Nike air force ones are some of the best sneakers to wear. They go well with a lot of casual fits but everyone knows that sneakers get dirty very easily and air force ones are definitely prone to getting dirty. A lot of people who own them said that the reason why he buys multiple air force ones is that they tend to get show a lot of dirt especially the white ones.

There might be different reasons for why you would want to clean your air forces:

  1. You may want to resell them
  2. You probably want to return them to the store
  3. You probably just want to clean them so they look good on you.

Whatever the reason don’t worry because I’m going to show you how to clean your dirty air force one sneakers in this article.

 

Tips on How to clean air forces at home?

  • When cleaning your air forces at home be sure not to use any strong chemicals such as bleach as this may damage the materials.
  • Be sure to always clean them with a soft brush or cloth after wearing them outside. You can even use a magic eraser sponge as well. The reason why you want to do this is that most white air force ones usually start showing a yellowish buildup if not cleaned regularly.
  • To avoid getting dust on them while they are sitting in your closet or room, just place them in their original box and close it.
  • It is always important to deep clean your air force ones at least once a month because sometimes just quickly wiping it down won’t work.

 

I will now show you how to deep clean your air force ones but first here are the things you need:

Vinegar,baking soda,dawn dish soap, magic eraser and microfiber cloth on top of washing machine

Things you need:

  • Dish soap
  • Water
  • Baking soda
  • toothbrush
  • White vinegar
  • Shoe brush
  • Clean cloth
  • Magic eraser
  • Small bucket or plastic tub

 

You might be wondering why do you need so many items but trust me most of them are needed if you want to your shoes look brand new again.

 

How to clean airforces step by step

Cleaning white air force one sneaker with a microfiber cloth

Step 1. Remove the laces

Before you start cleaning it is always important to remove the laces from your shoes. Some air force ones may also come with some small decorations. Remove them as well (only if they can be removed).

 

Step 2. Remove loose dirt with a shoe brush

Just use a shoe brush with soft bristles to brush the dirt from the shoes. Most of the loose dirt will be on the sole of your shoes so make sure to clean them properly.

 

Step 3. Mix dish soap into the small tub of water

Make sure that the tub is only filled with about 1-2 cups of water.  Make sure to use the right dishwashing liquid because some of them may have some really strong chemicals that might damage the shoes. I think that dawn dish soap might be the best to use for something like this.

 

Create a cleaning solution or a DIY shoe cleaner (Optional step)

Get a spray bottle and mix together warm water and dish soap into it. When you are ready to use the spray mixture make sure to shake the bottle.

You can also mix baking soda and water together but I will explain this method later in this article.

 

Step 4.  Use the brush to clean the shoes

Dip the shoebrush into the mixture and gently clean the shoes. When cleaning your air force ones, you should use the brush in a circular motion. Doing this will get rid of all the dirt/dust that was on your shoes.

 

If you want a more precise way to clean or maybe you just want to clean the hard-to-reach spots on the shoes, just use a toothbrush instead of a shoe brush. When using a toothbrush you have to be careful not to scrub as the bristles on them are harder than the ones on a shoe brush.

 

 

Step 5. Rinse the bristles as you clean

This is a small but required step, but when cleaning your air force ones with a brush you have to make sure that you rinse the bristles as you clean. Doing this will prevent you from rubbing dirt all over the shoes.

 

Step 6. Clean the soles

When cleaning the soles of your shoes there are a lot of things to do. Most people will just tell you to clean them with a soft damp cloth and while that may be true some shoe soles might be so dirty that cleaning them with a cloth isn’t enough. If your shoe soles are like this then don’t worry because this step will come in handy.

Mix baking soda, warm water, and dish soap together in a small bowl. This will create a paste-like substance. Dip the toothbrush into the paste mixture and use it to clean the shoe soles. Rinse the toothbrush with clean water and repeat. Finally, wipe the bottom of the shoes with a wet cloth and then use a dry cloth to finish the job. You can also use a magic eraser sponge.

If you want more ways on how to clean your shoe soles just check out this article “ how to clean the bottom of shoes ”. Just make sure to avoid any method that includes bleach or other harsh chemicals that may damage your air force ones.

