can use a microfiber cloth again to wipe off the extra water.
