Nothing feels better than a new pair of shoes. Nothing feels worse than getting those shoes dirty. But just as nothing stays new forever (unless you never wear your sneakers), dirt stains aren't permanent, either. Learning how to clean your sneakers is a badge of honor. Just like watering your plants or getting exercise and following a diet, it's healthy to maintain your sneakers over time.

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While some sneakers do look better with a bit of wear, no sneaker looks good with food stains or mud on them. To get a better idea of how to clean your sneakers and keep them in tip-top shape, we talked to sneaker cleaning guru and co-founder of sneaker cleaning brand SneakersER Rob Stewart.Below are his techniques to clean every part of your shoe.

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From a quick wipe down, to waterproofing, and more advanced process like unfogging an Air bubble or making sure your midsole doesn't crumble. In a day and age where you see people wearing cooked Air Force 1s, this is how you can avoid that plague.All illustrations by Naomi OtsuHow to keep your sneaker laces white[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"]<img class="lead-carousel__media__img"

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alt="how to clean laces" width="640" height="480" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]Take the laces out before cleaning. Stick them in a bowl of warm to hot water with a couple of capsules of solutions while you clean the shoe, which should take 20 to 30 minutes.

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Take them out, give them a scrub with your hands, then run them through a microfiber cloth. If there are more stubborn laces, put solution on the microfiber cloth and then use the edge of your nail.

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How to get the odor out of an insole[caption id="attachment_349544" align="alignnone" width="669"]<img class="wp-image-349544 size-full" alt="" width="669" height="374" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]A clean should take some of that out. Deodorizers have antibacterial properties in them, and you can also use an insole that has silver ions in it. The inside of a shoe can be harder to reach.

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Get as much as you can with the hot water and solution. Brushes can be too big, so you can use a cloth instead.How to clean a suede sneaker[caption id="attachment_349558" align="alignnone" width="679"]<img class="wp-image-349558 size-full" alt="" width="679" height="384" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]With suede, there are a few things you need to take into account. First off, I would see what color's the suede.

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If it's a deep color, like navy or burgundy, you have the risk of a color bleed. Choose your product, warm water, a soft brush. The best technique is to do as dry of a clean as possible. Before using water on the shoe, scrub the shoe with a dry brush. There are also rubber erasers you can use as well. If you do need to do a wet wash, do it as dry as possible.

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Once you have your solution and water on the brush, place it against your microfiber cloth and take as much of that moisture out as possible. Then go into the suede and take the stains or dirt out. Be very careful if there's a navy panel next to a lighter panel, as the colors will bleed. The drying process with suede is more important than the actual washing.

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After you've finished your clean, get as much moisture out of the suede with a microfiber. Pat the suede and twist the cloth on it, so it puffs up the nap on the suede. It might take three hours for the shoe to dry, but I'll go back every half hour and do that technique on the shoe. If you just leave it and don't babysit it, that's when you can get problems. If the suede gets hard, you can work it with a series of brushes.

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How to clean an outsole[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"]<img class="lead-carousel__media__img" src="

alt="how to clean an outsole" width="640" height="480" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]You can use a stiffer brush. Since it's rubber, you can go hotter

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with your water. A couple swishes of cleaning solutions, then scrub. Deglazer works if there's something super hard to remove—put it on a cloth and work your way at it.How to clean a midsole[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"]<img class="lead-carousel__media__img" src="

alt="how to

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clean a midsole" width="640" height="480" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]Midsoles are made out of foam or rubber, so you can use a stiffer brush. Once again: cleaning solution and scrub. If something isn't getting out, you can use a "neat" solution on a microfiber cloth. If that doesn't remove it, you can use a bit of deglazer on a microfiber cloth.

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If that doesn't work, the last move would be to use paint or a midsole pen. That's what we'd recommend for a Boost material. You can spend 12 hours scrubbing it and it still won't look white.How to stop a shoe from creasing[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"]<img class="lead-carousel__media__img"

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alt="How to stop a shoe from creasing" width="640" height="480" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]This is a temporary measure. We can take it out with shoe trees, but, naturally, as you bend your foot again, it's going to come back unless you use one

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of those plastic toe crease devices. I've never used them. You should expect creases; shoes can't stay brand new forever.How to get gum off a sole[caption id="attachment_349572" align="alignnone" width="660"]<img class="wp-image-349572 size-full" alt="" width="660" height="368" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]Pick what you can out yourself with tweezers first].

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[Use] hot, hot water, almost to the point where it's boiling, [and rub it in with] microfiber cloth. [The gum] softens over time. Rubber erasers [can] grab the glue or sticky residue until it's a ball and you can pick it off. It takes quite a long time.

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How to waterproof a shoe[caption id="attachment_349575" align="alignnone" width="677"]<img class="wp-image-349575 size-full" alt="" width="677" height="381" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]There are two types. If you're after a quick fix, an aerosol protector will do the job. It will be done in 10-20 minutes. For an all-leather shoe, you can use a wax. The best performing is a super hydrophobic nanoprotector.

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It creates a layer of breathable glass around the shoe. Coat the entire shoe. You work it in with a brush. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then you do a second layer on the shoe. Then it takes 24 hours for it to cure. There's more work, but in terms of performance, it's night and day.How to get yellowing off a sneaker[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"]<img class="lead-carousel__media__img"

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alt="how to get yellowing off a sole" width="640" height="480" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]It's possible to get it off a shoe. You're going to be exposed to pretty harsh chemicals—it's a peroxide bleach. You'll need good gloves and access

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to a ventilated space. You'll need either a huge lamp or access to a very sunny climate, because that's where the activation of the peroxide happens. You'll also need to wrap the shoe up in a see-through plastic.

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How to fix cloudy Air bubbles[caption id="attachment_349593" align="alignnone" width="676"]<img class="wp-image-349593 size-full" alt="" width="676" height="382" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]Use a normal hairdryer, don't have it on its highest setting, it might warp the plastic bubble. The hair dryer has enough heat in it.

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Hold it six inches from the bubble, back and forth, you'll see the mist magically disappear.How to fill in a scratch[caption id="attachment_349599" align="alignnone" width="680"]<img class="wp-image-349599 size-full" alt="" width="680" height="380" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]If you scratch a leather shoe, there are leather fillers you can use. It will bend and be flexible.

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You can sand it down and paint over it. There are products out there that are being developed for furniture, and they'll have a flexible filler. You just have to be smart and savvy.How to keep a midsole from crumbling[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="640"]<img class="lead-carousel__media__img" src="

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alt="midsole crumbling" width="640" height="480" /> Image via Complex Original, all artwork by Naomi Otsu[/caption]It's an age-related problem with polyurethane foam. We're seeing midsoles on certain brands that are 18 months old that are not very wear-resistant. To prevent it, a lot of problems originate where the moisture is high. If you buy shoes from Asia, sometimes there's problems with that due to the climate.

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Keep your shoes in a room with low humidity. If you wear your shoes, the effects can be less, compared to leaving your shoes in a box for years.Source: Complex.com

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