The five causes
- Oxidation. Rubber and foam soles yellow as they react with air and light. It happens to shoes in their box.
- Drying in the sun. The fastest way to yellow a clean white shoe.
- Soap left in the material. Detergent that is not rinsed out turns yellow as it dries.
- Bleach. It whitens for a day, then yellows the material and weakens the stitching.
- Sweat and damp storage. Moisture held in the lining works its way outward.
What you can do at home
- Brush off dry dirt first, before any water touches the shoe.
- Clean with mild soap and a soft brush. Laces and insoles out, washed separately.
- Rinse it out properly. More yellowing comes from soap left in than from dirt left on.
- Stuff with plain tissue and dry in the shade, in moving air. Not the sun, not a dryer.
What makes it worse
- Bleach and whitening toothpaste
- A hot machine wash — it loosens the glue that holds the sole
- Drying on a window sill or a balcony
- Storing them damp, or in plastic
When it needs us
Yellowed soles and midsoles are de-yellowed as part of dry cleaning, along with a deep clean of the upper. Where the colour itself has gone, the shoe is recoloured. If the sole is separating or crumbling, that is sole and heel work — and a crumbling midsole cannot be whitened back, only replaced.