How to Keep Your Tennis Shoes White

old tennis shoe image by Galina Barskaya from Fotolia.com

A person usually wants to look as nicely groomed as possible. A dirty or dingy pair of tennis shoes can ruin your whole look. Tennis shoes, especially the white shoes, are notorious for becoming dirty. You may work out and sweat in them or do odd jobs around the house in them. They can eventually become an eyesore and even smell bad. But you don't have to throw out your old tennis shoes. A little extra effort on your white tennis shoes can restore them in no time. They even may look new again.

Remove the scuff marks from the tennis shoes. You may find that using toothpaste will work wonders. Use a non-gel paste and rub into the scuff mark with your fingers. Rinse off with a moist towel and allow to dry.

Clean the tennis shoes. Use a scrub brush to scrub away any dirt that is on the shoes. Then fill a bucket with about a quart of water and add three drops of dish soap. Place a clean cloth in the water and wipe the shoes down. Make sure the cloth is damp, not soaking wet.

Clean the soles. Use a toothbrush and dip into the soapy water. Scrub away the dirt from the soles.

Apply a white shoe polish to faded areas. Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding how to apply the polish and allow to dry.

Apply a leather protector if your shoes are make of leather. Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding how to apply and allow the shoes to dry.

Use a water-repellent product on the shoes after cleaning. Follow the manufacturer's instructions regarding application. This will help repel any rain or snow that gets onto the shoes. This is not foolproof, so try to stay out of the rain or snow as much as possible.