Apply a small amount of leather shampoo or a little water and baking soda to the footbed of your sandal. Using an old toothbrush, massage the shampoo or paste in a circular motion where dirt has accumulated. The soft bristles of the toothbrush will gently scrub away stains.
After every wear, remember to use a wet towel or wipe to remove dirt attached to the surface of your shoes (See more on cleaning jelly shoes!). If there are any stubborn stains, you can try to rub them off with an eraser or wash them with soap or hand-wash.
The easiest way to clean a bunch of rubber flip-flops at once is in the washing machine. Use the machine's delicate setting with cold water and just a touch of detergent. Before starting the cycle, add one cup of white vinegar directly into the machine. This helps get rid of that funky sandal smell.
Fortunately, cleaning spills on rubber isn't as complicated as it sounds. Simply use a paper towel or cloth to soak up the spill, then apply soap or detergent and wash with warm water. Be sure to use a non-abrasive cleaner and avoid any harsh chemicals, as they can damage the surface of the rubber.
Mix half a cup of apple cider vinegar into half a cup of water and spritz or rub a generous amount of the solution into the seal using a clean cloth. Leave the solution to sit for around two to three minutes before wiping the seal down with a dry cloth.
Mix half a teaspoon of a clear, neutral pH, non-bleach dishwashing liquid with one cup of cold water. Apply it to the stain and leave for 5-10 minutes for best results. Rinse with cold water.
Polishing. Once the shoes have air-dried, take a clean microfibre cloth and gently polish them. Going from front to back, use light motions to bring some shine back to your shoes. When following this guide, be really careful not to clean too harshly to avoid creating further problems that can't be fixed.
Birkenstock suggests using soap and water to clean footbeds, but all the cobblers I spoke with endorsed dry methods, which I found faster and more effective.
Spray your shoes and insoles with a combination of 50 percent water and 50 percent white, distilled vinegar. Spritz the mixture into your shoe lining and sole, and let it air dry for 30 minutes. You can use a hair dryer after that if you are in a hurry to dry the shoe.
The answer is yes, you can clean your shoes, and baking soda is your secret weapon to help restore your white shoes to like-new appearance.
Clean Shoes with Baking Soda and Vinegar
Mix the baking soda and white vinegar together in a small bowl to form a paste. Dip the toothbrush into the mixture and apply the paste all over the shoes, scrubbing softly to remove dirt and stains.
The short answer is unfortunately no, not all stains can be removed, and here are three reasons why. The longer a stain is left untreated, the less likely it is to be removed.
Yes, you should be able to. Soak the item of clothing in warm water, then apply a few drops of dish soap on the stain. Hold the material around the stain and start rubbing the sides against each other to work up a lather. This will help the fabric absorb the soap.
Vaseline and ointment stains will get darker the longer they sit on the fabric and will become harder to remove—in some cases, they can become permanent stains. Once you notice the spot, it is best to get it out as soon as possible.
Since jam is also an oxidisable stain, this means it's important to treat jam stains as soon as they happen. You can remove fresh stains easily by soaking and rubbing the stain in cold water before washing it. Do not use hot water.
“Use a solution of 50 percent vinegar and 50 percent water on the stain. Apply liberally and then treat with laundry soap and water. “DO NOT put the garment in the dryer until you have seen that the stain is gone,” he warns.
Never use hot water on plain or dyed gelatin because it cooks the protein and can set the dye, making the stain hard to remove. The dye, especially in red Jell-O, sets quickly, so treat the color immediately.
As a general rule, wherever you find rubber, keep the vinegar away. The vinegar's acid can eat away at rubber just as it does natural stone. Soap and water or a solution of soap and baking soda are the best grime busters for rubber parts.