Just because you're partial to casual footwear doesn't mean you have to be gross about it — clean those kicks! (Amazon)
Why in the world are sneaker soles — the part of your shoes that spend all their time on the nasty, dirty ground — almost always white? It’s a question we've asked since the dawn of Air Jordans. You buy gleaming Nikes, complete with that new rubber smell, and then they're scuffed and stained as soon as you're out the door. Sure, you can clean them with vinegar, but who wants to smell like a house salad? That's where SneakErasers come in. These pre-moistened, dual-sided sponges tackle pesky scuff marks and dirt, and at $12 for a 10-pack, they're just over $1 each at Amazon.
Scuff marks are no match for these popular shoe sponges. To use, all you do is wet one and gently scrub — plus, they're reusable until the white part wears away!
Using them couldn't be easier. Apply a pre-moistened sponge to your kicks right out of the bag; according to fans, a gentle rub is all you need for maximum cleaning power. And if it begins to dry out while you're buffing, simply add a bit of water to reactivate it. Before you know it, your shoes' glow-up will be complete, whether you're running errands or jogging around the neighborhood.
SneakErasers are the brainchild of college roommates who realized the hard way how critical clean sneakers are when you’re pitching million-dollar ideas to C-suites. (Yes, you can now pitch in sneakers — another reason you should keep them clean.) From humble beginnings in a garage sprang these mighty sponges, which made it to Shark Tank and are now Amazon's No. 1 bestselling shoe cleaner.
This reviewer with now-happy feet wrote, "With the first pair of sneakers I used it on, they were very soiled and there was no way they could be cleaned back to new. Well, I was wrong. At work, people noticed the white on the sidewalls of my shoes."
"Sneakers look like new!" echoed another footloose fan. "I hate getting scuffs/dirt from normal city wear and tear, and although my shoes are well-loved, they don't look like it! I used them on my Vans and Converse — so satisfying to erase all the grind! I find these are more effective than spray cleaners or magic erasers; you can tell they are made specifically for shoes and shoe materials."
And what about SneakErasers' portability? Said a happy buyer: "I love the fact that these came pre-moistened and they're ultra easy to keep in the bag or in the car for quick use. Very solid to have in a pinch!"
"They’re a little small and fall apart easily," said this reviewer. However, another reviewer has a solution. "I didn't expect this to work," the converted skeptic said. "The instructions say to use gently to avoid disintegration, but my experience was that it dissolved anyway. However, my shoes were pretty soiled. I think once you get the shoes clean it should be a breeze maintaining a fresh look with this product and they probably won't dissolve as fast. Definitely keep the sponge super wet."
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
