How to Prevent Shoes from Yellowing

Co-authored by Marc Sigal and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: March 29, 2020 References

If you own white or light-colored shoes, there’s nothing more annoying than seeing signs of aging or yellowing along the surface. Thankfully, it only takes a few minutes to protect your beloved shoes before placing them in storage. If your footwear tends to look a bit worse for wear after it’s washed and dried, you can quickly and easily protect your shoes with toilet paper.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Storing the Shoes Properly

1
Keep your shoes in a dark, cool place for long-term storage. Find a large, dark place in your home that can fit all of your shoes, like a closet. Place your shoes in this area where they won’t be exposed to direct sunlight or humidity, which will cause them to yellow.^{[1]
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- If you leave your shoes in direct sunlight, they may show signs of cracking. Additionally, the sole might separate from the rest of the shoe.^{[2]
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2
Slide your shoes into a plastic bag. Open a large, Ziploc or other sealable plastic bag. Stick both of your shoes inside, leaving enough space to seal or close the bag along the top. Keep these shoes in a dark, cool place, or store them within a shoebox.^{[3]
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- This is an inexpensive option for people looking to protect their shoes.
- You can use plastic wrap if you don’t have any plastic bags on hand.
- If the bag is large enough, you can store your shoes together.
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3
Heat seal your shoes with shrink wrap for more secure storage. Slide your shoes into a shrink wrap bag with toe facing forward. Push out any air from the bag, then fold in the plastic edges along the heel of the shrink wrap bag. Use a large sticker to hold the plastic in place so your shoes can stay covered and protected. Once the wrap is in place, turn a hair dryer to a high heat setting and wave it over the surface of the bag. Continue heating the plastic until it clings to the surface of the shoe.^{[4]
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- You can purchase shrink wrap bags online. Use these bags to wrap individual shoes, not pairs.
- Keep the hair dryer about 1 in (2.5 cm) from the surface of the plastic.
4
Protect expensive shoes with a moisture barrier bag. Search online for moisture barrier bags, which provide more protection than a plastic or shrink wrap bag. Note that these bags are much more expensive, and may not be a feasible option if you’re looking to buy multiple bags for several pairs of shoes.^{[5]
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- Some moisture barrier bags can go for over $50.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Protecting Your Shoes after Washing Them

1
Avoid using bleach when washing your shoes. Instead, look for gentle products or natural solutions when cleaning your shoes. Note that bleach and can turn your shoes yellow instead of white, which will cause you more issues in the long run.^{[6]
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2
Wrap your wet shoes with toilet or tissue paper. Take a fresh roll of toilet paper and wind it around the front, sides, bottoms, and rims of your shoes. As an extra precaution, cover the inner portions of your shoes with toilet paper as well.^{[7]
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- Try not to leave any gaps on your shoes while wrapping the toilet paper.
3
Let your shoes air-dry for at least 12 hours. Find a dry area in your home to keep your covered shoes, like a bedroom or closet. Don’t place them under any direct sunlight, as this could make your shoes yellow. Lightly touch the shoes on an hourly or daily basis to see if they’re dry to the touch.^{[8]
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- With enough exposure, sunlight causes white shoes to change color.
4
Remove the paper once the shoes are dry. Touch your shoes to ensure that they’re dry to the touch. At this point, peel away the toilet paper from the outer and inner portions of your footwear. Once all the toilet paper is gone, you can wear the shoes!^{[9]
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