So, I had this pair of white Jordans, the ones with the red bits. You know the type. They weren’t exactly new, been sitting in the back of the closet for ages, honestly. Dug them out the other day and thought, man, these look rough.
The white leather was looking kinda sad, definitely dingy, few scuffs here and there. The worst part? The midsoles were starting to get that yellow tint. Ugh. The red accents still looked okay, but overall, they needed some serious help.
Getting Started
Alright, decided to give cleaning them a proper go. Didn’t want to mess them up, especially the red parts bleeding onto the white. First thing, I pulled out the laces. Tossed those into a little bowl with some warm water and laundry soap to soak.
Then, I grabbed my cleaning stuff. Nothing fancy, really:
- A soft brush
- An old toothbrush for tricky spots
- Some mild dish soap
- A couple of microfiber cloths
- Warm water
Tackling the Uppers and Soles
Mixed a bit of soap with warm water. Dipped the soft brush in, shook off the extra water, and started gently scrubbing the white leather parts. Went in small circles. Used the toothbrush for the seams and around the red panels, being careful not to scrub the red too hard. Wiped it down with a damp cloth as I went.
The midsoles needed more work. That yellowing is stubborn. Used the toothbrush and a bit more pressure with the soapy water. Got some of it off, but not all. Still looked way better though. Cleaned the outsoles too, getting all the dirt out of the grooves.
Laces and Finishing Touches
Remembered the laces soaking. Took them out, gave them a good rub, rinsed them clean, and hung them up to dry. Once the shoes were all wiped down, I stuffed them with some paper towels to help them keep their shape while they air-dried. Put them somewhere cool, away from direct sun.
The Aftermath
Checked them the next day. Man, what a difference. They weren’t factory-fresh, you know, the yellowing on the soles was still faintly there, but the white was bright again, the scuffs were mostly gone. The red parts popped nicely against the clean white. Laced them back up with the clean laces. Honestly felt pretty good bringing them back like that. Took some time, yeah, but totally worth it.
They look sharp again. Ready to be worn, not just sitting forgotten. Just a bit of simple cleaning, really.
