How to Clean Converse High Tops | Hand Wash, No Machine

Stick your Converse high tops in the washing machine and you risk loosening the stitching, warping the rubber toe cap, and shortening the shoe’s life. The steps below follow that method from dry-brushing to final air-dry, with the material-specific stain treatments included.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Gather everything first so the process runs without stopping to hunt for supplies. Most of this is already in your kitchen or laundry room.

• Soft-bristle brush (an old toothbrush works) or a dry microfiber cloth
• Mild liquid dish soap — nothing with bleach or harsh solvents
• Two bowls or small buckets filled with lukewarm water
• Clean microfiber cloths for wiping and blotting
• White paper towels for stuffing the shoes while they dry
• Optional for stains: hydrogen peroxide (canvas) or baking soda (leather)

The Hand-Cleaning Method That Works for Any High Top

This is the core routine. Converse’s care pages for leather and synthetic sneakers call for wiping the shoe with a damp cloth, lukewarm water, and mild soap — and for canvas high tops, the same hand approach is what trusted sources recommend.

1. Remove the laces. Pull them out completely and set them aside in one of the water bowls. You’ll clean them separately.
2. Dry-brush the loose dirt. Use the soft-bristle brush to knock off dust and grit, paying attention to the rubber trim, the tongue, and the crevices where the sole meets the canvas. This step prevents ground-in dirt from turning into mud when water hits it.
3. Mix the cleaning solution. Add a few drops of liquid dish soap to one bowl of lukewarm water. Keep the second bowl with plain clean water for rinsing.
4. Scrub the shoe gently. Dip your brush or microfiber cloth into the soapy water and work in small circles over the canvas. Do the rubber outsole and toe cap in the same pass — they pick up the same grime. Scrub with light pressure; hard scrubbing damages canvas, logos, stitching, and the rubber detailing.
5. Treat stubborn stains by material. For canvas, apply a small amount of hydrogen peroxide with the soft brush. For leather or synthetic pairs, a wet toothbrush dipped in baking soda handles scuffs gently. Test either treatment on a less visible area first, since these are not universal manufacturer instructions.
6. Wipe off the residue. Dip a clean cloth in the plain water bowl and wipe the whole shoe to remove every trace of soap. Leftover soap dries as a dull film.
7. Blot and stuff. Blot the shoes with a dry cloth, then stuff them with white paper towels. The paper absorbs moisture from the inside and holds the shape while the shoes dry.
8. Air-dry at room temperature. Set the shoes somewhere with good airflow, away from direct sunlight, radiators, and hair dryers. Heat and UV light cause yellowing and can warp the rubber. Drying takes several hours to a full day — patience here is what keeps the shoes looking right.

While the shoes dry, scrub the laces in the soapy bowl, rinse them in the plain water, squeeze out the excess, and lay them flat on a towel.

What to Do for White Canvas High Tops

White canvas picks up stains faster than any other colorway, and the treatment is the same hand-wash approach with one extra caution. Reputable sources that rate the best way to clean white sneakers consistently land on mild soap, lukewarm water, a soft brush, and air-drying — never the machine. The hydrogen peroxide trick from the main method above helps with yellowing and set-in marks on white canvas specifically. Use it sparingly on a small spot first, and let the shoes dry completely before you judge the result; white canvas can look patchy while damp and even out as it dries. If you’re shopping for a new pair, our roundup of the best Converse high tops to buy now covers the colorways and materials worth considering.

Common Mistakes That Ruin Converse High Tops

Most damage to Converse comes from cleaning shortcuts, not from wear. These are the four mistakes that show up repeatedly in care guidance.

• The washing machine. The tumbling action stresses the glue holding the sole to the canvas and can permanently crease the toe cap. Converse-facing care guidance explicitly steers people away from it.
• The dryer or hair dryer. Heat shrinks canvas and can warp the rubber sole. Air-drying at room temperature is the only recommended route.
• Soaking the canvas. Over-saturating the fabric creates water marks and stretches the drying time dramatically. Controlled moisture — damp cloth, not a dunk — is the goal.
• Skipping the spot test. Any stain treatment, especially hydrogen peroxide or baking soda, should be tested on a hidden area first. What works on one pair can discolor another.

If your high tops are leather or synthetic rather than canvas, use the material-specific steps from the main method rather than the general canvas routine — the stain treatments differ for a reason.

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