How to Clean Jelly Shoes? - ShoesFlame.com

Cleaning jelly shoes can be hard. Their clear, soft material gets scuffs and stains easily. But you can make them look new again with some easy home cleaning tricks.

In this post, I will walk you through exactly how to clean jelly shoes. We will use stuff you probably already have at home, like soap, old toothbrushes, and rags.

I will share tips to fix tough scuffs and make the shoes shiny again. We will make those favorite jelly shoes of yours sparkle! No scuff will be too hard. Together, we can make dirty jelly shoes look brand new.

Pre-Cleaning Checklist: Preparing for Success

Before cleaning your jelly shoes, ensure you have everything you need. You will need some simple soap (like the one you use for dishes), an old toothbrush for scrubbing, and a soft cloth for wiping.

First, look at your shoes to find any tough spots or areas that are extra dirty. This helps you know where you need to clean more carefully.

Next, set up your cleaning area near a sink or a tub so you can easily use water. Put down some towels on the ground. This helps to keep water from getting everywhere. It’s also good to clean where there is enough light so you don’t miss any dirt.

Lastly, get ready with two separate containers: one for soapy water to clean your shoes and another for rinsing them off. This way, you can clean and rinse your shoes effectively without mixing the soap and water.

How to Clean Jelly Shoes? Step-by-Step Guide

1. Get Rid of Loose Dirt

First, knock your shoes together gently to shake off any easy-to-remove dirt. Then, with a soft brush or a toothbrush, lightly brush over the shoes. This is like dusting them off. Make sure you get into the small spots where dirt likes to hide, like around any designs or patterns.

2. Mixing Your Cleaning Water

Now, make your cleaning mix. Just take a little bit of gentle soap and mix it with warm water in a bowl. You want some bubbles, but not too many. Think of it like making a bubble bath for your shoes – enough to clean them, but not so much that it leaves a mess.

3. Scrub Gently

Take a soft cloth, dip it in your soapy water, and start wiping your shoes. Do this softly. If you see stains, rub them in small circles to help lift the dirt off. This part is like washing your face: be thorough but gentle.

4. Rinse the Soap Off

The last step is to rinse off your shoes with water. Make sure you get all the soap off, especially in the small, hard-to-reach areas. Soap left on the shoes can make them look cloudy. Just rinse until the water runs clear, and you don’t see any more bubbles.

Advanced Cleaning Techniques

Tackling Stubborn Stains with Baking Soda

Tough stains and scuff marks on jelly shoes often need extra attention. An effective yet gentle solution is to make a paste of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water. Apply this paste directly onto stains and scuffs and gently scrub with a soft toothbrush or cloth, using circular motions to work in the paste.

The baking soda acts as a gentle scrubber that can remove tough dirt and scuffs without damaging the soft shoe material.

Rinsing thoroughly afterward removes the paste and stains. This is particularly helpful for deep-set grime that regular cleaning tends to miss.

Reviving Dull Shoes with Lemon Juice and Olive Oil

Over time, jelly shoes can lose their vibrant sheen or acquire light-colored stains. Useful natural ingredients to restore shine are lemon juice and olive oil. Rubbing a small amount of olive oil conditions the material and brings back a bright sheen.

For light stains, put lemon juice directly on them and gently rub them with a cloth. The acidic lemon juice acts as a natural bleaching agent to lift discoloration without hurting the shoe color.

Make sure to rinse off any lemon residue to prevent damage. This safely tackles dullness and stains, revitalizing the look of the shoes.

Eliminating Grime with Vinegar

Sometimes, jelly shoes get extremely dirty, and regular soap does not clean effectively. Mixing equal parts vinegar and water creates a useful cleaning solution. Wipe the shoes with this solution, focusing on very grimy areas. The acetic acid in vinegar breaks down stubborn, stuck-on grime. Rinsing the shoes thoroughly afterward removes all vinegar residue.

An added bonus is that vinegar naturally deodorizes and disinfects. This method provides extra cleaning power when shoes are very dirty.

Incorporating these techniques as needed keeps jelly shoes looking their best by tackling stains, dullness, and stubborn grime.

