Do your kids LOVE their Cons and Vans? My kids live in theirs and I am forever having to find new ways to keep them looking their best. With muddy puddles, playground mishaps and general run of the mill play, they can get to look pretty grubby. Luckily, I have a few tried and tested methods to cleaning your kid’s Converse and Vans shoes so they look as good as the day they got them… well, almost!
NB: These cleaning hacks can be applied to any canvas shoes as well, not just the Cons.
Our tried and tested methods for cleaning Converse, Vans and other canvas shoes:
I know what you are thinking, the washing machine isn’t usually your first thought when thinking about how to clean a pair of shoes. But, with canvas shoes, it is actually one of the most effective places to get them clean. There are a few tricks you need to be aware of though just to make sure your shoes come out in better condition than when they went in.
If you don’t need to clean the whole shoe, then spot cleaning is a good way to get them fresh and make sure they are dry enough to wear the next day. The best products to use for spot cleaning are:
If the tops of your shoes are ok and you just need to clean the soles, then these cleaning tricks will work a treat on the rubber around the shoe.
Sometimes shoes are just plain grotty and when they look beyond dirty you need to pull out all stops to get them back again. Soaking the shoes in Napisan then washing them in the machine is a great way to get them back to their former glory.
And just in case you needed proof, my friend Jess used method number 4 on her kids' Converse shoes and to say they came up a treat is an understatement.
Not too bad! Clean Converse All Star Shoes. Photo credit: Jess Hales.
Can you believe these shoes once looked like this?
Before the clean! Have you seen this before? Photo credit: Jess Hales
Note: This article is a guide only and results can vary. While these methods worked well for us, please ensure you spot test products on your shoes first. We accept no responsibility for any damages incurred.