How to Clean Adidas Shoes, Shoelaces & Insoles

Use ordinary household cleaners to make your Adidas shine like new

A fresh pair of Adidas looks chic and clean, but they don’t look like new forever—eventually, they’ll get a little dirty. Fortunately, you don’t need any special products to make your shoes shine again. In this article, we’ll show you how to wash the outside of your shoes, your laces, and your insoles so your footwear always looks crisp and clean. Let’s get to it!

Things You Should Know

  • Knock loose dirt off your shoes with your fingers or a dry brush, then wipe them down with a cloth soaked in warm water and laundry detergent. Air dry overnight.
  • To clean your laces, remove them from the shoes, spray them with stain remover (if needed), then toss them in the laundry machine. Air dry overnight.
  • To freshen your insoles, remove them and sprinkle them with baking soda. Let them air out overnight, then brush the baking powder off.
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Cleaning the Outside of Your Shoes

  1. Image titled Clean Adidas Shoes Step 1
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    Shake off any dirt on your shoes. Do it outside so dirt doesn’t get all over your floor. Hit the soles of your shoes together a few times to help dislodge caked-on dirt and grime.[1]
  2. Image titled Clean Adidas Shoes Step 2
    2
    Remove stubborn dirt clumps on the soles with a dry, clean toothbrush. Take the toothbrush and gently brush it back and forth over any dirt spots. Don’t use the toothbrush on the upper fabric portion of your shoes or you could damage them.[2]
    • Rinse off the toothbrush when you’re finished and store it in a plastic bag so you have it for the next time you clean your shoes.
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  3. Image titled Clean Adidas Shoes Step 3
    3
    Wipe down your shoes with laundry detergent and warm water. Add 1 drop of detergent to a bowl of warm water and dip a cloth in the mixture. Clean the soles and the upper sections of your shoes using the cloth. Rub the cloth back and forth over any dirt spots until they fade away.[3]
    • Use a clear laundry detergent if your shoes are white.
  4. Image titled Clean Adidas Shoes Step 4
    4
    Rinse the cloth in warm water and wipe the detergent off your shoes. Go over the soles and upper sections of your shoes so there’s no detergent left on them. You should wipe off all of the suds on your shoes. It's important you get all the detergent off so it doesn't dry on your shoes and damage them.
  5. Image titled Clean Adidas Shoes Step 5
    5
    Let your shoes air dry overnight. Set your shoes somewhere inside so they dry out at room temperature. Don’t use a heater to speed up the process or you could damage your shoes.[4]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Washing Your Shoelaces

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    Take the shoelaces off your shoes. It’s easiest to clean them when they’re separate. Set your shoes aside after you remove the laces.[5]
  2. Image titled Clean Adidas Shoes Step 7
    2
    Apply a gentle stain remover to any spots or stains. If you’re using a spray bottle, spray the stain remover directly onto the shoelaces. If you’re using a liquid stain remover, pour some onto a washcloth and dab it onto the shoelaces. Read the instructions that came with the stain remover to see if you need to let it set in for a few minutes before washing.[6]
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    3
    Wash the shoelaces in a washing machine with a load of your laundry. If the shoelaces are white, wash them with other whites so they don’t absorb dye and change color. If you have colored shoelaces, wash them with similar colored laundry. Wash the shoelaces on the same setting you would use to wash your clothes.[7]
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    Let the shoelaces air dry overnight. Lay them out on a table or countertop to dry. Avoid machine drying the shoelaces or they could shrink. Once the shoelaces are dry, lace them back into your shoes.[8]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Airing Out Your Insoles

