How do you clean sneaker mesh?

[hottiescientist]

I was cleaning today and I saw how my DH's once beautiful white sneakers are now and icky gray. I know how to clean the rubber parts at the bottom of the shoe but I don't know how to clean the mesh at the top and I've learned its not wise to throw the sneakers into the laundry. Any advice? Toothbrush and something? TIA.

 

[morningstar]

What does he use them for? If it's running, it's probably time to throw them out because if they're that dirty, they shouldn't be run in anymore.

 

[Iris_g1]

I always wash all of my sneaks in the washer.

 

[hottiescientist]

Oh, he just got these shoes at the end of August. He's just a dirty boy (and there's just a ton of pollution and dirt on the roads he runs on). I was told not to ever submerge sneakers in water even though that's what I did when I was younger. I regularly wipe down my shoes so they never get really that dirty but my DH + taking care of things = does not compute.

 

[morningstar]

So, he's had them for 3 months. Depending on the mileage he runs, it may be time to switch them up. Soon, in any case. 4 months is usually the max for running shoes. I don't believe throwing them in the washing machine would be good for them. I would never do that to mine, I don't care how dirty they get. But I replace mine every 3-4 months.

 

[andtckrtoo]

I guess I'm kind of funny, because my running shoes are filthy and I have no intention of cleaning them. I trail run with them as well as street run, so they are constantly picking up dirt. I will hose them off to get off most of the dirt, but hey, I think dirty running shoes are a badge of honor. If you ever stand in the starting gate for a half marathon or a full, you rarely see a clean shoe.

However, if you insist on getting them clean, I would dissolve some laundry powder with color safe bleach into some warm water and take an old toothbrush and scrub them with that. That should help a lot.