by Anthony Miele

Created on: March 15, 2009

Clean sneakers are a way of life to some people and many of us simply love to just have tips on how to spot treat them when dirty. Nobody enjoys having chunks of mud and stripes of grass stain on their newly bought or even older pairs of sneakers. There are three basic types of irritating dirtiness that may find its way on to your sneakers: Dirt (your mud's and such), Scuffs (anything dense that scrapes the sneaker and leaves a mark), and Stains (grass, liquids, foods, etc.). You'll always need three simple items to clean with, as well: a toothbrush, cloth or rag, and the needed cleaning materials that will be listed for the specific tarnish (dishwashing liquid, Kiwi colored shoe polish, or whitening toothpaste).

Dirt Removal (the basic cleaning)

Oh, how we hate when that rainy day causes us to step in a puddle of mud! As horrifying as it seems, it does happen to the best of us. For this specific cleaning you will need: A toothbrush (not the one you brush your teeth with!), a cloth (it could even be a sock), and your handy cleaning solution of warm water and the best dishwashing liquid you have (Dawn, Palmolive, etc.).

Start by running some warm water in the sink and removing as much crud off the sneaker as possible with your hands. Be very careful to only rinse the bottom of your shoes and not anywhere that water can penetrate to the inside of them. Once you have most of the large clumps of dirt off of the sneaker, you can then start the process of refining. Begin by dipping a small portion of your cloth into the cleaning solution and gently swiping in one direction over only the dirtied parts of your sneakers. Don't be afraid to rinse and ring out the wet portion of the cloth as it can become a little dirty after awhile. Let your toothbrush do the rest of the hard work, letting it get in to all of the mudded nooks and crannies. Take the dry portion of your cloth and wipe the entire shoe dry.

Scuff Removal

They can happen quickly with deadly force. You're casually walking in a parking lot and by some stroke of bad luck, you trip slightly and although catching yourself from falling, your sneaker scrapes on the pavement leaving a nasty scar across it! Although there is no reason to fear, some ammo is required: a toothbrush, a cloth or rag, and now your Kiwi colored shoe polish. Note that you should try the "dirt removal" method first before launching this method.

Begin by using the "dirt removal" technique so that you can get as much "scuff" off of your sneaker(s)

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