How to Clean White Leather Shoes at Home: A Step-By-Step Guide

White leather shoes can be quite a tricky affair to keep clean. White leather tends to accumulate dirt and stains quickly. Those tiny specks of dust, smudges, and stains sneak into your white shoe without you even noticing. White shoes can even become stained from rubbing against carpeting or furniture.

If you’re sick of stains on your white leather sneakers, this guide will teach you how to clean white leather shoes at home.

White Shoes Stains vs. Cleaning Methods

Looking to clean non-leather white shoes? Check our comprehensive guide – How to clean white shoes.

How to Clean White Leather Shoes Using Baking Soda and White Vinegar

Materials Required:

• Baking soda
• White vinegar
• Water
• Cotton rags or paper towel
• Soft-bristled toothbrush

Process:

1. Step-1 Use the toothbrush to remove dust from the shoe. Gently scrub the upper area of your shoe with the toothbrush in a circular motion. The reason for this is to remove any excess dirt that hasn’t been absorbed into the leather. You can use a cotton rag or soft shoe brush too. Make sure not to scrub hard because this can damage leather.
2. Step-2 Make a scrubbing paste. To make the scrubbing paste take 2 tablespoons of baking soda, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and add water until you create a paste. Stir thoroughly to make sure it is mixed together. You can change the quantity to suit your needs. Remember to dilute white vinegar with water to avoid damaging the leather.
3. Step-3 Use the scrubbing paste. Simply dip a toothbrush into the paste and scrub your shoes in circular motions. Make sure not to apply too much pressure when using it as this can damage the leather. Once you are done scrubbing, allow it to dry on your shoe for 10 minutes.
4. Step-4 Use a damp cloth. Wipe down your shoes with a damp cloth to remove the scrubbing paste. Make sure you don’t drench the cloth with water, as this would leave water stains on the leather shoes. If there’s still dry paste left, gently brush it off with a toothbrush. Allow the shoe to air dry away from direct sunlight.

The scrubbing paste is capable of removing stubborn stains like grease, food and drink spills, blood, and so on. However, it has some significant downsides. Baking soda when used on leather leaves behind residue, which in turn reacts with your shoe’s surface. To prevent this, use a wet cloth to clean your shoe thoroughly after applying the paste. White vinegar will cause the leather to deteriorate if you use too much of it. Use the paste only on those tough spots and not throughout your entire shoe. Use this method once a month to avoid any damage to the leather.

Using a Magic Eraser

Materials Required:

• Magic eraser such as a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (costs $4.90 for a pack of 2 on amazon.com)
• Water
• A bowl
• Cotton rags or paper towel
• Soft-bristled toothbrush

Process:

1. Step-1 Use the toothbrush to remove dust from the shoe. Take the toothbrush and gently scrub the upper part of your shoe in a circular motion. The motive behind this is to remove any loose dirt that hasn’t been absorbed into the leather. You can also use a cotton rag or a soft shoe brush. Make sure not to scrub hard because this will damage leather instead. This should remove the majority of the dust that has built up on the shoe’s surface.
2. Step-2 Use the magic eraser to remove stains from your shoes. Add a small amount of water to the bowl and dip your magic eraser in it. Make sure you wet, but don’t drench the magic eraser. Squeeze out the excess water and begin scrubbing the stained areas of your shoe. You must be gentle because if you rub too hard, the magic eraser will damage leather instead.
3. Step-3 Use a clean dried cotton rag or paper towel. Once all stains have been removed from white shoes, dry using a clean cloth to avoid water spots on your leather shoes. Wipe away any foam crumbles that may have come off in the process. Make sure to air-dry the shoes as moisture can damage the leather. Don’t put the shoes in the dryer because it will shrink the leather.

A magic eraser works best on white shoes that have small scuff marks, ink stains, and mud stains. However, if you stain your shoes with food or beverages, a magic eraser may not work. If your shoes are still not clean, repeat the process twice.

It is not recommended to use a magic eraser on a daily basis to clean your shoes since it can damage the leather. As magic erasers are abrasive, we recommend using them once a month. 

How to Clean White Leather Shoes Using Toothpaste

Materials Required:

• Colgate chalk-based white toothpaste (cost $1.56 for a pack of 1 on amazon.com)
• Soft-bristled toothbrush
• Cotton rags or paper towel
• Water

Process:

1. Step-1 Use the toothbrush to remove dust from your shoes. Using the toothbrush, scrub the upper part of your shoe in a circular motion. This is done to get rid of any dust that hasn’t been absorbed by the leather. A cotton rag or a soft shoe brush can also be used. Make sure not to scrub too hard or the leather will be damaged.
2. Step-2 Wet down the outside of your shoe. Simply moisten a paper towel or a rag with water and make sure it is not soaking wet. Rub it gently over the entire surface of the shoe. This will make the surface moist and clear away some dirt.
3. Step-3 Apply a generous amount of toothpaste to your shoes. Squeeze out a generous amount of toothpaste onto a toothbrush or your finger. Rub toothpaste on all stained areas in a circular motion. Continue doing so for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not be aggressive while rubbing toothpaste.
4. Step-4 Remove toothpaste with a damp paper towel. Once you are done scrubbing, take a clean damp paper towel and wipe the toothpaste off. If you’re having difficulties getting toothpaste off, moisten a towel with warm water and rub toothpaste off of the shoe.
5. Step-5 Dry the shoes. Now that all the toothpaste has been removed, take a dry cloth and wipe it over the shoe. This will remove any moisture left on your shoes as well as prevent water stains. Allow the shoe to air dry in a cool, dry location away from direct sunshine.

If your shoes are still dirty, you can repeat the cleaning process twice. The toothpaste cleaning method works well for white leather with greasy stains, shoe polish marks, black heel marks, and ink spots.

This is because toothpaste contains mild abrasives that are capable of removing most types of stains. Make sure to use chalk-based toothpaste.

Please do not use gel-based toothpaste. Gel-based toothpaste contains artificial dyes. If you use gel-based toothpaste that has any colors in it, like red or blue, for example, it can stain your shoes. You can use this method once a week.

Clean White Shoes Using Vinegar and Olive Oil

Materials Required:

• White vinegar
• Olive oil
• Spray bottle
• Cotton rags
• Soft-bristled Toothbrush

Process:

1. Step-1 Add white vinegar and olive oil to the spray bottle. Pour ¼ cup white vinegar and ½ cup olive oil into a spray bottle. Shake the bottle thoroughly before using.
2. Step-2 Spray the vinegar and olive oil solution on your shoe. Make sure to cover every stain. Spray more on stubborn stains or spots.
3. Step-3 Wait for 5 minutes. Give the solution 5 minutes to soak into the leather. This should break down any stains or excess dirt that got embedded. 
4. Step-4 Rub the vinegar and olive oil mixture with a toothbrush. Take a toothbrush and begin scrubbing the shoe stains you want to remove. You can also use a soft cloth to rub the stains.
5. Step-5 Wipe the solution. Once you are done scrubbing, take a dry cloth and wipe the solution. The stain should come off with the solution. Allow the shoe to air dry completely.

The solution is good for tough food and drink stains, scuffs, grime, and black heel marks. If the spray is left on for too long, such as an hour or two, it may react with the leather.

Remember to shake the solution every few minutes as you use it since it will separate. You can use this method once every 2 weeks.

How to Clean White Leather Shoes Using a Dye-Free Liquid Laundry Detergent

Materials Required:

• Liquid laundry detergent
• Warm water
• Sponge
• Cotton rags or paper towel
• Soft-bristled Toothbrush
• Bowl

Process: 

1. Step-1 Create a cleaning solution. Mix the liquid detergent with warm water in a bowl and stir until it is well-blended.
2. Step-2 Apply the cleaning solution onto your shoes using a sponge or soft cloth. Make sure the cleaning solution is applied to every stain. Use a toothbrush to scrub any stubborn stains like ink stains you want to remove from your shoe. To avoid spreading stains throughout the shoes, rinse the sponge or soft cloth with warm water as you clean. 
3. Step-3 Wipe off the cleaning solution. Now take a dry cloth to wipe away the left-over soapy water. This will protect your leather shoes from water stains. Don’t put the shoes in the dryer because it will shrink the leather. Allow the shoe to air dry in a cool, dry location away from direct sunshine.

The laundry detergent is good for removing tough dirt marks as well as food and beverage stains from white shoes. Make sure to use a dye-free detergent, or else they’ll just stain the surface instead.

Don’t let the cleaning solution stay on your white shoes for long, as this will leave stains. If your shoes are still filthy, repeat the procedure twice. You can use this method once a week. 

Tips for Preventing Stains on Your White Shoes

Here are some tips on how to prevent stains on your white leather shoes –

• Keep your white shoes away from mud and dirt as much as possible.
• Wipe up any spills as soon as possible to avoid stains from forming. Use a damp cloth or paper towel right away to clean off the stain. Every day, inspect your shoes for dust and clean them off.
• Use a water repellant on your shoes. Water repellents will protect your shoes from water damage and help them last longer. Water repellents come in a variety of forms, including oils, waxes, and even sprays. Read and carefully follow the instructions that come with the product. Before applying a repellant, clean your shoes. Make sure the repellant is made exclusively for leather. If you can, avoid wearing white shoes in the rain and snow.
• When not in use, store your shoes in a cool, dry location and out of direct sunlight. The white leather of your shoes can get yellow and be damaged by direct sunlight. To keep them safe, store them in a cold, dark place.
• Clean your shoes on a regular basis to prevent dust from getting absorbed by the surface of leather. Wiping them down with a dry microfiber cloth or a shoe brush after every use is the best way to go.