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    Take the insoles out of your shoes. The insoles are the padded flaps that line the bottom of your shoes on the inside. Just lift and pull them up to remove them.[9]
    • If the insoles won't come out, try to clean them while they're still in your shoes.
  2. Image titled Clean Adidas Shoes Step 11
    2
    Sprinkle baking soda over the insoles and let them sit overnight. The baking soda will absorb any bad odors on the insoles that are causing your shoes to smell. You don’t need a lot of baking soda. Just use enough to lightly cover the entire surface of both insoles.[10]
  3. Image titled Clean Adidas Shoes Step 12
    3
    Brush the baking soda off the insoles. Brush it off into the trash or a plastic bag, or take the insoles outside and shake the baking soda off. Once all the baking soda is off, you can slip the insoles back into your shoes.[11]
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Expert Q&A
Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow

  • Question
    What is the best way to clean sneakers?
    Marc Sigal
    Marc Sigal
    Shoe Care Specialist
    Marc Sigal is the Founder of ButlerBox, a dry cleaning and shoe care service based in Los Angeles, California. ButlerBox places custom-designed, wrinkle-resistant lockers in luxury apartment buildings, class A office buildings, shopping centers, and other convenient locations so you can pick up and drop off items 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Marc has a BA in Global and International Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
    Marc Sigal
    Marc Sigal
    Shoe Care Specialist
    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    It depends on the material of the sneakers! Generally speaking, for most sneakers, you can brush away any big chunks of mud or dirt. If there are any dried stains or dirt, get the shoe a little wet and scrub the problem away. Then, let the shoes air dry.
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Warnings

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Things You’ll Need

  • Toothbrush
  • Laundry detergent
  • Cloth
  • Stain remover
  • Baking soda

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References

  1. ↑ http://www.adidas.co.nz/how-to-keep-your-adidas-trainers-clean.html
  2. ↑ Marc Sigal. Shoe Care Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 January 2020.
  3. ↑ http://www.adidas.co.nz/how-to-keep-your-adidas-trainers-clean.html
  4. ↑ Marc Sigal. Shoe Care Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 January 2020.
  5. ↑ https://www.hunker.com/13423626/how-to-take-stains-off-shoelaces
  6. ↑ https://www.hunker.com/13423626/how-to-take-stains-off-shoelaces
  7. ↑ https://www.hunker.com/13423626/how-to-take-stains-off-shoelaces
  8. ↑ https://www.hunker.com/13423626/how-to-take-stains-off-shoelaces
  9. ↑ http://www.adidas.co.nz/how-to-keep-your-adidas-trainers-clean.html
  1. ↑ Marc Sigal. Shoe Care Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 January 2020.
  2. ↑ http://www.adidas.co.nz/how-to-keep-your-adidas-trainers-clean.html
  3. ↑ http://www.adidas.co.nz/how-to-keep-your-adidas-trainers-clean.html
  4. ↑ http://www.adidas.co.nz/how-to-keep-your-adidas-trainers-clean.html
  5. ↑ http://www.adidas.co.nz/how-to-keep-your-adidas-trainers-clean.html
  6. ↑ http://www.adidas.co.nz/how-to-keep-your-adidas-trainers-clean.html

About This Article

Marc Sigal
Co-authored by:
Marc Sigal
Shoe Care Specialist
This article was co-authored by Marc Sigal and by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Hall. Marc Sigal is the Founder of ButlerBox, a dry cleaning and shoe care service based in Los Angeles, California. ButlerBox places custom-designed, wrinkle-resistant lockers in luxury apartment buildings, class A office buildings, shopping centers, and other convenient locations so you can pick up and drop off items 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Marc has a BA in Global and International Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. This article has been viewed 99,144 times.
2 votes - 50%
Co-authors: 6
Updated: March 22, 2023
Views: 99,144
Categories: Cleaning Shoes
Article SummaryX

To clean Adidas shoes, first hit the soles of the shoes together to dislodge caked-on dirt. You can use a toothbrush on the soles for anything that doesn’t come off easily. Then add just a drop of laundry detergent to some warm water. Dip a cloth into the water, and gently run it over any dirt on the upper sections of your shoes. If your shoes are white, be sure to use clear laundry detergent. Next, rinse the cloth in warm water and go over your shoes again to get all the detergent off. Let your shoes dry overnight. If you want to learn how to wash your shoelaces or insoles, keep reading the article!

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