How To Clean Shoelaces: 3 Proven Methods

If your shoelaces are dirty, you do not have to get rid of the shoes or buy new ones.

 

In fact, you can keep your shoes looking fresh by cleaning them. And it's not hard to do so.

 

If you are looking to remove stains from your shoelaces or simply to refresh them, you are at the right place.

 

In this article, we will go over 3 proven methods on how you can clean your shoelaces at home, using at-hand household supplies.

 

Method #1: Clean Shoelaces In the Washing Machine

 

 

The fastest and most straightforward way to clean your shoelaces is to treat them like any other clothing that needs to be cleaned up.

 

You'd only need to have a working washing machine, your usual laundry detergent, and a mesh laundry bag.

 

Here's how you can use a washing machine to clean your shoelaces:

 

Step #1: Prepare the shoelaces for the washing cycle by removing the shoelaces from the shoes

It is the correct way and more effective to clean shoelaces after they have been removed from your shoes.

 

Step #2: Brush off any stuck-on debris or dirt on the shoelaces using a toothbrush

Any other brush at hand works too.

 

Make sure to gently rub off the dirt and not apply too much pressure.

 

The dirt or mud should come off relatively easily if you scrub for long enough. You can do that for around 5 minutes.

 

Step #3: Put the shoelaces in your mesh laundry bag and throw them with the next round of laundry

The detergent should be enough to clean up any dirt or stains that are left off and return your shoelaces looking brand new.

 

Step #4: Air dry the shoelaces

Hang the shoelaces somewhere, maybe over a sink or a towel, and allow them to air dry for a few hours.

 

Warning: When it comes to shoelaces, you should skip the dryer. You would risk shrinking them and causing the shoelaces potential damage. 

 

Method #2: Clean Shoelaces by Hand-Washing With Dish Soap

 

 

If the first method did not work or you are certain that it won't come off that easily, you can take it a step further and hand-wash away the stains.

 

All you would need is dish soap and a sink where you can clean off your shoelaces.

 

Dish soap is usually very good for handling stains and loosening stubborn grime.

 

Here's how you can clean your shoelaces with dish soap:

 

Step #1: Fill up a sink with warm water

You can also fill up a large bowl with warm water if you prefer it that way.

 

Step #2: Add dish soap to the water and submerge the shoelaces in the water

 

Step #3: Soak the shoelaces inside for around 20 minutes

Make sure to run the shoelaces with your hands in the water every now and then.

 

Step #4: Scrub away any remaining stains with a toothbrush or any sort of brush

Gently brush off any stubborn stains that you see are left. Do not apply much pressure, unless the stains are really stubborn. You can do that for up to 5 minutes.

Step #5: Hang to air dry

Again, you do not want to use an air dryer in this case. You would need to air dry your shoelaces in whichever cleaning method you choose.

 

If after you have done all of this and your shoelaces still do not look brand new, you can rinse and repeat the process.

 

Alternatively, if your shoelaces are white, there is something else that you can do for them.

 

Method #3: How To Clean White Shoelaces

 

 

In the case of cleaning shoelaces, we need to differentiate the kind of shoelaces we want to clean - white or coloured.

 

This is because, for white shoelaces, we are going to use bleach, and you cannot use bleach for coloured shoelaces.

 

For coloured shoelaces, you can repeat the process from the last section not with dish soap but with a normal laundry detergent.

 

Here's how we are going to clean white shoelaces:

 

Step #1: Begin by removing the shoelaces from the shoes.

 

Step #2: Brush off any of the loose dirt or grime left out from the laces

You can use a scrub brush or a toothbrush to do that.

 

Do not spend more than a few minutes on this, as we are looking for quick wins in removing dirt and stains.

 

Step #3: Create the mixture of warm water and bleach

Aim for the ratio of 3 tablespoons (44.4 ml) of bleach cleaner for a gallon (3.8L) of water. There should be enough water to submerge the shoelaces completely.

 

Tip: You could also add a little bit of soap to the water to help the cleaning process.

 

Step #4: Put the shoelaces in a small mesh laundry bag

 

Step #5: After letting the shoelaces soak, keep them only for 5 minutes

You can use a spatula to rotate and agitate the shoelaces inside for the time being.

 

Only make sure that you are using some sort of gloves to protect your hands from direct exposure to bleach as it can irritate your skin.

 

We are keeping the shoelaces in the bleach-infused water for 5 minutes, instead of the usual 20 minutes that we would soak them in if we were to use soap or another detergent.

 

Step #6: Put the white shoelaces in the washing machine

We will need to finish this with the washing machine.

 

Keep the laces in the laundry bag and launder with the other white clothing. You can use 1/2 cup of bleach in hot water.

 

Step #7: Air dry the shoelaces

Hang the white shoelaces somewhere and do not use an air dryer.

 

Conclusion & Key Takeaways

The color of the shoelaces matters when deciding on the method of cleaning them.

 

There are certain ''quick wins'' when it comes to cleaning shoelaces, such as brushing them with a toothbrush or soaking them in warm water and using soap.

 

It also works by simply putting your shoelaces in a mesh bag and throwing them in the washing machine.

 

But for the more stubborn stains and dirt, we would need to use bleach for the white shoelaces and laundry detergent for the coloured shoelaces.

 

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