Most athletic and tennis shoes can simply be tossed in the washing machine and cleaned with a good, heavy-duty detergent like Persil or Tide. Remove any inner soles and the laces and wash the laces separately. Wipe away excessive soil and pretreat heavy stains with a stain remover before adding the shoes to a load of towels. Always air dry.

Proper shoe care involves much more than just regularly cleaning your shoes. Correctly putting on and taking off shoes, committing to regular breaks from wear and using shoe shapers for storage are all key components of comprehensive shoe care.