White sneakers are a closet staple, but they rarely stay looking new. This TikTok is changing the game with an easy and cheap hack to get the dirt out of your white shoes.
The scoop
TikToker Julia Marie (@julesmariebeauty) posts a variety of makeup, fashion, and skin care videos. Her video on how to clean white mesh tennis shoes is understandably getting some attention — white shoes are notoriously difficult to clean, especially shoes with mesh where dirt can gather easily.
She recommends making a paste out of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda and then scrubbing in the paste with a toothbrush, letting the shoes sit for 30 minutes, and then rinsing them or throwing them in the washing machine.
"This is a [game-changer]!" she says.
@julesmariebeauty Dirty white shoes is my biggest pet peeve! 😡 this is a game changer! #hacklife #whiteshoeproblems #gamechanger #dirtyshoesgang ♬ This Is How We Do It - Montell Jordan
How it's helping
This hack is easy and can save you money in the long run.
Instead of spending money on shoe cleaners full of chemicals, the only ingredients and supplies needed are common household items. Plus, when you clean and take care of your shoes, they will hold up and stay looking nice for longer.
Some sneakers can cost more than $100, so the less often you have to buy new ones, the better.
On top of that, taking care of your sneakers is much better for the environment.
Sneaker production is responsible for 1.4% of toxic, planet-warming gases. By comparison, air travel as a whole is responsible for 2.5%, reports Make Fashion Better. This is because a majority of sneakers are made up of plastic-like materials, which takes a toll on the environment to produce.
What's more is that only 13% of clothing and footwear is recycled each year, reports the Environmental Protection Agency. The rest ends up in landfills, where it decomposes and releases harmful substances into the air and ground.
While it's great to take care of your sneakers and make sure they last a long time, sometimes you truly wear them out or just get sick of them. If you're finding that this is the case, there are still plenty of sustainable ways to get rid of your sneakers.
Some brands, like Nike, will take back their shoes in exchange for store credit. If not, there are also programs like the GotSneakers program, which will pay you for turning in your old sneakers.
What everyone's saying
TikTokers were thrilled with the hack.
One commenter wrote, "I can't wait to get home and try this," while another expressed her excitement after trying it. She wrote, "It works so well!"
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