Cleaning white trainers

ejminx

I have a pair of trainers that are the puma soft material ones that do up with a velcro strip. They are so comfy & certainly not past it yet, but the material has got quite discoloured. I'm thinking of putting them in the washing machine for a spruce up, but remember doing this years before with a different pair - they came out cleaner but when they dried starting smelling of cabbage! Needless to say our bin men had a nasty surprise. Any ideas on how to salvage this pair?

coffeeandfags

Mine normally go in the washing machine and i always add fabric conditioner, then dry them out on top of the radiator so they dont pong.
Another way i have found that works well, is to clean them using johnsons baby wipes.

Coffeeandfags

BrightonLad

I find the washing machine is ok for trainers, but they must be taken out and dried quickly in an airy room, otherwise thats when they do start to smell. The best thing to do is 'clean as you go' so to speak...


For keeping trainers clean day-to-day i use baby wipes on them, and it gets dirt off most types of materials my trainers are made of, and i have loads of different pairs. (bit of a fetish some may say but thats not for here..!)

Brings em up lovely and clean each time, and reasonably inexpensive as i always stock up when i see them on BOGOF!
Good luck!

BrightonLad

sorry coffeeandfags, i just read your reply, and you do the same as me. sorry didn't read it til after!

:rolleyes:

coffeeandfags

Ah well Brightonlad......that just proves that it works!!

Coffeeandfags

BrightonLad

coffeeandfags wrote:

Ah well Brightonlad......that just proves that it works!!

Coffeeandfags

it works a treat!

all me mates use em too now!

MATH

I've always got trainers in the wash. Can hardly remember when I last switched the machine on without sticking a pair in. Oldest lad's can go in twice a week with cross country racing etc and a trip to the beach seems to bring more sand back then there was beach:D I was them on a warm quick wash with plenty of bulky stuff to scrub them ie towels and then dry them turned upside down on a radiator.

Queenie

If you are using vinegar instead of fabric softener in your final machine rinse, that will help prevent the trainers from smelling like cabbage.

When you take off your trainers for the day you could take your pick from:

1. stick a "Bounce" sheet inside each one
2. take a pair of old socks, fill the toe end with a couple of Tbps of bicarbonate of soda then add a handful of rice (uncooked!); you can add a couple of drops of essential oil. Tie a knot in the top. Use those as "shoe stuffers" in your trainers when not wearing. The bicarb "absorbs" nasty smells (as would charcoal); the rice simply bulks out the sock for a snug fit inside the shoe, the EO adds a nicer *pong*

casey

Hello, I always put trainers through the wash.I stuff them with newspaper afterwards ,this helps them dry faster and stops nasty smells.

apple_mint

Queenie wrote:

If you are using vinegar instead of fabric softener in your final machine rinse, that will help prevent the trainers from smelling like cabbage.

Tried this last night ... it works

ejminx

Wow, you've all been fabulous. Think I might try the vinegar & the drying techniques sound good. Thank you all for the ideas