I own a pair of white leather sneakers that I bought specifically to look put-together without trying. For about three days, they did exactly that. Then I wore them outside. By the end of the month they were the color of weak coffee.

I tried throwing them in the washing machine. Do not do this. It detached the insole, warped the heel counter, and left a weird gray tint on the leather that never came out. I ruined a perfectly good pair of shoes trying to clean them.

Know Your Material First

White sneakers are not all the same. What works on canvas will destroy leather. What works on leather will do nothing to mesh. Before you touch anything, figure out what you are working with:

• Leather: Smooth, slightly shiny, no visible weave. Use gentle cleaners. No bleach. No washing machine.
• Canvas: Fabric weave visible. Tougher than it looks. Can handle baking soda and mild scrubbing.
• Mesh/Knit: Like Primeknit or Flyknit. Delicate. Snags on brushes. Soak, do not scrub.
• Suede/Nubuck: Fuzzy texture. Water is the enemy — it leaves water spots. You need a suede-specific approach.

The Magic Eraser Trick (Leather Only)

For leather sneakers, a plain melamine sponge — Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, or the generic version — removes scuffs better than any specialty sneaker cleaner I have tried. Wet the sponge, squeeze out excess water, and gently rub the scuffed areas. The micro-abrasive foam lifts dirt out of the leather grain.

Go easy. Magic Erasers are essentially very fine sandpaper. Too much pressure and you will dull the finish. Test on the heel or tongue first where it is less visible.

Canvas Sneakers: Baking Soda and Toothbrush

Canvas is the easiest material to clean because it is basically heavy-duty fabric. Mix baking soda with a little dish soap and water to make a paste. Scrub in circular motions with an old toothbrush. The baking soda is lightly abrasive and the dish soap cuts oil-based dirt.

For the rubber sole edges — the white strip around the bottom — use the baking soda paste plus a little more elbow grease. A toothbrush works, but a stiff nail brush is better for the sole. The rubber can take it.

What About the Laces?

Take them out and soak them in a bowl of warm water with a drop of laundry detergent. Let them sit 30 minutes, then rub them between your fingers. If they are still gray, add a spoonful of oxygen bleach — the color-safe kind, not chlorine bleach. Rinse and let them air dry.

Clean laces make a surprising difference. Even if the shoes are not perfect, crisp white laces trick the eye into thinking the whole shoe is cleaner than it is.

Post-Cleaning Protection

Once they are clean, spray them with a water and stain repellent meant for shoes. I use the kind made for suede even on leather — it works on most materials. Respray every few weeks. It will not keep them pristine forever, but it buys you a lot more time between deep cleans.