HOW TO CLEAN WHITE LEATHER SHOES WITH BAKING SODA ?

Leather shoes are the preferred choice of many for all the durability, comfort, and style they offer. They are flexible, never go out of style, and they raise your look on just about every outfit you wear. Moreover, the white colour enhances the elegance of the leather shoes.

However, leather shoes come with their own encumbrance the moment you buy them. Leather absorbs oils from our skin, thus causing stains over the shoes. Scuff marks and wrinkles begin to appear, and dirt settles on them just after you wear them a few times, all of which create a challenge in keeping them in their pristine condition.

But, there is nothing much to worry about it.

Little care and upkeep at regular intervals can help keep your shoes appearing unblemished and looking as good as new. All you need are a few readily available provisions and a few simple hacks to keep your shoes looking beautiful and to safeguard the durability of the material for years to come.


Almost all of us walk through crowds to go to our jobs, and others ruthlessly stamp their shoes on yours. You jump across a pool of mud in monsoon, but you slip, and your shoes dip into the mud. And, when you are having a good laugh with your friend while you stand leaning onto the wall, your hot coffee spills on your shoes. How hard you try to save your shoes from accidents, you somehow suffer the pains of having your shoes soiled and stained. In the evening, as you return home after a long day, you take off your shoes and fall on your sofa to relax leaving the stains over the shoes as they are till you wear them again the next day.

Accidents are prone to happen, and your shoes are going to suffer the agony as they do their job well of protecting your feet. But, you can in turn protect your shoes by removing the stains right away. If you put off cleaning your shoes to some later time, the stains sink into the fabric, making it challenging to get rid of them. So, the best you can do is treat the stains immediately they happen. To remove stains instantly, spot-clean by wiping off any stains as soon as they occur. Remove grime and debris or large chunks of hardened dirt or mud from your shoes' leather surface and the rubber soles with the help of a dry toothbrush or a soft-bristled brush when you come back home from your office every day.


What can you use to keep your white leather shoes clean ? A variety of household items we use in our everyday lives can be used to remove stains from your leather shoes. Baking soda, amongst them, has long been known to us for its excellent cleaning ability. Most of us use baking soda to clean kitchen appliances, furniture, floor, and utensils. But, did you know it can be used to clean your white leather shoes as well ?

How do you clean your white leather shoes with baking soda ?

With only a few simple steps you can have your white leather shoes clean and shining by using baking soda. Baking soda works well to remove tough grease and oil stains from your leather shoes. All you have to do is dust your leather shoes with a little baking soda and spread it evenly over the shoes with a cotton cloth. Then, you leave it on for a few hours or overnight. After that, wipe off the powder with a soft cloth or a soft-bristled brush. And there you have your white leather shoes sparkling clean.

You can also remove scuff from your leather shoes with the help of baking soda. Soak a rag in water and wring it to remove excess water. Then, dip the rag in little baking soda, and gently rub the rag over the scuffed area. Wipe off the residue with a clean cloth. After it dries, buff the leather with a clean cloth.

We all use detergent to wash our clothes. But, you can also use it along with baking soda to clean your leather shoes. Mix one part baking soda and one and half part detergent well together. Now dip your old toothbrush into the mixture and scrub it onto your shoes. Then, wipe off the residue with a damp cloth, and buff the leather with a clean cloth after it dries off.

You can also use hydrogen peroxide along with baking soda to clean your white leather shoes. To begin with, remove the laces from your shoes. If your laces are dirty, toss them into the washing machine. Then, mix half tablespoon of liquid hydrogen peroxide (omit if you don't have it) and one tablespoon of baking soda in half tablespoon of warm water (one table spoon of water if you don't add hydrogen peroxide) to form paste-like consistency. Now, dip an old soft-bristled toothbrush into the paste, and thoroughly scrub the mix evenly over the entire surface of the shoes to remove dirt and stains. Apply two layers evenly over the shoes. Scrub in circular motion into the leather for best results. After that, leave the baking soda solution over your shoes to dry and harden in direct sunlight for three to four hours. Sunlight helps improve the whitening process. Do not leave them out too long, or they turn yellow. More stubborn stains require multiple applications. Once the paste is totally dried, knock the baking soda residue free by smacking the shoes together. If your brand new-looking shoes look good as they are, there is no need to rinse with water. However, if there is any baking soda residue, rinse with water or wipe off the residue with a damp cloth or a clean sponge.

