by Kessie Carroll

Created on: July 09, 2009

So you have a pair of sneakers that you like very much, and you can't find that model anywhere else. They are dirty and possibly beginning to split, but you can't bear to part with them. Is there any hope?

Yes! With a little creativity and elbow grease, you can have your old sneakers looking like new.

Many kinds of sneakers are machine washable, especially Nikes. Run them on a gentle cycle with other clothes. However, never put shoes through a dryer, because the heat can ruin the rubber soles.

If you don't want to machine-wash your sneakers, there are many ways to hand-wash.

Cleaning a shoe:

Before you start scrubbing, remove the laces. These can be washed in the washing machine with no problems, or you can invest in some spiffy new ones. Is the in-sole removable? Pull it out. If it is in good shape, wash it. If not, throw it away and buy a new one from a drugstore.

Using an old toothbrush, dish soap and water, scrub the inside and outside of the shoe. If you have some really tough stains, pre-wash stain remover works well. Rinse the shoe with fresh water and pat dry with paper towels.

Let them sit out in the sun to dry. Some people recommend drying with a hair dryer, or even placing them on their sides on the floor in front of the refrigerator. The warm air blowing out of the vent will dry your sneakers overnight.

If your sneakers are white, try soaking them in water and bleach for an hour.

Once the shoe is clean, you can cover up any scuff marks with white shoe polish.

Deodorizing:

Do your shoes have bad foot odor? Many people advise placing the shoe in a Ziploc bag and freezing them overnight. This kills most odor-causing bacteria.

Other methods include:

Spraying the inside of the shoe with a mixture of vinegar and water.

Sprinkling the inside with baking soda and allowing it to sit after you have washed the shoe. If odor persists, sprinkle baking soda inside the shoe before you wear it. Always change your socks!

Repairing a split:

What about if your shoe is splitting or pulling away from the sole?

You can repair this with the silicon sealant you use for plumbing repairs. There is also a product available called Shoe Goo, a super rubber cement for repairing sneakers.

All of these techniques work, up to a point. If your shoes are completely falling apart, or have huge holes, they probably can't be repaired. You are cleaning and patching, not reconstructing the entire shoe. There are businesses that repair shoes. Check your local listings to see if there is one in your town.

If worst comes to worst and your shoes are too bad off to revamp, consider donating them to the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe program. Nike takes old sneakers and recycles their materials, keeping them from clogging up a landfill.

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