Keeping It Fresh: 2 Best Ways to Clean White Shoelaces

Clean White Shoelaces

Cleaning your white shoes is great but when it comes to cleaning the laces, it requires a different procedure. So, if you want to know the right method to clean white shoelaces, there are multiple ways to do it. You can avoid problems like facing a lack of time and resources by contacting Love2Laundry. Our experience ensures to transform your white shoelaces into a new one.

All you need is to continue reading and you’ll surely find one of the easiest and helpful procedures.


Materials You’ll Need

Before understanding the procedure to whiten shoelaces, let’s have a look at the materials required for the job, which are:

Mild Detergent – When you use a mild detergent to clean white shoelaces, it’ll preserve their quality and keep the original colour as well.

Old Toothbrush – If you find that your white shoe laces have some dust and debris on the texture, use an old toothbrush to remove it.

Bowl or Basin – You can use a bowl or a basin for ‘how to clean white shoelaces’ as you need a place to fill the water in.

Warm Water – Warm water is mandatory because it’ll go deep within the laces with the detergent and get all the stains out for whitening shoelaces.

White Cloth or Towel – After washing your white shoelaces, you must have a white cloth or a towel to wipe off all the excess water.

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How to Clean White Shoelaces – 2 Ways

If you’re looking to make shoelaces white again and want an authentic cleaning procedure, then you’re at the right place because here are two effective methods for that. Let’s have a look:

Method 1: Handwashing Shoelaces with Mild Detergent

One process to clean white shoelaces is a natural one. It means cleaning your shoelaces with your hands. If you’re confused. Here is the process.

Remove the Laces

The first step to clean white shoelaces is to separate them from the shoes because the materials used for cleaning shoelaces are different and might have a negative effect if you wash them with shoes.

This way, you can clean all the sides of your shoelaces but if the laces cannot be removed from your shoes, you need a microfiber cloth underneath to save your shoe texture.

Create a Soapy Solution

After you’ve removed the laces from your shoes, create a soapy solution to clean white shoelaces. Remember, the quality of shoelaces might not be durable and you must have a mild detergent and warm water.

Fill up a bowl or your basin with it and keep stirring it until you get the solution. You can test the solution on a smaller part to see whether it has a side effect or not.

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Scrub Gently with Toothbrush

The first step is to take a toothbrush and start rubbing it on your shoelaces to remove excess dirt. Remember to follow a gentle approach because the more force you apply, the higher the chances of your shoelaces getting ruined. So, make sure to rub the toothbrush with softer hands; all the soap residue will be removed.

Rinse Thoroughly & Dry

Once you’re done washing, the next step is to clean white shoelaces, rinsing and drying. Rinsing your shoelaces is necessary because if even a single trace of soap residue is left on them, it can ruin the entire appearance of the laces for drying, a natural way is preferable: simply hang your shoelaces on a clothesline.

Method 2: Machine Wash Shoelaces For Stubborn Stains

Now, if the stains on your white shoelaces are old & stubborn and you’re facing problems in getting rid of them, wash them in a washing machine. It’s the best way to clean white shoelaces with robust stain marks. Let’s see where to start:

Lace Removal

The first thing you need to do for cleaning white shoelaces in a washing machine is to remove the shoelaces. Tossing your shoes directly in the washing machine can cause damage to it.

Place in Mesh Bag

The different part of how to whiten shoelaces from sustaining damage is to place them in a mesh bag. That’s because when you wash a delicate item in a washing machine, the chances of it attracting residues increase, so a mesh bag turns out to be a saviour in that matter.

Add Mild Detergent

It’s recommended to use a mild detergent instead of the regular one that’s used to wash clothes. That’s because a mild detergent is suitable for sensitive fabrics. It protects the colour of your fabric and functions as a barrier to keep the fibres shoelaces safe.

Choose Gentle Cycle

Just before you turn on your washing machine to clean white shoelaces, check on what washing cycle your washing machine is set on. If it’s a regular or permanent washing cycle, then change it to a gentle washing cycle or else your shoelaces are done for. 

Air Dry

Moving on to the final step for how to wash your white shoelaces is the drying procedure. Judging by the size, you surely won’t put them in a dryer. Instead, hang it on a towel rod and let it drip dry, but if you want to speed up the process, then roll it in a towel to squeeze out as much water as you can.

Inspect and Lace Up

Just before putting the laces back in your shoes, have a proper inspection of whether some stains are remaining or not, if you find some, then repeat the above steps.

Expert Tips for whitening or washing shoelaces

Along with the effective methods mentioned above, if you want to include some useful tips in your cleaning process, here are some tips:

  • If you don’t want to clean white shoelaces, then opt for coloured ones.
  • Wash leather laces using saddle soap and warm water. Don’t put them directly under the sun and apply leather oil on them.
  • Always have an extra pair of shoelaces as a backup. When one pair is dirty, use the other one.
  • Don’t forget to store the cleaned shoelaces with the other pair of shoes.
  • An aglet kit should be useful in case you want a replacement.

FAQs 

Does bleach ruin shoelaces?

Of course, bleach will ruin the shoelaces because of the strong chemicals contained and can easily pierce through the fibres of the laces because of their delicate nature.

How do you clean white shoes with baking soda?

First, add a tablespoon of baking soda in water and form a paste. Then, apply it to the affected areas and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. Rub it gently with a toothbrush and wipe it out with a clean cloth.

Can toothpaste whiten shoes?

Yes, it can. Take some non-gel white toothpaste on a cloth or a toothbrush, apply it on the dirty part of your shoes, then after leaving it for some time, wipe it with a clean piece of cloth.

How often should we wash white laces?

Well, it depends on how much you wear your shoes as the exact time to wash shoelaces cannot be calculated. However, a preferred frequency is washing shoelaces twice in week would be enough.

Wrap Up!

When the time comes to clean white shoelaces, You may need expert opinions and services. It might be because of not knowing the detergent or the lack of time to do laundry.

Now that you know these methods, you can clear all doubts, like using warm water instead of cold water, opting for a mild detergent, drying the shoelaces naturally instead of using a dryer, and much more.