Safe at home
Laces (remove, hand-wash in mild detergent, air-dry). Insoles (same, then dry fully before they go back in). Surface dust on leather with a soft dry brush. A damp cloth on rubber sidewalls. That is about the extent of it.
- Remove and wash laces separately
- Air-dry insoles fully — damp insoles are what smells
- Soft dry brush for dust
- Damp cloth on rubber only
Not at home
The washing machine: it lifts glue, warps foam midsoles and yellows white soles. Suede and nubuck with water: it stains and flattens the nap. Bleach or “whitening” toothpaste on midsoles: it accelerates yellowing later. Knit uppers scrubbed hard: they pill and stretch. Drying in the sun or with a hairdryer: the heat separates the sole.
What a specialist does differently
Each material is cleaned with its own product and brush — leather conditioned, suede dry-brushed and only spot-treated, knit gently wet-cleaned. Midsoles are de-yellowed with a controlled process where it is safe. The pair is dried slowly, in shape, with shoe trees. Premium restoration at SKVO starts at ₹799 a pair and takes 3–4 days.
Between cleans
Rotate pairs so foam and glue recover. Store out of sunlight — UV is what yellows soles. Ask for a protection spray at drop-off; it makes the next clean easier and the pair last longer.