How to Remove Mud from Sneakers

The Logic Verdict

My Take: Ken refuses to use the trending vinegar-and-baking-soda trick because their pH extremes neutralize one another. Instead, he removes the laces, stuffs each shoe with a dish towel for support, then treats uppers based on material: white toothpaste for leather panels, and a warm-water/OxiClean bath for mesh, knit, or canvas shoes (plus the laces and insoles). Every step uses products that live in your bathroom or laundry room.

The Science

Mud is clay, sand, and organic dyes glued to the surface by whatever water and oils splashed onto the shoe. Toothpaste contains mild abrasives (hydrated silica) and surfactants that safely scrub the grime without shredding leather, while the built-in baking soda raises the pH so acidic stains break apart. OxiClean White Revive is sodium percarbonate; once dissolved in warm water it creates hydrogen peroxide and soda ash that oxidize soil and lift it out of textured fibers. Keeping the chemistry separate matters—premixing vinegar with baking soda destroys both before they ever touch the shoe.

Step-by-Step Removal

1. Strip and stuff. Pull the laces and insoles from every pair. Pack a dry dish towel (or shoe tree) inside each shoe so the uppers hold their shape and the towel can wick water later.
2. Spot-clean white leather. Squeeze a pea-sized amount of white, non-gel toothpaste onto a clean toothbrush. Dip in a little water and scrub the mud-stained leather in short circles. Add more paste and water until the suds stay white and the scuffs fade. Let the toothpaste dwell 15–20 minutes, then wipe away residue with a damp microfiber cloth.
3. Mix an oxygen soak for mesh, knit, and accessories. Fill a bucket with warm water, add one scoop of OxiClean White Revive, and stir until dissolved. Drop in the laces, insoles, and any mesh or knit shoes. Use another object to keep them submerged and soak for 2–3 hours (longer for stubborn stains).
4. Scrub canvas while it soaks. Dip a medium-bristle brush into the OxiClean bath and scrub canvas uppers in short strokes, reloading the brush with solution as needed so the mud suspends in the liquid instead of grinding deeper.
5. Rinse and dry. Rinse every shoe, lace, and insole under clean water until the suds disappear. Press with a microfiber cloth, restuff with a dry towel, and dry outside in the sun (or in front of a fan) before relacing.

Parts & Tools

• Arm & Hammer Advance White Extreme Whitening Toothpaste (Amazon) – Mild abrasives plus baking soda for the leather passes.
• OxiClean White Revive Laundry Whitener (Amazon) – Oxygen-based powder for the warm-water soak that brightens mesh and canvas.

What NOT To Do

• Don’t premix vinegar and baking soda; the fizz may look exciting, but the reaction neutralizes both before they can clean.
• Don’t use a colored gel toothpaste—it can transfer blue or green dye to white rubber and leather.
• Don’t skip the drying step or leave shoes stuffed with wet towels; trapped moisture warps foam midsoles and breeds mildew.

Resources

• Arm & Hammer Advance White Extreme Whitening Toothpaste (Amazon)
• OxiClean White Revive Laundry Whitener (Amazon)