TIPS ON HOW TO CLEAN YOUR TRAINERS

This is the time of year your trainers need proper care and maintenance, including cleaning as they take a real bashing over the muddy winter cross-country trials. Here are our tips on how to clean your trainers!

You probably have all the tools and ingredients you need to clean your trainers at home in your kitchen cabinets.

• A cleaning brush or toothbrush
• Bio Liquid Detergent.
• Foam sponge
• Soft cloth or dry microfibre towel 

To keep your trainers in prime condition, below are a few easy cleaning steps:

• Remove Laces: Laces are an obstacle during the cleaning stage. Removing them opens up the cleaning surface and provides better access for hard-to-reach spots
• Dry brush: Remove dirt from the outsole, midsole and uppers using a dry, soft-bristled shoe brush. No shoe brush? No problem—an old toothbrush will work just fine, particularly for getting into smaller areas like eyelets. 
• Sink Scrub: Mix warm water with a small amount of laundry Bio Liquid Detergent. Avoid flat-out submerging the shoe into water, if the shoe doesn’t dry properly it’ll develop different problems, like mould and sole separation. 
• Wash laces: Remove the laces and apply a small amount of the mild cleaning solution. Massage the laces, rinse and then dry with a soft cloth.  
• Wash soles. Apply the mild solution to a soft-bristled brush and brush the outsole and midsole. Dry with a soft cloth.

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• Wash and blot. Use the mild solution and a soft-bristled brush or a soft cloth to clean the uppers. Then use a dry microfibre towel or soft cloth to blot and lift as much soapy moisture and dirt as possible. Repeat if necessary.
• Deep Strains.  Use a little bicarbonate of soda mixed with water and a toothbrush using a circular motion to scrub deeper stains out.   If it’s a particularly stubborn stain, you may need to repeat the process a few times.
•  Air-dry at room temperature.  Heat can warp the rubber parts of your trainers and mean they don’t quite fit like they used to so, laying trainers on top of radiators is a no go. To absorb excess moisture pop some scrunched up newspaper inside or better still use a shoe tree as it will also help to reshape the shoe and aid elimination of odours.  
• Extra Tip: Starch them down.  After cleaning and drying is complete spray your trainer’s with laundry starch as a way to protect them from future stains. 

For best results, clean your trainers as soon as they get dirty. Then lace up and get back out there.

We don’t recommend putting your trainers in a washing machine although if you feel your trainers are so bashed up, they are destined for the bin, no harm in giving it a go – but always read the label first to see if the materials are machine washable.