Having to throw away and spend money to buy a new pair of trainers because they are smelly and dirty is not practical. Especially if they still have a lot of wear left in them.
Washing with baking soda is inexpensive and guaranteed to get your trainers to look and smell like new.
In this article, I’ll show you how I use baking soda to wash my old trainers.
Let’s begin.
What You’ll Need:
Baking soda
Basin or bucket
Water
Old toothbrush
Mild detergent
Steps:
For the Trainers
1. Prepare your trainers by removing the insoles and shoelaces.
2. Make the paste. Mix 1 tablespoon baking soda with 1 tablespoon of water.
3. Get an old toothbrush and scrub the uppers and soles with the paste. Remove any dirt and stains you see.
4. Mix 1/2 cup baking soda and enough water to soak the trainers in a basin or bucket. Soak the trainers for 30 minutes. In the meantime, wash the shoelaces and insoles with mild detergent and water. See instructions below.
5. Rinse with cold water. Make sure you remove any traces of baking soda.
6. Hang them outside to dry. Don’t hang them under direct sunlight.
For the Shoelaces and Insoles
1. Wash them with water and mild detergent.
2. Rinse with cold water.
3. Hang and let dry in indirect sunlight.
5 Maintenance Tips for your Trainers
- Keep your trainers clean. Clean them right away after they get soiled. Don’t give the stains time to settle in.
- Deodorize them naturally. Sprinkle some baking soda inside your trainers and let the baking soda absorb the nasty odor overnight. Shake off the baking soda the next day.
- Store your trainers properly. Shoe racks and shoeboxes are your best bet. Don’t tightly cramp them inside a cabinet. This could deform your shoes. Give them enough room to breathe.
- Avoid direct sunlight. Sunlight can fade the color and crack the uppers of your trainers. It can also soften the glue holding your shoes in place.
- Don’t use the same pair of trainers two days in a row. Giving your trainers a day off in between use will give them ample time to dry. You should purchase a second pair of trainers if you train each day so that you can wear them alternately.
Conclusion:
And that’s how I use baking soda to wash my trainers. My trainers work really hard, so I’m happy to give them some much-needed TLC from time to time.
Did you know you can also use baking soda as a pre-soak for smelly clothes? Read my article on how to pre-soak clothes with baking soda.
I hope you’ll give this method of cleaning your trainers a go.
Thank you for reading!
-Baking Soda Guy
