Why do the soles of shoes turn yellow? How to prevent the soles of shoes from turning yellow

Yellowing of soles is a very common phenomenon. There are many reasons for the yellowing of soles. The yellowing of soles may be caused by the shoes being worn for a long time, resulting in oxidation due to contact with air, or it may be caused by improper storage or cleaning.

Why do the soles of shoes turn yellow?

The soles of shoes turn yellow because they are made of rubber. After wearing shoes, your feet will sweat and the sweat will remain on the soles, which will turn yellow. When brushing shoes, washing them with detergent and then exposing them to the sun will also turn the shoes yellow. Remember not to use alkaline detergents. Rubber ages and turns yellow after being worn for a long time or left unused.

How to prevent the soles of your shoes from turning yellow

1. White nail polish

This is the most convenient "white shoes secret", just apply white nail polish on the yellow edge of the shoe, but this method can only be used on a small area and can only be regarded as an emergency method.

2. Toothpaste method

This is the most commonly used method, and the effect is also good: first brush the shoes with transparent soap and a soft brush, wash them with clean water, then brush the shoes with pure white toothpaste, and then wash them with clean water; finally wrap the shoes with toilet paper and put them in a cool and ventilated place. There is another way to remove yellowing with toothpaste, which is to brush the shoes first and then control the water, then evenly apply white toothpaste on the yellowed parts and dry them in the shade, and when the shoes are dry, knock off the toothpaste, and the yellow stains will disappear.

3. White vinegar method

First dilute a certain amount of white vinegar, put it into the shoes and soak for 1-2 hours, then use a small soft brush to dip a little detergent to scrub the edges of the shoes. After a few minutes, you will find that the soles of the shoes are brand new. It should be noted that when preparing the white vinegar solution, you must pay attention to the concentration. The concentration should not be too high, which will damage the shoes, especially the shoes with patterns that are easy to fade. Of course, the concentration should not be too low, which will not dissolve the stains well. It is recommended to use a small bottle cap of white vinegar with 200 ml of water.

4. Baking soda

Whether it is yellowed sneakers or clothes, they can all be killed instantly. Just dissolve a spoonful of baking soda in a small basin of clean water, then put the shoes to be washed in and soak for a while (except leather shoes), then apply soap and wash. If the yellowing is very stubborn, soak the shoes in hot water mixed with baking soda for better results.

5. 84 disinfectant

First, clean the dirty shoes in advance, then pour clean water into the basin, add 84 disinfectant and stir evenly, then put the shoes flat in the basin, with the water just covering the yellowed soles, and then soak them overnight (the soaking time varies depending on the degree of yellowing, and you can decide for yourself). After taking them out, rinse them with clean water, wrap them with toilet paper, and dry them in a ventilated place. If you have white canvas shoes and the uppers are also yellow, you can also turn the shoes over after soaking the soles, and soak the body of the shoes in the 84 mixture, but it should not be soaked for too long. When using this method, be careful not to let the other colored parts of the shoes get stained with disinfectant, otherwise it is likely to cause discoloration.

What to do if the rubber sole of the shoe becomes old and hard?

Vinegar and wine both have a softening effect. First, pour a certain amount of vinegar and wine into a cup, prepare some paper towels, fold the paper towels in half to make them thicker, then soak the paper towels in the liquid, then wrap the shoes outside and let them dry. If you want to soften the soles of the shoes, you can wrap the soles a little more. After a long period of air drying, the shoes will become soft. You can also soak them in gasoline or toluene to soften them, but it will affect the physical and chemical properties, so you should pay attention to maintenance at ordinary times.

How to remove yellowing of white shoes

White shoes are prone to yellowing, so you need to pay more attention to their maintenance. If white shoes turn yellow, you can wipe them with lead powder, wrap them with tissue paper and dry them in the sun to restore them to white. Beer, toothpaste and soap are all very effective in removing yellowing. Remember to wrap the shoes with clean tissue paper when you wash and dry them to absorb the yellow stains on the shoes.