 

Step 7. Give the shoes a final wipe

After following every step above make sure to get a clean damp microfiber cloth and use it to wipe your shoes.

 

Step 8. Clean the shoelaces

Durty shoelaces can make even the cleanest shoes look very old. To clean your shoelaces you need to get a small container of water (around 2-3 cups) and add a few drops of dish soap or wash soap into it. Then place the shoelaces into the mixture and let them soak for a couple of minutes. After letting them soak use your hands to massage the laces. Then rinse them under running water. After rinsing them you should let them air dry.

 

Step 9.  Allow the shoes to air dry

Make sure you air dry your shoes at room temperature.  It is also important to allow them to dry before wearing them again (around 8-10 hours).

 

These tips are the best to follow when cleaning your air force ones.

 

How to clean air force ones that have yellow stains

Baking soda and vinegar mixture.Most old air force ones usually have yellow stains on them that are very hard to clean but don’t worry I’ll show you an easy way to clean them.

 

To get rid of the yellow stains on your air force ones you will need to use vinegar and baking soda.

  • Mix the vinegar and baking soda into a small dish. Mixing them together will create a paste substance.
  • Dip a toothbrush or a shoe brush into the paste and use it to gently rub your sneakers. Then let the shoes dry for about 10 minutes.
  • Use a damp cloth to wipe away the paste residue that’s on the shoes.

After doing this, your air force one sneakers will be looking brand new.

 

How to clean different air force one sneaker materials

Throughout this article, I showed you how to clean regular air force ones the right way. But there are many other air force ones that are made up of different materials such as suede, knit, etc.

 

I am going to give you some tips on how to clean these different materials.

 

How to clean suede airforce one sneakers

Suede is known to be very difficult to clean. One of the reasons why suede material is hard to clean is because you have to clean it with things other than water.

Here are some ways to clean your suede sneakers:

  • Use a suede brush to brush away any dirt or scuff marks you see on the shoes. Make sure that you brush the shoes in the same direction as the material. You can also use a suede rubber to clean the shoes as well.
  • If the shoes have tougher stains on them, just dip a soft clean microfiber cloth into a small bowl of vinegar and use it to gently scrub the suede material.

 

How to clean knit material on Flyknit air force ones

Flyknit shoes are very delicate and they tend to get dirty very easily. Not only that but you have to be extra careful when cleaning them. To clean flyknit air force ones and other knit shoes all you need to do are mix water and soap in a small container. Make sure the soap doesn’t have any harsh chemicals in it. Then use a cloth to clean the shoes.

These are the best ways to clean suede and flyknit air forces.

 

Now that you’ve finished cleaning your shoes, here are some frequently asked questions you should probably read.

 

Frequently asked questions about cleaning air force ones:

 

Can you wash air force 1s with a washing machine?

The answer to this is no. Washing your air forces in the washer is a very bad idea. While some other shoes are made of more durable materials, your Air force ones on the other hand would probably be damaged because it is made up of leather.

 

What to do if your shoes are still dirty after cleaning them?

If your air force ones or any other shoes are still dirty even if you followed all the steps and methods above then maybe your shoes are too old and you probably might need a new pair.

 

How to get rid of bad shoe odor?

This doesn’t only go for air force ones but a lot of shoes tend to smell bad after a while. The reason why this might happen is that the inside of your shoes was wet and you didn’t dry them properly or maybe it’s because of the bacteria that’s in your shoe or on your feet.

To get rid of the bad odor all you have to do is sprinkle baby powder inside your shoes and leave it overnight. The next morning you should shake out the baby powder and your shoes should be smelling way better than before. You can also use baking soda.

 

Why do air force ones turn yellow over time?

The reason for this is mainly due to oxidation. According to collinsdictionary.com oxidation is “ a process in which a chemical substance changes because of the addition of oxygen.”. So if you get dirt or dust on your air forces they will eventually turn yellow. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of ways in which you can prevent this.

 

How often should you clean air force ones?

This usually depends on how often you wear your shoes. Most people who jog daily or go out a lot will probably need to clean their shoes every two weeks while those who don’t usually go out or jog that often should only clean their shoes once a month or when they start to look really dirty.

 

Throughout this article, I showed you how to clean your air force ones and also answered some frequently asked questions about them. I hope this article was helpful to you.

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