Sneakers and sneakers are the finishing touch of a sporty style. Shoes with white soles look very impressive, especially if they are clean and tidy.
Anyone who uses sneakers knows how difficult it is to take care of them. After several exits to the street, they lose their original appearance: the sole wears out and turns yellow. In addition, dark stripes form on it. Faced with such a problem, many people think about how to whiten the white sole of sneakers.
This question is relevant for many sports style lovers who want to always look good and not to splurge on new shoes every time. The article provides information on how to bleach the sole of a shoe.
Feature of modern shoes
Manufacturers of sneakers and sneakers in the manufacture of their products use durable and very flexible material. It is highly resistant to external influences, but is not able to maintain its pristine whiteness. On the corrugated surface, particles of dirt and dust accumulate, which over time eat up into the material itself. The owner of such shoes often asks questions: how to whiten the white sole of the sneakers and is it worth it to think about buying new ones?
What to do if the pollution is small?
Those shoe owners who are interested in how to bleach the sole of the sneakers can be advised to use a regular washing machine. This is if the pollution is negligible. A washing machine can easily cope with them, which should be set to delicate mode. Also, lovers of sports shoes, who are interested in how to whiten the sole of the sneakers at home, can use the usual eraser for this purpose. With it, a slightly spoiled rubber sole will look quite updated. Some lovers of sneakers recommend using small nail files and fine sandpaper.
What else do you need to know for the shoe owner?
If the washing machine and the eraser did not help, this does not mean that the shoes are hopelessly spoiled. Simply use stronger cleaning products. Before bleaching the sole of the sneakers, the owner should know by what principle a particular cleaning agent interacts with rubber . You can not complicate and immediately pass sneakers to dry cleaning. It is she who is able to return the shoes to her pristine ideal condition. If the owner wants to save, then he can handle this work himself. To do this, he needs to find out how to bleach the sole of the sneaker.
What do you need for work?
The bleaching procedure is impossible without the following items:
- Warm water.
- Cotton pads and cotton buds.
- Rags. In order to prevent shedding and the appearance of stains, rags must be white.
- A tight sponge or stiff shoe brush. You can also use an old toothbrush for this purpose.
- Colorless shoe polish or foam.
Where to start?
Shoes need to be prepared before bleaching. Sneakers should be without insoles and laces. Then contaminated areas should be thoroughly wiped. If the sneakers are fabric, they are wiped with a dry cloth or napkin, if leather - then wet. It is advisable to remove dirt using a special brush. Shoes are ready for whitening if there are no stones, blades of grass, leaves and clumps of dirt in its tread.
How to bleach the sole of a shoe with hydrogen peroxide?
This product can be purchased at the pharmacy. The composition is very effective if the sole has turned yellow on white sneakers. How to whiten shoes? This question is asked by those who have already acquired hydrogen peroxide, better known as “Chlorhexidine”. To do this, sneakers that have already been cleaned and wiped dry are treated with a cosmetic swab previously moistened with a solution. It is desirable that the composition is not highly concentrated (not higher than 6%). In hydrogen peroxide, the swab should be moistened abundantly: the liquid should drain on it. After the sole has been wiped repeatedly, the sneakers are set to dry for 20 minutes.
Residues from the sole are removed with a damp cloth.
Boric acid bleaching
For work, finely ground table salt, water and 160 ml of boric acid are required. A bleaching solution is prepared in a separate bowl: 1 kg of salt should be poured into it and pour cool boiling water (3 liters) into it. In order for the salt to dissolve faster, it is recommended to mix the composition periodically. Boric acid should be infused when the liquid cools and becomes completely homogeneous. Now you can add boric acid to it. When bleaching, it is recommended to follow the rules of personal protection: you need to work in a protective mask. The room in which the cleaning is carried out must be well ventilated. This mechanical cleaning procedure is carried out using a swab soaked in a solution or a cotton swab. Those who want to save time can immediately place the sneakers in a basin with a solution. Then, after thirty minutes, the shoes are removed and wiped with a dry and clean cloth.
The use of citric acid
This product has a high concentration and excellent whitening properties. The product is sold in two versions: in a loose state and in the form of a liquid. When using citric acid powder, 2 sachets are enough for whitening. They are bred in filtered water (1 liter). You can start working after the granules completely dissolve. Since this product is very concentrated, it is recommended to use it with protective gloves. The sole of the shoe is cleaned with cotton swabs dipped in citric acid. In the event that it was not possible to purchase this product, it can be made independently by squeezing the juice from one lemon. But in this case, cleaning will be less effective: the concentration of pharmaceutical products is 30% higher.
The procedure for cleaning sports shoes is often also carried out with the use of acetone and acetone-containing liquids, medical and liquid ammonia, 9% table vinegar and refined kerosene.
Homemade Pasta Cleaning
At home, you can make a cleaning paste from soda and starch. Some sneaker owners still add tooth powder. The listed ingredients are mixed in a separate container, filled with water or non-fat milk and allowed to settle. The cleaning agent is ready to use if it has acquired the consistency of gruel. Then, using a sponge, it is applied to the surface of the sole. The whitening process itself is carried out with an old toothbrush. After the mixture is evenly distributed over the entire surface, shoes should be placed in a plastic bag. So she should stand for some time (about 30-40 minutes). The mixture is washed off with clean water. If the bleaching result is not satisfactory, the procedure is worth repeating.
Use of professional cleaning products
For those who are interested in how to whiten the yellowed sole of the sneakers, many experienced consumers can still recommend a variety of dishwashing gels. The cleaning procedure is simple: you need to apply gel to the surface of the shoe and foam it with a sponge. The whitening process is performed with a hard toothbrush. She processes the surface of the sole. Many owners note that as a result, the cleaning agent turns gray. At the end of bleaching, it is washed off with clean water. If necessary, the cleaning can be repeated.
Also, in addition to washing gels and liquids used for washing dishes, acidic stain removers such as Vanish, Eared Nanny, Sarma and Boss are effective for cleaning the soles. Using these funds, the owner of the sneakers should not be guided by the instructions for the product. This recommendation is due to the fact that for bleaching the sole, the concentration of the product must necessarily be above the norm. Thus, if the instruction recommends diluting the cleaning agent in a ratio of 1: 5, then it is advisable to use a solution concentration of 1: 2 to clean the sole of the shoe. In this case, non-mechanical cleaning is provided.
Use of laundry soap and laundry detergent
Judging by some reviews, ordinary laundry soap in combination with washing powder turned out to be very effective in bleaching sneakers. Those who have already used this technology are advised to purchase a special soap called Antipyatin. To make the right cleaning product, you need to dilute the soap in warm water. Detergent is also added here. It is very important that it has a low chlorine content. This requirement is explained by the fact that chlorine, being aggressive to synthetics, can itself provoke the appearance of yellowness. If the shoe has only a white sole, then as a result of chlorine getting on the main part of the shoe, it discolors. Sneakers are placed in the liquid created from soap and powder for thirty minutes.
Conclusion
Athletic shoes need careful maintenance. Subject to this condition, sneakers with white soles will retain their original appearance for a long time.