This DIY Sneaker Cleaner Works Crazy Well—See the Pics to Prove It

We’re totally on board with footwear—sneakers included!—that looks a little worn and beat up. There’s something about that lived-in vibe that feels cool and laid-back. Still, you can’t deny the beauty of some perfectly clean white sneakers. You know, a fresh pair that street style stars like Kendall Jenner and Gigi and Bella Hadid would wear. There are multiple ways you can achieve this look, but we did a little research to find the best cleaning tricks on Pinterest using items you probably already have lying around in the house. That’s right—you can actually remove stains from your sneakers with a magic eraser, toothpaste, or nail polish remover.

Curious to see which product works the absolute best? Keep scrolling to check out our test and scope our before and after photos. Plus, go a bit further to shop white sneakers if you’re looking for a fresh, new pair. You’re sure to find something you’ll want to kick around in.

Put a liberal amount of non-gel toothpaste on a brush and in a circular motion, rub it on the spots you want to remove. Remove the toothpaste with a dry paper towel when complete.

The Verdict: As you can see, rubbing toothpaste on the sneakers worked very well. In fact, it’s definitely our favorite. The non-gel toothpaste we used took off all of the dark marks almost instantly. Just note the toothpaste won’t fix any scuff marks that actually affected the leather.

You don’t need anything other than the magic eraser for this one. In a wiping motion, firmly press the eraser on the part of the sneakers you want to clean.

The Verdict: While we like the results of the toothpaste trick a bit more, a magic eraser is almost just as effective. Almost all of the scuffs we were trying to eliminate disappeared after a few scrubs with the eraser. If you have erasers around your house, try it out. If not (and you’d end up having to buy some), just use toothpaste.

Pour a small amount of nail polish remover on a cotton ball—you don’t need a ton. In a circular motion, rub on the spots of the sneakers you want to clean. If needed, use a damp paper towel to remove excess nail polish remover residue.

The Verdict: Nail polish remover does work as well as toothpaste, but the issue here is that because the solution is so strong, it can also strip away part of the sneakers if they’re non-leather, leaving even more unwanted marks.

Up next: Sasha Lane stuns as our June cover star. Don’t miss it.

Opening Image: @streetsmith

This post was originally published at an earlier date and has since been updated by Gina Marinelli.