These days, most high-performance running shoes are made of delicate mesh and flyknit fabric. Lightweight, breathable materials are perfect for long runs, and white mesh shoes go great with your running outfit, but they’re usually a headache to clean and maintain. Here’s how you do it.

Materials
How to Clean Mesh Sneakers: Step-by-Step
Hand Cleaning vs. Washing Your Shoes
Why Choose the DFNS Footwear Cleaning Kit?

Materials

• Shoe cleaner or specialized laundry detergent
• Cleaning brush
• Microfiber cloth
• 2 bowls or recipients
• Lukewarm water
• Shoe tree or newspaper

Quick tip: our DFNS Footwear Cleaning Kit has the essentials packed in a travel-friendly box.

How to Clean Mesh Sneakers: Step-by-Step

1. PREP 

Remember to clean your laces by removing and soaking them in a bowl with warm water and a bit of cleaner gel or specialized laundry detergent. Keep them soaked in while you clean your shoes.
Use the dry brush to remove loose dust and dirt on your shoe’s surface and outsoles. Mesh is a sensitive material and can be damaged if not treated correctly, so always use a soft bristled brush like our DFNS Premium Cleaning Brush when dealing with a mesh shoe.
(Optional) Stuff your shoes with a shoe tree or newspaper to maintain their shape while you clean them.

2. SCRUB

Dip the brush in a bowl of water to wet the bristles and apply a generous amount of the cleaner or detergent. Then get to work. Scrub slowly but firmly in a circular motion to foam the solution.

3. WIPE 

Use the microfiber cloth to wipe away excess foam with the microfiber cloth and scrub again as needed.

4. DRY 

Finally, let your mesh shoes air-dry for approximately 24 hours. Avoid direct sunlight or using the dryer to keep your sneakers from distorting or losing their colour.
Once dry, lace them up, and you’re good to go.

Hand Cleaning vs. Washing Your Shoes

We always recommend that you clean your sneakers by hand, especially when it comes to mesh shoes. Hand cleaning is kinder to the fabric and shape-maintenance of your footwear, and therefore its performance.
If you’re looking for a quicker way to clean your trusted pair of sneakers without damaging them, here’s How to Safely Wash Shoes in a Washing Machine.

Why Choose the DFNS Footwear Cleaning Kit?

We're the experts in footwear and apparel care, trusted by leaders like adidas and The North Face, and committed to designing solutions that keep your favorite apparel in play for longer, without compromising on quality or sustainability.

Our Footwear Cleaning Kit brings your shoes back to their best. Including our 90 ml Footwear Cleaner, our Premium Cleaning Brush, and a microfiber cloth. Our set is:

• Safe for mesh, canvas, rubber, suede, nubuck, leather and pleather
• Water-based and solvent-free
• Kind to your skin and the environment
• Travel-friendly

Get your DFNS Footwear Cleaning Kit and keep your mesh sneakers on top performance.