If you’ve played tennis in white tennis shoes, then you know how dirty those shoes can get, especially the shoelaces. And that’s why today we are going to discuss how to clean white shoelaces.
As you’re probably aware, even if your shoes don’t get dirty, the shoelaces can get extremely dirty, especially if you’re not using a rubber or metal lacing system.
You might think that buying new laces would solve the problem. But that can be quite expensive, and there is a much cheaper solution and that is washing your shoelaces. So, we’re going to go over how to clean white tennis shoes using a couple of different methods.
Contents
How to Clean White Shoelaces by Using a Washing Machine
Washing your tennis shoelaces using a washing machine is a simple procedure. Simply follow these steps to make your white shoelaces as clean as possible:
1.Take the Laces Out of the Shoes
You cannot clean your tennis shoes while having the shoelaces on them. They must be cleaned separately. And so, your first step is to remove the laces from the shoes.
2. Rinse the Shoelaces
After taking them out of the shoe, you can rinse the laces in hot water for a minute or so. (Do not use soap or any other cleaning products to clean the laces) This is done to remove the surface soil from them.
3. Pretreat the Shoelaces
This step is essential for cleaning your shoelaces properly. Take an old soft-bristled toothbrush and dip it into liquid detergent or stain remover. Put the laces on a flat surface and brush the detergent on both sides of the laces.
Laundry detergents have the enzymes that are necessary for breaking the stains and grimes apart. These enzymes break down the dirt and grime so you can clean up the excess residue before putting the laces inside the washing machine.
4. Put Them Inside a Mesh Type Laundry Bag
You wouldn’t want your shoelaces to be all tangled up inside the washer, would you? And that’s why you should put them inside a mesh laundry bag in order to prevent that from taking place.
5. Use the Washer
The next step is to use the washer to wash the laces. You may have to add a small amount of detergent to the wash cycle to make sure that the laces are thoroughly washed.
Also, remember to wash the shoelaces with your white laundries such as white sheets, underwear, and towels. That’s because white laces can get stained by the colors leaking from colored clothes so you’ll want to avoid them.
6. Add Bleach to Them
You should also use bleach to clean the laces so that the bleach can penetrate the fibers and help get the stains out. Bleach can also be added as a last resort if you think that the shoelaces are not white enough.
But I recommend adding some bleach to them just in case so you don’t end up with a bunch of white laces that look dirty.
If you’re dealing with cotton laces, you should add one tablespoon of bleach into warm water (2 cups). Then put the laces into that solution and let them soak for 10 minutes. This will allow the bleach to work on the fibers and leave the laces in good condition.
7. Hang Them Up to Dry
You’re almost done! All you have to do now is put the laces up on a rack for drip drying. After that, you can take them off to air dry.
How to Clean White Shoelaces by Hand Washing
What to do when you don’t have access to a washing machine? Well, fear not. You can also clean your white shoelaces by hand. I find this method to be the most efficient, and it will also keep your laces in good condition. In order to do this, you will need to follow these steps:
1. Follow the Previous Steps
While washing your shoelaces by hand, you still have to follow the previous steps that we have mentioned while discussing how you can clean shoelaces using a washer.
Those steps include removing the shoelaces from your shoes, rinsing the loose soil from the shoelaces, and pretreating the laces with a detergent solution.
2. Make a Cleaning Solution
Fill your sink with 4-5 cups of warm water. Then pour half a tablespoon of a strong laundry detergent into the mix. Slowly stir the mixture until the detergent is completely dissolved. You must double the amount of detergent in case you’re dealing with multiple pairs of white shoelaces.
3. Immerse the Shoelaces into the Mixture
Now it’s time for you to submerge the laces into the cleaning solution. And don’t forget to move them around the mixture for some time. Once you’ve finished washing your white shoelaces, remove them from the mixing process.
4. Check If They are Clean or Not
Now you’ve got them all clean! All of your white shoelaces have to be re-rinsed with fresh water. And you must also check to see if they are as clean as you expected them to be.
If they are still not clean enough, you can use a little amount of bleach to “fizz ” them up. But the best thing to do is to just leave them in the solution.
5. Dry Them Out
Next, rinse the white shoelaces with cool water. This will help remove the dirt and detergent on the laces. Then dry them out by letting them drip dry.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it! Your white shoelaces are now ready to wear once more and they should look amazing. This was a very simple process, won’t you agree?
Hope this guide about how to clean white shoelaces was helpful for you, and that you have fun doing it. Be sure to check out our other articles.
