Cleaning Your Sneakers with Bar Keepers Friend

April 14, 2021

It’s time to think about cleaning your sneakers. Spring has sprung, and reopening has begun. More and more, people are venturing forth. The thing is, most of us don’t want to look like we’re hermits who have stayed in our caves for the last year. We want to look healthy and clean.

The trouble is our sneakers. Oh, we’ve been wearing them all year. We just haven’t cleaned them. It’s hard to make a good impression with dirty sneakers.

If you’ve found your sneakers looking not so bright (or downright dirty), you can use BKF to clean them up, particularly the light-colored ones that show all the dirt. Whether you’re using BKF on the entire shoe, or just the bottoms of your converse high tops, here’s a brief guide on how to use BKF to clean your sneakers.

Cleaning Your Sneakers with Bar Keepers Friend

Using BKF MORE Spray + Foam.

• Dampen a non-abrasive sponge
• Remove the laces from your sneakers
• Set to foam and coat the entire shoe, including the sole and tongue
• Allow the foam to sit for one minute
• Wipe the foam off with the sponge
• Rinse the sneaker under the kitchen or bathroom sink
• Wipe with a soft, damp cloth
• Allow them to air dry or pop them in the clothes dryer

Pro Tip: To clean your shoelaces fold the laces and place them on a clean cloth. Spray a sponge with BKF Foam and Spray set to spray. Pull the laces through the sponge, squeezing them against the laces as you pull. You may have to repeat this a couple of times to clean both sides of the lace.

Using BKF Powder Cleanser 

• Mix a small amount of BKF Powder and water to make a paste
• Using a damp sponge, spread the paste on the sneaker top to bottom
• Wipe the paste into the sneaker in a circular motion
• Allow it to sit for one minute
• Use a toothbrush to scrub away difficult stains
• Thoroughly rinse the shoe under a faucet
• Allow to air dry or use the clothes dryer

What Three BKF Fans Had to Say

“For stubborn stains, pour Bar Keepers Friend powder into a container and add a small amount of water to make a thick paste. Wet your shoes and apply the paste to the stained area. Allow the paste to sit for one minute and then rinse it off.” —  Home Steady — How to Clean Sneakers with Bar Keepers Friend 

“As you know, there is a cure for yellowed soles. And a cure for yellowed mesh. The item is called “Bar Keepers Friend, which re whitens the mesh.” — NikeTalk.com 

“A little magic to the rescue – Bar Keeper’s Friend! I use this all over my kitchen & in all of my stainless pots/pans! For the shoes, I just wet a toothbrush & scrubbed on the Bar Keeper’s Friend. Keep applying/scrubbing till clean. Wipe with water.” — Brighten your white shoes best tip 

Caution: Although many of our customers have shared how they’ve used BKF products on leather, BKF does not recommend our products for leather. This includes suede. If your sneaker uppers are leather, we suggest you use a product designed for cleaning leather.

Sneakers Got Sole

The soles of most sneakers are carbon rubber, blown rubber, or a combination of both. BKF Powder or Spray Foam are perfect for cleaning the sole, just follow the instructions above.

Don’t let Dirty Sneakers Sneak Up on You 

Yes, cleaning your sneakers is important. Not only do clean sneakers make a positive impact on the folks you meet, but it also feels good to wear a clean pair of shoes, doesn’t it?

About the Author

Randy Clark is a speaker, coach, and author. He publishes a weekly blog at Randy Clark Leadership.com. Randy is passionate about social media, leadership development, and flower gardening. He’s a beer geek and on weekends (after COVID-19) he can be found fronting the Rock & Roll band Under the Radar. He’s the proud father of two educators; he has four amazing grandchildren and a wife who dedicates her time to helping others. Randy is the author of the Amazon bestseller The New Manager’s Workbook: A crash course in effective management.