Basic guide to cleaning your shoes

No matter what you do to try to avoid it, if you wear them, your sneakers will get dirty. Fortunately, it is simple to keep your sneakers looking fresh and original. If you have a consistent habit of cleaning your sneakers as soon as they get dirty, they will keep looking new for years to come. A quick and basic cleaning of the shoes is something that anyone can do in minutes, too.

For a basic shoe cleaning, I recommend using a specially designed shoe cleaner. One of the brands that I have used and trusted for several years is Jason Markk. This product can be found through the company's web store, however, the use of this product is not mandatory to clean your shoes. It only helps the cleaning process better, as a product as such is formulated to remove dirt, grease and oil stains. Dish soap from any major brand can act as a substitute for a shoe cleaner.

Start by filling a container with warm water. Take a toothbrush, preferably a clean one that you won't use to brush your teeth afterward, and immerse the brush head in the water. Then pour a small amount of dish detergent, or a shoe cleaner as mentioned above, on the toothbrush and once again soak it in the water. Begin to lightly rub your sneakers in a circular motion with the bristles of the toothbrush, making the soap foam and remove visible stains. Once satisfied, take a damp cloth and rub the sneakers to remove the soap and look for any place you have lost, following the process with another massage with a dry cotton cloth. It is not recommended to place your sneakers near a heater, as they should not get as wet in the cleaning process, not to mention that extreme temperature will quickly dry the leather of your Sneaker Shield. Just let them air dry.

The same cleaning method can also be applied to the soles of your shoes. These will most likely need a more thorough cleaning and may require you to repeat the cleaning process more than once.

Like the exterior of your sneakers, the interior lining should also be cleaned from time to time. Just think of all the sweat you've absorbed, which will eventually discolor the lining, especially if it's white. To clean the lining, pour the water you used to clean the base of the sneaker and fill the container with clean water. Dip the toothbrush in the water and shake off the excess water once you remove it. With the damp bristles of the brush, rub the lining of your sneakers in a small circular motion. It is up to you if you want to use soap as it can be a pain to get it all out sometimes. Try cleaning the lining of your sneakers without it first, and if you can't remove all stains, apply a small amount of soap. Once you're done, pat the lining dry with a soft cotton towel and continue to let the sneakers air dry.