How to clean shoelaces

No one likes to have dirty sneaker shoelaces. They can make the rest of your shoes look dirty even though they might be clean. Today I will show you how to clean shoelaces whether it’s white or colored.

Also, check out this article if you want to know how to clean your sneakers.

How to clean shoelaces by hand

When cleaning shoelaces you have to make sure that you are cleaning them based on their colors and how dirty they are. If your shoelaces are white then you might want to wash them with bleach, if they are colored then you cant use bleach and other harsh chemicals to clean them or they’ll lose their color.

I am now going to show you how to clean your shoelaces based on color.

Cleaning white shoelaces

When cleaning white shoelaces there are different methods which you can use. Some methods may work differently for most people. The following are some of the best methods to use when cleaning white shoelaces:

Using Oxi clean stain remover:

1. Get a small dish or container and add 2-3 cups of warm water into it. Then add 1 cup of oxi clean stain remover into it.
2. Remove the laces from the shoe and place them into the water.
3. Now get an unused toothbrush and place the bristles into the mixture and use it to clean the shoelaces. Make sure to brush away all the dirt and grime from the laces.
4. After cleaning the shoelaces with the toothbrush, pour out the water from the container and rinse the laces under running water. When rinsing them make sure that you get all the soap out of them.
5. (optional)-If there are still visible stains or dirt on the shoelaces then let them soak for an hour or two.
6. Now it’s time to dry the white shoelaces. If you don’t want your shoelaces to shrink then it’s best to air dry them. To air dry them the only thing you need to do is hang them up somewhere.

Using Bleach:

When cleaning white shoelaces, bleach is definitely the best option. But most people don’t really like to use bleach because it is very harsh, but if you use it the right way you won’t have to worry about that.

1. First, put on gloves and wear a face mask.
2. Pour the 1/2 – 2 cups of bleach into a bucket (depends on how big the bucket is).
3. Now fill the bucket quarter to halfway up with warm water. Then add 1 cup of your favorite detergent into it.
4. Now place the shoelaces into the water and use your hands to wash the laces. Wash them for around 2-5 minutes.
5. After washing them let them soak for an hour or two.
6. Now rinse the shoelaces under warm running water. Make sure to get all the bleach and soap out of them.
7. Now place them outside under the sun on a flat surface (like a table) and allow them to dry. If you don’t care about shrinkage then you can place them in your dryer.

Using vinegar:

Cleaning white shoelaces with vinegar is almost the same as cleaning them with bleach. You might be wondering that if it’s the same method then why not just mix the bleach with the vinegar? Well if you are planning to do this DON’T!!. If you want to know more about what happens if you mix bleach and vinegar together then click here.

Now let’s move on to the steps.

1. Place the shoelaces into a small bucket and fill it up with warm water.
2. Now add 2-3 cups of vinegar into the bucket and Also add some of your favorite detergents to it.
3. Now use your hands to wash the laces.
4. After washing them you should rinse them out under running water. Then dry them.

Making your own cleaning solution:

1. Get a small bucket and fill it quarter way up with warm water and add 2-3 tbsp of dish soap and 2 cups of vinegar into it.
2. Now get a small brush and use it to clean the shoelaces.
3. After cleaning them, let them soak for 2 hours.
4. Then air-dry them.

I’ve shown you how to clean white shoelaces, now it’s time to show you how to clean the colored ones.

Cleaning colored shoelaces

CLeaning colored shoelaces is almost the same as cleaning white shoelaces, the only difference is that you don’t use anything that contains bleach or any other strong chemicals. Here are some different ways you can clean your colored shoelaces:

Using dish soap:

Option 1

1. Remove the laces from the shoes and place them under running water. Then squirt a few drops of dish soap onto them.
2. Now since the laces are soapy, use your hands to wash them. Do this for 2 minutes.
3. After washing them rinse them under running water and dry them.

Option 2

1. Get a bucket and fill it up with warm water and add 2-4 squirts of dish soap into it.
2. Place the shoelaces in the water and use your hands to wash them.
3. When washing them with your hands you need to rub and squeeze the laces together so that they get all the dirt and grime from them.
4. After washing them, let them soak in the water for 30 minutes.
5. After letting them soak you should rinse then air dry them.

Using powder soap or your favorite detergent

1. Remove the shoelaces and place them under running water
2. Add powder soap or liquid detergent to them.
3. Then use your hands to rub them together. Rubbing the bundle of shoelaces to gether is a great way to wash them.
4. Place them under the running water again to rinse them.
5. After that dry them using a dryer or hang them up somewhere where there is a lot of air circulation.

How to clean show laces in the washing machine

Throughout this article, I showed you different ways to clean both colored and white shoelaces using your hands. Now I am going to show you how to clean them using a washing machine.

Cleaning white shoelaces using a washing machine

1. Get a bucket and fill it up with warm water and add 1 cup of bleach into it.
2. Place the shoelaces in the bucket of water and let them soak for 2 hours
3. After letting them soak take them out and place them inside the washer
4. Then add laundry detergent and 1 /2 cup of bleach into it and set to the regular wash cycle.
5. After washing the laces place them inside the dryer or air dry them. If you use a dryer to dry them they might shrink a little.

Cleaning colored shoelaces

1. Place them inside the washing machine.
2. Add 2 scoops of oxi clean stain dark protect into it.
3. Set the washer to a regular wash cycle.
4. After washing them, Place them somewhere where they can dry easily.

How to clean shoelaces by soaking them

Now I am going to show you how to clean your shoelaces using the soaking method. Throughout this article, a couple of my methods includes soaking, but the methods I am going to show you now are a bit different. I am also going to show you different ways to soak white and colored shoelaces.

Cleaning white shoelaces

1. Fill a bucket with warm water.
2. Add 2 cups of bleach or vinegar. Don’t use both!!
3. Add laundry detergent of powder wash soap into the bucket of water
4. Place the white shoelaces inside the bucket and let them soak overnight.
5. After letting them soak, rinse them out.
6. Optional- If your shoelaces are still dirty and stained then let them soak longer.
7. Now it’s time to let them air dry.

Cleaning colored shoelaces

1. Fill a bucket with water and add 2-3 scoops of oxi clean stain dark protect into it and also laundry detergent.
2. Also add 1 cup of vinegar, into the bucket. And place the shoelaces into it.
3. Let the shoelaces soak for 5-8 hours.
4. After letting them soak take them out and rinse them under running water.
5. Then let them dry.

Conclusion

In this article, I showed you how to clean your shoelaces, whether they are white or colored. I hope that you found the methods somewhat helpful.