I am obsessed with white shoes. To me, there’s nothing better than a crisp white pair of Air Force 1s or Stan Smiths with literally any outfit.

But dirty white shoes? I’d rather go barefoot.

If you, like me, CAN NOT physically leave the house wearing dirty shoes, you need to familiarize yourself with the best cleaning methods for white shoes. With a little research and the right products, you can keep your white shoes looking new for a long time, and easily deal with any spots as they happen.

Here’s the ultimate guide to how to clean white shoes, with tips on how to clean leather, canvas, and knit shoes. Never rock dirty shoes again!

Related reading: How to Wear White Sneakers: The Ultimate Guide

Table of Contents

How Often to Clean White Shoes

First, let’s talk about how often you should be cleaning your shoes.

The experts say that you should ideally be cleaning your shoes after every wear — basically just wiping them down with a baby wipe, special shoe wipe, or damp microfiber cloth to get rid of any surface dirt. I generally try to do this when my shoes are brand new, but then I tend to fall off my regimen, which leads us to…

More realistically, you should be cleaning your white shoes at least once a month, or whenever they start to look dirty and dingy, to keep them as fresh as possible. (I definitely recommend cleaning more often if you wear the same pair every day.)

Also, if you’re going to store your white shoes for the winter, make sure to give them a good cleaning (and let them fully dry) before you put them away.