Cleaning white trainers

jools27_2

Every time I wash my sons nike trainers in the machine, no matter what style, they smell of cats wee!

pigeonpie

marmiterulesok wrote: »

I wouldn't put them in the washing machine.

What about scrubbing them with soapy warm water and a nail-brush?

that's what I've done. They just look marginally better. They are leather and fabric uppers.
My washing machine (aka The Failing German) is old and temperamental. It only washes at 40 really.
IF I try that route, it would be 30 I'd need wouldn't it? And how long do you take to dry them (no drier). That's probably why they smell- it's the dampness. I suppose you have to put your feet in them when they are still wet to reshape.
I think I'll try dishwash liquid, then CIF (Stardrops?) and if that fails, hold my breath and see if TFG can wash them without destroying them
:eek:

minerva_windsong

If you go the washing machine route, definitely put them in a pillowcase. For drying purposes, stuff them with newspaper or kitchen roll to absorb the water, dab the outside with kitchen roll or a clean cloth, and leave to air dry - I wouldn't apply heat directly as it can shrink them.

misskaytee

pigeonpie wrote: »

that's what I've done. They just look marginally better. They are leather and fabric uppers.
My washing machine (aka The Failing German) is old and temperamental. It only washes at 40 really.
IF I try that route, it would be 30 I'd need wouldn't it? And how long do you take to dry them (no drier). That's probably why they smell- it's the dampness. I suppose you have to put your feet in them when they are still wet to reshape.
I think I'll try dishwash liquid, then CIF (Stardrops?) and if that fails, hold my breath and see if TFG can wash them without destroying them
:eek:

Try washing them by hand first and see how you go on, as for drying them, pop some scrunched up paper or socks into them to help with the reshaping whist they are drying, DONT put them on a radiator,This could result in them going rather stiff, you could pop them underneath to help dry them out, or in the airing cupboard if you have one.:)

Primrose

You don't say whether your trainers are leather or canvas type material. I tend to clean my canvas type ones by giving them a good hand wash with Aerial liquid & a hand scrubbing brush and on good drying days leave them outside to dry. Otherwise I put them in the airing cupboard.

Really grotty trainers I've put in the washing machine and again dried them outside but when soaked like this you do need good drying weather as they take a long time to thoroughly dry.

I'm not sure how your inner soles would react to this kind of treatment though. It probably depends on how long the insides take to dry out so I'd be tempted to wait for a good dry windy day before attempting washing them.

pigeonpie

Primrose wrote: »

You don't say whether your trainers are leather or canvas type material. I tend to clean my canvas type ones by giving them a good hand wash with Aerial liquid & a hand scrubbing brush and on good drying days leave them outside to dry. Otherwise I put them in the airing cupboard.

Really grotty trainers I've put in the washing machine and again dried them outside but when soaked like this you do need good drying weather as they take a long time to thoroughly dry.

I'm not sure how your inner soles would react to this kind of treatment though. It probably depends on how long the insides take to dry out so I'd be tempted to wait for a good dry windy day before attempting washing them.

thanks, they are leather and fabric. Nike stability ones. Either rubber or synthetic rubber soles. The inner sole is out (the orthotics go in instead with a soft covering made by the podiatrist) so it's really just the shoe and the laces that need a good scrub.
I have a boiler cupboard but no airing cupboard in the flat. Good drying weather....probably next June?!! :rotfl:
I'm going to have another go and am going to try dishwash liquid and if no good, stardrops.
wish me luck :eek:

they look very like this, colour's just different on the swoosh http://hubpages.com/hub/Nike-Air-Trail-Running-Shoes

Pink.

Hi pigeonpie'

This thread has more ideas that may help:

Cleaning white trainers

I'll add your thread to that one later to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

Primrose

If you can't dry your trainers outside, could you tie them to a wire coat hanger by their laces and hang the coat hanger from the curtain rail in front on an open lounge/bedroom or bathroom window so that they still catch the breeze? It's surprising how things can dry this way. When I've been caught out by a sudden change in weather, with rain threatening, I've actually taken washed curtains which have been outside drying, ironed & hung them back up on their curtain rails and closed the curtains with the window open, and they've finished drying by themselves as the breeze wafts through the open window.

motherkitty

Agree with Jools27, whenever I have put more expensive trainers in the washing machine they come out smelling of cats wee.
Have had good results with cheap ones but Nikes always seem to smell. Thought I had not dried them off properly and washed them again but it just made them worse. Someone told me it was the glue they use in them but don't know if this is true or not. All I know is I won't be putting them in the machine again!

pigeonpie

too fond of them and too scared to put them in the machine. I wore them out today for a walk and they now have mud all over them. So the Big Clean starts tomorrow with a scrubbing brush and hand wash - if that fails then baby wipes - if that fails stardrops!