5 Tips To Keep Your Shoes Looking Stylish and Fresh

It takes less than thirty seconds of scrolling on the ‘gram to see that there is no #streetwear without #sneakers. And based on their general versatility, quality, and comfort, it’s easy to see why.

However, a good pair of sneakers can be quite the financial investment. So, in order to help our #Publishers keep their shoes looking stylish and fresh for as long as possible, we’ve put together these five tips:

1. Apply repellant right out of the box

You know what they say: The best defense is a good offense. Attack the potential for water and dirt stains right away by immediately spraying your shoes with a high-quality repellant and re-apply every 1-2 months after that, depending on how much time you spend in rainy climates.

2. Ditch the washer and dryer

There are way too many risks associated with putting your shoes in the wash: water damage, overheating, issues with shoe-laces getting caught, etc. So, we say ditch the machines and stick to cleaning your sneakers by hand. If you don’t happen to have a shoe brush in your cleaning supplies cabinet, a washcloth or even toothbrush will do (as long as the bristles aren’t rough enough to cause damage). Simply take your cleaning tool of choice, dip into a shoe cleaner, and scrub away.

3. Trust the (shoe) tree of life

If you’ve done a quick Google search on sneaker protection before, you’ve probably come across a dozen ads for crease protectors. Although these tools may work in prolonging the life of your shoes, they’re not incredibly practical as they restrict movement. Considering that moving is exactly what shoes are designed to help we do, the whole thing seems a bit counterintuitive. That being said, we think storing your shoes on a shoe tree and/or filling your shoes with cardboard or stuffing when not in use is a much more realistic option.

4. Soak your laces

Sure, we don’t think throwing your shoes in the washer and dryer is a good move. However, that doesn’t mean that your laces couldn’t benefit from a good soak. Fill up your sink with warm water and laundry detergent (or sneaker cleaner if you have it) and just let them chill for a bit. Throw on an episode of It’s Always Sunny, catch the first half of a Warriors game, whatever tickles your fancy. Then, after a nice soak, use a toothbrush to get rid of any pesky stains and hang up to dry before using again.

5. Choose your socks wisely

You can’t expect to keep a house clean if you keep letting in dirty visitors, right? Same advice applies to your shoes. Make sure you’re pairing your sneaks with clean, good-quality, and moisture-wicking socks that will keep the inside of your shoes dry and smelling good for as long as possible.