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Dirty laces on a pair of otherwise crisp white sneakers will detract from your entire look. (Unless, perhaps you happen to be a fan of the intentionally dirty, well-worn shoes aesthetic.) To each, their own — but many have been known to bristle at the sight of a pair of bright white Air Force 1s, Chuck Taylors, or Stan Smiths laced up with less-than-clean laces. Your shoes simply aren’t going to look as good if the shoelaces appear to be dingy.
Unfortunately, laces tend to drag on the ground, meaning they often get grimy before the rest of the shoe does. And since they’re typically made of absorbent materials like cotton, dirt generally shows up faster on laces. The good news is, though, if you don’t want to keep spending money purchasing new laces, you can clean your existing ones using a few simple methods and some basic products you may actually already have in your laundry room.
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It’s easier than you might think to either wash them by hand with a bit of detergent and scrubbing and/or throw them in the washing machine if an extra rinse is needed. (Sometimes, even running your laces under some hot water can help get rid of a lot of debris if you’re short on time.) You can literally do this while watching your favorite show. All you need is the right supplies to restore them from the comfort of your home.
Ahead, we broke down five simple ways to clean white shoelaces. Note: You’ll likely need to wash them regularly to maintain their brightness.
Wash White Shoelaces By Hand
For more control in the cleaning process, we recommend washing your laces by hand. First, you’ll want to grab a spare toothbrush, a stain treatment, and a heavy-duty liquid laundry detergent. Then, fill a large bowl with four cups of hot water and add a half teaspoon of laundry detergent. Ensure there is enough water to submerge your laces completely.
You could also use dish soap and a sink with a stopper in the drain. Before placing your laces in the sink or bowl, get them a little wet under some running water and treat them with your stain remover as needed. From there, let them soak in the warm water for approximately 30 minutes while moving them around with your hands every 10 minutes to agitate them.
For added brightening effects, you may add a teaspoon of bleach to the water. Keep in mind that if your laces are made with synthetic fibers, they can only be whitened using oxygen-based bleach, as chlorine-based bleach will damage the fibers. It should also be noted that regardless of the type of bleach you use, it’s a good idea to wear rubber gloves to prevent skin from coming in contact with the harsh chemical, as this can cause irritation. For a bleach alternative, a vinegar or baking soda concoction with water will do the trick too, it may just require a little bit more elbow grease.
Once your laces have properly soaked, gently scrub away any remaining dirt using the firm bristles of a clean toothbrush. After that, the last step is to rinse the laces thoroughly to wash away any leftover debris and let them hang to dry. You can use an actual hanger or a basic household hook to do so. It can hurt to hang them somewhere the sun can hit them either since the UV light in the sunshine is known to take on stubborn spots and boost whites.
Throw White Laces in the Washing Machine
For this process, you’ll need most of the same products, with the addition of a mesh laundry bag or old pillowcase with a zipper closure so laces don’t get tangled or stuck inside the washing machine. Before starting a cycle, wet the laces first and scrub away any loose dirt with a clean toothbrush. Then, apply stain remover to any discolored areas and let the formula sit for about 20 minutes to half an hour.
Next, place your laces in the aforementioned mesh laundry bag (there are plenty of options on the market) or a secure pillowcase and add the closed bag to a load of white laundry with some liquid detergent. Make sure to wash them in warm to hot water as it cleans better than cold. You can also add a bit of bleach to the load. Once it’s done, hang the laces to air dry. You should never place laces in the dryer, since the high heat can distort the plastic tips at the end or even shrink your laces, and they’re ruined.
Soak White Laces in Clorox
If your cotton laces are in need of a more intensive stain treatment, a weakened bleach solution isn’t likely to do the trick. Instead, Clorox recommends soaking dirty laces in three tablespoons of its regular bleach and a gallon of water. Remember to wear gloves when working with bleach.
Prior to submerging laces in your bleach solution, put them in a mesh laundry bag. To prevent the bag from floating to the surface of the solution, simply place a plate on top of it. From there, let the laces soak for approximately five minutes before washing them in warm to hot water with laundry detergent and a half cup of bleach if they still don’t look up to snuff.
The Water Bottle Method
In this method, you’re going to want to source an empty plastic water bottle. You’re going to fill it up with a little bit of bleach and dish soap. Not a lot is needed. Fill the water bottle only slightly with the bleach before adding a few drops of your dish soap. Any kind should do. From there, you’ll stuff your laces in the bottle and add some water to your solution so that the laces are completely submerged. The final step is to shake the water bottle vigorously for about 60 seconds. If you don’t get the results you want, try leaving them in the solution over night.
So, lets recap what you’ll need to get the job done. The essentials are a cleaning solution, one that typically includes water and bleach, and some sort of agitator, like a toothbrush. You may also want to pick up some gloves to protect your skin if you plan on handling them or, alternatively a small mesh laundry bag if you’re tossing them in the washing machine.
Of course, some laces are simply beyond repair. In that case, it can’t hurt to stock up on some extra sets of laces to have on hand for when it’s time to throw out your current pair. With that, shop a few picks below.
How to Keep White Laces Clean Longer?
To avoid getting your white laces dirty, its a good idea to always double knot them to minimize how much they drag on the ground and pick up dirt and debris. Of course, you should do your best to avoid puddles and muddy spots when out and about. You might also consider using a handy portable Tide To Go pen on little stains like if your shoes get splashed with dirty water or you drop coffee or food on them. It can’t hurt to keep one on you when you step out, just in case you find yourself in a pinch.
