How to keep the colour white in our sneakers
Leather or canvas, for gym or as a complement to your everyday looks, white trainers are that shoe that always elicits love and hate in equal measure. You love them because white is elegant and understated, and they go with everything. However, sometimes you hate them because a few days after wearing them, your sneakers are never the same again. But what if we told you that there are some tricks so that your white trainers are always perfect? Keep reading, because you'll be interested in this.
When do I wear my white trainers?
It may seem that spring and summer are the most suitable seasons to wear white sneakers. As you know, in hot weather white things get warmer as they reflect the sun's rays. However, this belief is not entirely true, because not all heat comes from the sun. Our feet also emit body heat and this heat can be maintained or reduced with the right materials. So if you like white trainers, why not wear them all year round?
In summer, choose light fabrics such as canvas or linen, which will help your feet breathe better. In winter, leather, suede, velvet or corduroy are ideal for keeping you warm. Depending on the different materials, you will have to maintain your shoes differently.
Homemade and sustainable methods to clean your shoes
The first trick you already know: never put them in the washing machine! Machine washing is not usually recommended for any type of shoe, unless the material is sufficiently resistant and in that case, the manufacturer will indicate it. This happens, for example, with these leather trainers, ideal for the little ones. With them, you can use a short programme with cold water or a special programme for delicate garments.
If your trainers are made of fabric, something that works spectacularly well is @la_ordenatriz's "magic formula", a master recipe with traditional ingredients that will solve more than one textile stain problem (and not just on trainers). This formula consists of mixing half a litre of hot water, two teaspoons of soap flakes and 60 ml of ammonia. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and you are ready to make your white trainers as good as new.
To do this, first remove, with a soft brush, any mud or sand that may have stuck to the sole after use. Also remove the laces, if they have them, and wash them separately. To clean the cover, do not submerge the entire shoe in water, just use the above mixture and rub the surface with a soft cloth or sponge.
When the shoes are made of leather, you had better not to use any type of soap. A damp cloth will be enough so that they don't get damaged and stay perfect. And if the stains are a little bit complicated, there are specific products to clean this type of natural materials; they really work!
Tips to protect your trainers from wear and tear
Did you know that there are spray products to repel stains? Some of them work by waterproofing the surface so that dirt doesn't penetrate the fibres of the shoe, which is also a good idea to protect your sneakers and any other shoes from unexpected rain!
In addition, there's another series of precautions that you can take to avoid excessive wear and tear when you love your trainers and you use them daily:
- Untie the laces and wipe them with a cloth every time you wear them, before putting them away.
- Store them whenever possible in their original box, which usually comes with a small sachet of silica gel to avoid humidity.
- Keep them in a dry place to avoid fungus and bad smells.
- Avoid using them on muddy surfaces or in adverse weather conditions.
And, finally, something that you can always take into account: take advantage of sales and special promotions to have another pair of the same shoes and rotate their use, the deterioration will be less and you will always have impeccable shoes!
