How to clean white shoelaces
We may earn commission from our affiliate partners when purchasing products through our links. Learn more.
Keeping white sneakers clean can be tricky, and all your efforts will have gone to waste if the shoelaces are not bright white as well.
No matter how old you are, it can be hard to keep white shoelaces clean as they can drag on the ground, get splashed with puddles, and just seem to attract dirt more than any other piece of clothing. To upgrade your style and make sure that you are always looking sharp, you need to work to clean white shoelaces.
Luckily, there are several different ways that you can clean white shoelaces, and they are easy to do. This means that you do not have to worry about looking dirty or untidy ever again. It can be super easy to learn how to clean white shoelaces as most of what you need will already be in your laundry room.
Stay tuned for our guide on how to clean white shoelaces.
How To Clean White Shoelaces in The Washing Machine
There is nothing easier than throwing something in the washing machine, and luckily, this is possible when it comes to white shoelaces.
What You Need
You can’t simply just through white shoelaces into the washing machine as they are, but this cleaning process is not much more complicated than that. There are a couple of things that you will need before washing shoelaces, and it is likely that you already have it all in your laundry room or kitchen cupboards.
- Laundry detergent
- Bleach, if required
- Small mesh laundry bag
- Soft toothbrush
- Stain remover or treatment
- Laundry rack, washing line, or something similar for drying
How To Clean
This is perhaps the easiest way to clean white shoelaces, and it can be done as often as required to make sure that your shoes are looking smart.
You can throw white shoelaces, inside the mesh bag, in the machine with a standard white load as long as the temperature is not too high.
Step 1: Remove the laces
First, remove the laces from the shoes as this will make them easier to clean. You can wash both white shoelaces and the shoe they belong to in the same white load, but it is a good idea to take the laces off the shoe first.
Step 2: Brush away stains
Use a toothbrush and a stain remover of your choice to gently scrub any stains or marks that may be on the laces. This is a way to remove targeted areas of dirt to ensure that your white shoelaces will come out of the machine looking brand new. While scrubbing the dirt away, run the laces under the cold tap so all debris will be flushed away.
For any particularly tough stains or ground-in dirt, apply the stain remover solution and leave it to sit on the laces for at least 20 minutes.
Step 3: Prepare for the washing machine
Once all of the tough stains have been removed, you can let the washing machine take care of the rest. Before putting the laces directly in with your wash load, you need to put them in a mesh bag or a lingerie bag. This is a standard piece of laundry equipment, and it can be purchased from almost anywhere.
Place the laces in a mesh bag to prevent them from getting tangled up in other washing or worse, the machine itself.
To clean white shoelaces, you can use standard laundry detergent. If you want to brighten your shoelace, bleach or a bleach solution can also be added to the wash load if you are washing them with other white items. Make sure to handle bleach with care and only add a small amount.
The choice is up to you based on what is best, but bleach might work to brighten the white shoelaces as well as clean them. Whatever you choose, add a little amount of the cleaning solution into the washing machine and start a cold wash.
To Finish: Dry the shoelaces
Once the machine wash has completed its cycle, separate the laces in a mesh bag from your other washing. You must not put shoelaces into the dryer or have them near any kind of heat as they contain plastic and all laces have plastic tips.
Remove the laces from the mesh bag, and if you have used bleach, you might want to rinse the laces under running water before drying. Warm water can be used for this.
This is where a drying rack or washing line comes in, as you need to let them air dry before they can be put back onto your shoes. Secure the laces onto the drying rack using pegs or hang the laces outside where they can dry with the breeze.
How To Clean White Shoelaces By Hand
If you do not have a white load of washing to go on or are dealing with white laces that are made from synthetic fibers, such as plastic, then washing them by hand is the best option.
This can be just as easy as cleaning the laces with the washing machine and doesn’t require much more to do.
What You Need
- Soft scrub brush or toothbrush
- Rubber gloves
- Warm water
- Liquid laundry detergent
- Bleach, if required
- Stain remover
- Drying rack or washing line
How To Clean
Before you can start cleaning the shoelaces, make sure to remove them from your shoes so they can be cleaned separately.
1: Scrub away stains under water
Like with the first cleaning process, hold the white laces under running water to remove any obvious dirt. Spray the stain remover onto marks and leave it to sit while you prepare the cleaning solution.
2: Prepare a cleaning bowl
When cleaning shoelaces through a hand wash, you can either fill up a bowl or the sink with hot water and a cleaning solution. This is where you will need the laundry detergent.
3: Soak the shoelaces
Place the laces into the bowl or sink and leave them to soak in the hot water and detergent. Allow them to soak for at least five minutes in the water before adding the laundry detergent.
You should leave the laces in the water and detergent mixture for around 30 minutes to remove dirt.
If you want to make white laces brighter, you can add a cup of bleach to the water, making sure to protect yourself wearing rubber gloves. Again, leave the laces in the water and bleach for around 30 minutes.
Avoid getting the skin into direct contact with the bleach when you add it to the water.
4: Scrub away dirt
After the shoelaces have been soaked in the water and cleaning solution, you will need to get your scrub brush or toothbrush ready. Take the laces out of the sink and start to gently scrub dirt from the laces using the brush.
Make sure to wear rubber gloves if they have been resting in bleach.
To Finish: Rinse and allow to dry
As we have mentioned, you must avoid the dryer when cleaning shoelaces or shoes in general, as this can damage the fabric. So, after you have removed the laces from their soak and brushed away dirt, it is time for them to dry.
First, rinse the white shoelaces under running water to get rid of any soap, bleach, and other cleaning solution that may be leftover. Ring out the shoelaces to get rid of dripping water and then hang them up to dry.
Final Notes
If you are tired of having your shoes look dull and dirty, cleaning white shoelaces can be a highly effective way to make them look good as new once more.
Because of the synthetic fabric that most white shoelaces are made from, you need to be gentle when cleaning them. No matter what method you choose to wash your shoelaces, avoid putting them in the dryer and instead let them hang outside to dry. Bleach can be used to brighten shoelaces, but take care when using it.
The same techniques can also be used for other shoes, including cleaning leather shoes or even leather clothing, as they are gentle.