Purchasing a new pair of trainers can be a great way to spruce up your wardrobe, but sadly, they don’t stay clean for long. Daily wear and tear, especially mud, can quickly take a toll on your shoes.
This is particularly noticeable if the trainers are white, as dirt shows up more prominently, causing them to look worn out in no time.
However, before you consider buying another pair, it might be worth attempting to clean them at home using your washing machine.
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According to a cleaning expert on social media, all you need are two simple products to make your trainers look as good as new, reports the Express.
The easy cleaning hack was shared on TikTok by @homewithlese, who has racked up over 49k followers with her straightforward cleaning tips for the home.
She suggests that dirty white trainers can be cleaned at home using two common household products, restoring them to their original bright white state.
Demonstrating the process on a pair of New Balance trainers that had clearly seen better days, she applied the cleaning trick and the results were impressive – the trainers looked brand new, as if they’d just been taken out of the box.
If you’re keen to try this at home, start by removing the laces from your shoes. Then, apply some bicarb cream – available for £2.50 from Poundstretcher – all over the trainers, scrubbing it in with a brush.
This method can also be applied to the inside of the shoe if it requires cleaning.
Next, place the trainers and laces in a mesh laundry bag if available – alternatively, a pillowcase will do.
Put the bag or pillowcase into the washing machine and sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda into the drum. Proceed to wash on a cold setting to prevent the colours from bleeding.
Once the cycle is complete, remove the trainers and they should appear spotlessly clean once more.
Ensure they are thoroughly dry before wearing them again. To do this, leave them on a radiator for a few hours or air-dry outdoors if the weather permits.