How to Clean Adidas Shoes

 
There’s a rumor floating around that Adidas stands for “All Day I Dream About Sports”, and we don’t blame some people for believing that. Performance shoes or not, all sneakers will need serious cleaning on a regular basis. Sports shoes have it the worst – they get raked through grime, mud, and rain; in all training conditions. Luckily, we now have all the best sneaker cleaning kits around, to keep any sports sneaker spotless without damaging their looks or performance-enhanced soles.

                                    

 

Expert Tips On How to Clean Adidas Shoes

When it comes to cleaning your Adidas thoroughly, working smarter, not harder is key. There’s a foolproof, three-step system to getting your sports sneakers sparkling clean with less fuss.

1. Prep
We love Adidas’ very own big bang method for shaking off surface dirt: hold a shoe in each hand and just bang the soles together! Follow up with a dry brush all over to make the next cleaning step more effective. Remember to use a soft brush on the uppers (except for knits, which will just need a dry wipe down). 

2. Primp
Much like how you’d primp in front of a mirror each morning, this step involves using the right sneaker cleaning tools and products to do deep cleaning right. Your shoe cleaner should be specific to your sneaker material: get suede and leather friendly cleaning kits for your suede and leather sneakers. 

3. Protect
After everything is cut and dried, the last step includes using protector and deodorizing sprays to “seal in” the cleaned areas and shield them not only from dirt, but against odor-causing bacteria. Finally, do spontaneous spot cleaning every day, so that the next deep clean session doesn’t have to go in that deep. 
 

Are Adidas Sneakers Machine Washable?

Learning how to clean Adidas shoes starts with knowing what materials you’re working with. The famous 3 stripe company makes it clear that you can put their sneakers in the wash – provided that they’re not made of suede or real leather. Make sure that you use a mild detergent and cold water with a gentle cycle.

Knits are tricky as they run the risk of catching a snag and unraveling in your washer. Remember to always put your sneakers in tight laundry mesh bags before throwing them in. Wash the shoes alone, but throw in some towels too, so the shoes don’t clunk around and damage your machine.

Sneaker cleaning experts recommend pretreating extremely dirty shoes (except for knits) before putting them in the wash. Avoid harsh cleaning agents and bleach, as they can dry out your shoes and cause synthetic material uppers to crack and peel.

 

Keeping Adidas Whites Pearly White

Contrary to popular belief, bleach is not the be-all of shoe whitening. If you want to know how to clean Adidas white sneakers well, you’ll need a proven shoe brightener that takes out the guesswork for you. Sneaker cleaning professionals rely on premium shoe cleaning products that not only clean but nourish your uppers and soles without harsh chemicals that can ruin sneaker materials.

Oxidation is also a common problem, causing any white sneaker to yellow out. You can try what is called a “sole sauce” or sole brightening products to de-yellow any shoe. Be careful not to expose your white sneakers to the elements for too long – too much sunlight or moisture, as this speeds up the oxidation process.  

If you like to wear your white sneakers like a badge of honor, spot cleaning is a must. Do regular deep cleaning every few weeks so that there’s no dirt buildup.
 

How to Clean Suede Shoes from the 3 Stripes Brand

Taking care of suede Adidas sneakers needs the extra step of doing nappy maintenance. Here’s how to keep suede sneakers looking fresh and soft:
 
PREP

1. Bang soles together to shake off excess dirt, then dry brush your Adidas shoes with a soft brush.

2. Unlace sneakers and take out the insole (whenever possible).
 
PRIMP

3. Dip your soft brush in a diluted cleaning solution, then gently brush your sneakers until everything is sudsy. 

4. Wipe down the shoes with a microfiber towel.

5. "Rinse off" the cleaning solution by wiping down each shoe again with wet wipes.

6. Then, dry your sneakers off by wiping down again with a dry microfiber towel.

7. Work on the soles next, and scrub/clean them with a hard brush.

8. Clean the laces and the insoles. Soak the laces in the cleaning solution. You can also rub the soapy laces between your hands to thoroughly clean them. Next, scrub the insoles and apply the same cleaning mixture. Rinse the laces, but only wipe down the insoles.

9. Air dry your shoes, laces, and insoles for up to 12 hours. 

10. Using a suede brush, gently dry brush your suede sneakers in one direction to restore their nappy texture.
 
PROTECT

11. Lace up your sneakers and put back the insoles. Do a protectant spray on the uppers, followed by a deodorizing product on the insole.

12. Store your shoes with shoe trees inserted in them, and place them in shoe bags or zip lock containers. Be sure to take out the paper packaging that the shoe box has, as the shoebox paper is too acidic and can ruin your shoes. You can also avoid shoe humidity and lessen oxidation if you place 4 small packets of silica gel in your shoebox.

 

Adidas Leather Sneaker Cleaning

If you have basketball, or tennis shoes that have real leather in them, you can follow the above PREP, PRIMP and PROTECT steps (except for the suede brushing part). Knowing how to clean Adidas shoes with leather materials requires doing leather conditioning as a final step of the PRIMP process. After cleaning and air drying your leather sneakers, apply a premium leather conditioner to keep leather supple. 

The good news is, leather is easy to clean. Almost any stain can easily be wiped off. Just make sure to keep your leather sneakers from getting soaked, as this can weaken their defenses.  

Deodorizing is a must for leather shoes, as they absorb just as much sweat as their canvas counterparts. Stinky sneakers can set off a moldy situation, so make sure to keep your shoes away from humid places.
 

How to Clean Adidas Boost

Adidas boost sneakers include knit and mixed material designs with a special performance sole that needs as much maintenance as the uppers. Sports sneakers need to be routinely cleaned so that they provide the best traction possible. Running soles can be caked with road debris that can make it hard to perform. 

Follow the PREP, PRIMP, and PROTECT system while giving special attention to your sneaker sole and upper material. Be careful not to machine wash with warm water or harsh detergents as this can jeopardize your sneaker’s shoe glue and melt them.

Finally, under no circumstances should you use a blowdryer to dry any sneaker as this could warp your shoe's shape. 

Knits need to hold their shape so it would be best to use rolled-up towels inside the shoe to hold them up and help them dry.

Knowing how to clean Adidas shoes or any other sports shoe, is part of keeping them in top shape so that they can help you do your best on the field. What’s even better is that they make you look good, as you’re doing it.