Cleaning sneakers should be thought of in equal regard to cleaning your face, just not as regularly perhaps, but nevertheless just as important. How should you clean your sneakers then? Throw them in the washing machine within a pillow case? No, don’t do that. Take your time.

First things first, remove the laces or tuck them in like Mitch points out (more on that later).

Then, you need to remove all that excess, dried dirt and to do that, reach for either a dish cloth or a brush which doesn’t have an abrasive bristle as that can damage or scratch the materials. If you’re willing to invest a bit extra, a great option is a flat brush with horse or pig hair bristles. Soft and pliable, it’s a time-tested tool for digging out grime and dirt from the small crevices of sneakers. With a little help of warm (not scolding hot) water gently wipe across the sneaker and try to dislodge any of that excess dirt. This will then allow you to get down to the nitty-gritty part; you’ll need to some elbow grease, with the right ingredients of course.

Quick sidebar: If you’re working with suede, you should try to do most of the cleaning at this stage. Once you introduce water (and cleaning solution) to suede, the results can be less than satisfying. If the dirt is surface level on the suede brush with a sofer brush with the nap. If the dirt is really set-in, use a stiff brush (metal bristles work for deep, sturdy cleaning) on the suede moving both with and against the nap.

With the surface brushing out of the way, now is the time to introduce some cleaning solution. Be it wipes or liquids, there are numerous products out there which will all claim that they’re the best for cleaning sneakers, including brands like Jason Markk and Crep Protect. For white leather uppers or rubber soles, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are an extremely affordable solution to clear off dirt and grime. However, there’s no school like the old school, so don’t shy away from using a bit of soap or washing-up liquid. Combine warm water and a brush and apply a few drops of cleaning solution into a bowl and apply as needed. Remember, though, less is more.

Using a brush as well as a toothbrush so you can get into the difficult, hard-to-access parts, in circular motions scrub away and move across the sneaker in systematic sections, i.e. work on the uppers first and then the mid-section, and work up a nice lather and reapplying a little bit of cleaning liquid now and then.

You then need to remove the lather of cleaning solution and a microfiber towel is a smart choice here, as the tiny fibers will further enhance the scrubbing part and rid the sneaker of the lather. You can revert back to the previous step if necessary and spend a bit more time on it if you still have a few dirt marks deep within the mesh that need further unlocking, or delicate touches on the branding logos.

It’s at this point when you need to let the sneakers dry so that you can cover them in protector spray from a distance of about 10 to 15 centimeters. You’ll then need to clean the laces, which you may or may not have removed. To do this is dead simple. In a bowl with cleaning solution and warm water, place them within and let them soak for 10 to 15 minutes. After that, proceed to wring them out and then leave to dry. If you’ve got a little extra time (and a washing machine nearby), feel free to throw them in with a load of dirty clothes. Don’t worry: if your shoelaces can handle the elements, they should be able to survive the spin cycle.

Providing you've followed the previous steps and applied the right amount of elbow grease, your sneakers should be close to pristine condition and ready to go. Enjoy.

Looking for some fresh new sneakers? Check out crispy, white leather kicks here.

Want to add suede sneakers to your rotation? Shop more here.