Are your New Balance shoes looking worse for wear? Like all sneakers the more you wear them the more dirty they become. The good thing is that with a few household cleaning products, an old toothbrush, and some elbow grease you can easily clean them yourself.
How To Clean My New Balance Shoes
Found in Boston in 1906, New Balance is an American shoe icon. Over the many decades they’ve been in business they’ve released many iconic models ranging from the 574 to the 990.
How Do You Clean New Balance Shoes At Home?
- Whenever you clean New Balance shoes, use an old toothbrush to gently clean the exterior of the shoe. Avoid harsh chemicals because they can damage the exterior – especially leather.
- Make sure when you clean New Balance shoes to test the cleaning products in small areas. Chemicals can react differently to different materials (plastics, leather, etc).
- If you want your New Balances shoes to stay clean, you should have a routine set in place to deep clean your shoes frequently. Without a system in place, you New Balance shoes can become extremely dirty!
The following steps will aid you in the deep cleaning of your New Balances and restore them to pristine condition.
What You Need:
- Small Tub
- Old Toothbrush/A Soft Bristle Brush
- Dawn Dish Soap
- Microfiber Cloth
Steps to Cleaning Dirty New Balance Shoes
- Take your New Balances outside and knock them together to remove any loose dirt or debris.
- Remove the laces and pull the tongue forward to prepare them for a deep cleaning. It can be hard to access this area easily.
- Pour a small amount of water onto your old toothbrush and agitate the exterior of the shoe, working top to bottom. The goal here is rough up the surface and dampen it.
- Next, add one cup of water into your plastic tub along with a few drops of Dawn dish soap and mix together.
- Using the toothbrush, cover the shoes in the soapy water liquid. Scrub the shoes in small circular motions, removing as much dirt and debris as possible.
- Rinse the brush often for best results.
- Once all the dirt has been agitated with the toothbrush, use a damp microfiber towel to wipe away excess dirt and soap. Repeat the cleaning process as many times as necessary until satisfied with the result.
- Once all dirt is removed, dry the shoes with a towel and leave them out to dry. Avoid direct sunlight as that can cause yellow spots to appear on the soles.
How to Clean New Balance Laces
Restoring dirty laces to their original glory is a very simple process.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Old or Dirty Laces
- A Plastic Tub
- Out White Bright
- Fill up a plastic tub with warm water and add a few drops of Dawn dish soap. Place the laces in the mixture and let them soak for 15 minutes.
- After the laces have soaked, run the laces through your fingers to eliminate as much dirt as possible. If you need to scrub them with a brush, you can do that as well.
- Rinse them in clean water. If they appear clean, leave them to dry overnight
- For VERY STAINED LACES, fill up a plastic tub with 10 cups of water. Add one cup of Out White Bright, place the dirty laces in the mixture and let them soak for 5 hours
- Once they have soaked, rinse with clean water and your laces will be brand new again. If your laces are damaged beyond repair, you can always purchase new laces.
How to Clean Yellow New Balance Soles
Maybe your New Balances are clean, but the soles have turned yellow. This is actually oxidation, which is a reaction that occurs between the rubber and oxygen in the air. Thankfully, there are a few steps you can take. Checkout our in-depth guide here on how to clean yellow soles.
How to Clean & Prevent Yellow Stains On New Balance Shoes
If you are looking for one of the most effective ways to clean yellow soles or stains on New Balance shoes, this method is one of the best we’ve found.
What You Will Need:
- Baking Soda
- White Vinegar
- Soft Bristle Brush
Generally, older shoes will need this more than newer shoes, but it’s never too early to start. The more often you do it, the less chance oxidation will have to build up.
- Mix equal parts of baking soda and white vinegar until a watery paste is formed in a small container.
- Using a toothbrush, work the paste into the sole of the shoe in small circular motions.
- After the entire shoe is covered in paste, allow it to sit for 10 minutes (this is where the magic happens).
- Wipe the shoe clean with a damp microfiber cloth.
How To Deodorize New Balance Shoes
If we are being honest, sometimes shoes start to stink! Here’s how to deodorize your New Balance shoes.
Option #1: Place a dryer sheet in each shoe, and let it sit for 24 hours. These dryer sheets will absorb any liquid that may be in the shoe, and help mask the overall odor. For the best result, do this multiple times within a few day period to eliminate as much stench as possible.
Option #2: Mix ¼ cup of baking powder, ¼ cup of baking powder, and ½ cup of cornstarch. Once the mixture is created, pour it into two cotton socks and place them in the shoes overnight. This will greatly improve the smell of your Jordan Futures.
How to Keep Your New Balances Clean
The last thing you want to do after cleaning your New Balances is to do it again soon after.
Whether you’re rocking New Balances or any other sneaker you care about, you should always use a spray sneaker protectant.
These sprays create a barrier that is difficult for stains to penetrate which keeps your shoes looking fresh. Once your shoes are clean, consider one of our favorite shoe protectants below to keep your shoes looking fresh for longer.
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