I Tried This Viral TikTok Trick To Whiten Leather Shoes And It Works

For the past few years, white sneakers and a simple dress have been my go-to outfit in the spring and summer. It’s easy to wear, comfortable, and looks very trendy—until, of course, the white sneakers get scuffed and the soles, for some reason, turn yellow.

That’s why when I saw this video from Babs of TikTok’s @brunchwithbabs, I was so eager to try her seemingly foolproof way of cleaning white leather shoes.

Shoe whitening ingredients

According to Babs, all you need are the following ingredients—and your dirty white sneakers, of course.

• Two bowls, basins or sinks
• Stain remover spray
• Detergents
• Warm water
• Leavening
• A soft bristle toothbrush
• Hair Dye Volume 40 (with brush)
• Tissue

Step 1: Remove the shoelaces and soak

I had a lot of white shoes to choose from, and all of them needed a lot of help. However, for my first attempt, I decided to go with an all-white pair of Adidas sneakers. Until I saw the final product, I was a little nervous about trying this method on any canvas or fabric.

As per the instructions, I unlaced the shoes, sprayed them with stain remover, and placed them in a bowl of warm water and laundry detergent. I then soaked them while I did the rest of the process.

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Step 2: Fill the sink or basin with warm water and detergent

While the laces were soaking, I filled the sink with warm water and detergent, then dunked my sneakers in the water like in the video.

One thing worth mentioning: I recently switched to laundry detergent, so I was wondering if this still works. The detergent dissolves right in the hot water and the water gets nice and sudsy. This means there’s no reason to go out and buy liquid detergent if you’re in the same situation.

Step 3: Scrub Your Sneakers with Baking Soda

For the next step, I poured a generous amount of baking soda onto the soles of my sneakers. Once the baking soda had dried and clumped, I scrubbed it off with a wet toothbrush, adding a little water as I went.

I think maybe I didn’t use enough so it didn’t turn into a paste like in the video, but it seems to still work fine.

Step 4: Treat the shoe sole with hair color developer

As a natural redhead, I have never used hair dye. But since it is used to lighten hair, I figured it would also work to lighten shoes.

I carefully brushed it onto the soles of my shoes and, as per the instructions, wrapped them in tissue paper. Unfortunately, we’re a bit short on direct sunlight in London these days, but I put them in a bright spot and hoped for the best.

Result: It worked!

A few hours later, my shoes were definitely whiter and brighter. They didn’t look brand new like in the video, but they definitely looked a million times better than before. Same with the laces!

The only downside? It’s been a few hours since I finished the process, and both items are still pretty wet, so if you’re looking for a quick fix, keep in mind that it may take a few days for the items to dry before you can wear them again.

Otherwise, this is a great way to freshen up your white shoes and remove any stubborn stains that will leave you looking for replacement shoes. I may even use it on a few more pairs!