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cleaning canvas shoes collage: rubber gloved hand holding white canvas shoes above a bucket of sudsy water; before and after pictures of white canvas shoes after cleaning
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How to Clean Canvas Shoes

If there's one thing I hate it's having my nice white canvas Keds become dirty and unwearable! If you've felt the same, follow these simple steps to clean your canvas shoes so they look like new.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 clean canvas shoes
Author Jill Nystul
Cost $10

Equipment

  • Bucket
  • Scrub Brush
  • Toothbrush
  • Towel
  • Newspaper

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup OxiClean
  • 1 gallon Warm Water

Instructions

  • Start by removing the laces from the shoes. Zip them into in a mesh laundry bag and toss them in your washer to clean them. If your shoes have removable insoles or you’ve put a pair into them, remove those from your shoes as well.
    cleaning canvas shoes - dirty white Keds
  • Next, use a scrub brush to brush off any loose dust and dirt from your shoes. Then in a bucket or your sink, mix up a soaking solution of 1/4 cup of OxiClean per gallon of warm water. Submerge your shoes in the solution and allow them to soak for 30 minutes to two hours, depending on how dirty they are.
    When hand washing a sturdy or very soiled stuffed animal, you can add a scoop of Oxiclean to the water.
  • After soaking, use a scrub brush or a toothbrush to scrub away the loosened dirt and grime. Rinse the shoes thoroughly with clean water, then use a dry towel to absorb as much water as you can from the outside and inside of the shoes.
    cleaning canvas shoes - holding a canvas shoe with rubber gloves on and scrubbing the shoe with a brush
  • Finally, stuff a bit of newspaper into each shoe to help absorb excess moisture and hold the shape of the shoes while they dry. Set the shoes aside and allow them to dry completely, which could take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days depending on the humidity. Once your shoes have dried, relace them and then go show off your fresh and clean kicks!
    cleaning canvas shoes - clean white Keds