A pair of clean clothes and matching shoes are essential to make kids look adorable. Kids love jumping and playing – be it on cots or in the muddles. The latter can invite added tasks to mom such as cleaning shoes loaded with dirt.

Many moms worry about cleaning their kids’ shoes. After all, kids’ shoes are expensive and demand effort to clean and maintain them. However, with some knowledge on cleaning children’s shoes, moms can stay assured that their task is less stressful than expected.

In this post, let us talk about methods to clean kids’ shoes with special attention on shoes for newborns.

How to clean kids’ shoes?

Kids’ shoes can attract tons of dirt at the end of the day. The task becomes heavier if the children are of school-going age and play in the playgrounds and open muddles. The method of cleaning shoes varies with the type of shoe material.

Canvas shoes:

It is easy to clean canvas shoes as they are made of breathable materials like cotton. Soak canvas shoes in water if the mud is too high. Change the water based on necessity. After some time, take out the shoes from water, use an old toothbrush or cloth brush and remove the mud by gently brushing the shoe.

You could also put canvas shoes in water, provided they are not of leather or mesh. Remember to put shoes in a pillow cover or lingerie bag before you throw them in the washing machine.

Baking powder is the safest bet to clean canvas shoe soles. You could use this technique to clean shoes for newborns too. Just a half spoon or less would suffice to clean kids’ shoes if you are concerned about using baking powder for cleaning.

Sprinkle baking powder on the soles, let it sit overnight. The next day, dust off the powder thoroughly from shoes and let them air dry. They are as fresh as new and ready for your kids’ use.

Indoor shoes:

Indoor shoes do not attract much dirt and are grim. Especially, kids, do not need much regular cleaning unless they spoil them with food, urine, and poo.

Soak the shoes in warm water, and gently hand wash them with mild, child-safe detergent. Remove water thoroughly by using a towel and let them dry fully in the natural air and shade.

If the shoes contain decorations or fur, avoid putting them in the washing machine. Always hand washes kids’ shoes to increase their lifetime.

Leather shoes:

Regular maintenance of leather shoes enhances their span. Apply little coconut oil or Vaseline on the shoe using an old cloth or sponge. Keep them aside and let them air dry.

Never clean leather shoes with water or in the washing machine. They must always stay away from water and should be thoroughly dry. Use dry brushing to remove the mud and grim, and clean with a cloth applied with beeswax or Vaseline as mentioned above.

More methods to clean kids’ shoes

If you want to refrain from using chemical-based cleaners for kids shoes or know how to remove stubborn stains from kids’ shoes, try these techniques:

Magic erasers: Rub magic erasers on the stains on kids’ shoes. They are a trusted solution to clean hard stains by moms and should come in handy to you too.

Toothpaste: Using toothpaste is one of the gentlest methods to clean kids’ shoes. Apply toothpaste with an old toothbrush all over the shoe and the sole. Let it remain for some time and clean the shoe with plain water using the toothbrush. Dry them in the shade, and they are ready for your naughty one’s use.

Washing machine: If the shoes are too dirty to clean with hands, soak them in the detergent for a while. Then clean them in the washing machine on a gentle cycle. Refrain from using a washing machine dryer. They could shrink the shoe and make it lose its shape. Instead, dry in the natural air in the shade to retain their shape and color.

Conclusion

The task of cleaning kids’ shoes is a hassle for moms but not too difficult. Handwashing is the best method to clean kids’ shoes while gentle machine wash also helps in certain cases. With regular maintenance and cleaning, you can easily prolong the health of shoes besides ensuring their hygiene.