Another household ingredient you can use along with baking soda to clean your white leather shoes is white vinegar. White vinegar works particularly well to get rid of salt stains. As before, remove the laces from your shoes to begin. Then, add one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of baking soda to one tablespoon of hot water, and mix them together until a paste-like consistency is reached. Soak the laces well in the solution. After that, dip an old soft-bristled toothbrush into the paste, and thoroughly scrub the mix evenly over the entire surface of the shoes to remove dirt and stains. Scrub lightly in circular motion into the leather for best results. Then, leave the baking soda solution over your shoes to dry and harden in direct sunlight for three to four hours to improve the whitening process. Once the paste is completely dried, knock the dried paste free by slapping the shoes together. Brush off any remainder with a dry toothbrush or a scrub brush. Rinse the laces with water to remove the paste. You will find your shoes have become quite some shades whiter.

Most of us keep baking powder in the refrigerator and the freezer as it absorbs the unpleasant food odor and freshens the refrigerator. It is also used to get rid of the stink of the kitchen sink and the dishwasher. The same principle can be used to deodorize your leather shoes. The musty unpleasant shoe odor can be extremely embarrassing. However, you can do away with this embarrassing situation with the aid of baking soda. Baking soda can be used to ward off the repulsive shoe stink from your leather shoes. So, you see the baking soda is of help for both the inside of your shoes and the outside as well as we saw above. To begin with, pour 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda within the shoes over the heel of each shoe. We need ample amount to adequately cover the entire insole.Then, to spread the baking soda evenly in the entire shoe, tilt the shoes forward and backward and rock them from side to side. Now leave the shoes with the baking soda within for a few hours or most preferably overnight. The baking soda kills the bacteria causing the unpleasant odor and absorbs the repulsive odor as well. If your shoe stink is intense, you may need to keep the baking powder within the shoes for 24 hours. Knock the soles of your shoes together to remove the baking powder from within your shoes. You may need to toss your shoes from side to side to remove any remainder that is left within the shoes. But, you need to be cautious when you use baking soda to deodorize your leather shoes. Even though the baking soda absorbs the disagreeable stink from your leather shoes, it can also absorb the oils in the leather. Therefore, do not deodorize your leather shoes more than once per month.

After you clean and freshen up your shoes, you need to moisturize your leather shoes with the leather conditioner. Just like our skin, leather requires to be moisturized over time. After you clean your leather shoes, it is essential for you to restore their moisture. Leather conditioner provides shine to your white leather shoes and protects them from stains. You may condition your leather shoes with the leather conditioner commercially available, or you may condition your shoes by making your own inexpensive conditioner. You can create your own simple leather conditioner either by mixing a tablespoon of natural baby soap and a dash of vinegar in a bowl containing two cups of warm water. (Natural baby soap incorporates gentle oils which help both clean and condition your leather shoes.) or by mixing one part vinegar and two parts linseed oil. After you have prepared the leather conditioner of your choice, apply it to your leather shoes by gently but thoroughly rubbing the conditioning mixture into the leather with a circular motion using a microfiber cloth, sponge, or a brush. Take care you do not soak the area. Then, leave the conditioner on your shoes for 10-15 minutes. After that, buff the leather with a soft cloth to bring a glossy appearance to the leather surface.


Now you have your white leather shoes clean and shiny as new. You may now confidently wear them again to your office and have a few heads turning around to admire them.