Drying and Post-Cleaning Care

Drying Jelly Shoes

Allow shoes to completely air dry in an open, well-ventilated space away from direct sunlight or external heat sources like radiators or heaters, which can cause cracking or warping of the delicate jelly material during the drying process.

Lightly stuff some crumpled paper towels or tissue inside the shoes to absorb excess moisture and promote air circulation, as this will help maintain the original shape and structural integrity of the shoes as they thoroughly dry.

Caring for Jelly Shoes

After each wear, gently wipe shoes clean using a soft damp cloth to remove any dust, dirt, or grime that can gradually build up over time with daily use. These particles can lead to discoloration and material deterioration if left to sit.

When not being worn, keep jelly shoes properly stored in a climate-controlled space with lower humidity and out of direct sunlight. Exposure to heat, light, and moisture over time can cause fading, brittle, cracking, and misshaping.

Troubleshooting Common Jelly Shoe Problems

Getting Rid of Smells

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons baking soda in each smelly shoe. Baking soda soaks up and neutralizes odors because it is alkaline and reacts with acidic odor molecules.

Leave baking soda in shoes overnight, around 8 hours, to fully absorb smells. This gives the baking soda enough time to interact with and neutralize odor sources.

In the morning, dump out any excess baking soda before wearing shoes so it doesn’t transfer everywhere. Tap shoes over trash to remove baking soda dust.

Fixing Stains

Make a cleaning solution by mixing 1 cup water and 1/4 cup white vinegar in a bowl. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which chemically breaks down some stain compounds.
Use a soft brush or cloth to scrub stained shoe areas gently with the vinegar solution. Keep scrubbing until stains fade and the shoes look cleaner. The vinegar solution lifts staining from the material surface.

Chewing Gum Removal

Put gummed-up shoes in the freezer for several hours. The cold temperature hardens the sticky gum by freezing its structure solid. This makes the gum brittle, so it cracks off more easily.
Once frozen, slowly peel off hardened gum with your fingers. Keep shoes cold during the process so the gum remains hard. The cold state prevents the gum from getting soft and sticky again while removing it.
Pull off the gum slowly and gently. Stop gum removal if it starts tearing shoe material rather than cracking off. The jelly shoe material may be delicate and prone to ripping if you aren’t cautious.

Do’s and Don’ts: Tips and Warnings

Do’s and Don’t While Using Gentle Cleaners

Mix mild dish soap and water. Dish detergent effectively dissolves dirt but is gentle on materials. The soap molecules lift dirt from the shoe surface when scrubbed.
Test the cleaner first on a small, hidden spot on the shoe. Check if soap damages material by reacting with its polymers or dying before using it in visible areas.
Gently scrub in circles with a soft brush. Don’t apply too much pressure to avoid tears. Gentle circular motion helps lift stains without damaging the material’s integrity.

Avoid Harsh Chemicals

Don’t use bleach, ammonia, or acid products, which can react with and break down jelly polymers through chemical changes to the material.
This damages the shoes and fades their color. The acids and bases degrade dyes and alter the shoe composition.

Prevent Warping

Don’t soak shoes for over 20 minutes after washing. Excess moisture is absorbed, causing swollen warping as the polymer chains expand.
Rotate shoes while air drying. Evens out moisture loss across the surface so they dry uniformly without deforming. Allows moisture to dissipate rather than pooling unevenly.
Stuff shoes with paper or towels to hold form as they dry. The absorbing materials fill out the shape from the inside to maintain structure.
Check on shoes while drying and reshape if sagging occurs in certain areas. Catching early warping allows easier molding back into the designed form before fully set.

Innovative Cleaning Hacks

Quick Touch-Ups

Use unscented baby wipes to wipe away small stains or dirt lightly. The soft fabric lifts residue without damaging the material surface when gently rubbed.
For scuffs, very gently erase the mark with a clean pencil eraser. Carefully rub only the top layer of the scuff to minimize material removal.

Restoring Shine

Mix a small amount of olive oil and water in a spray bottle. The oil fills in micro-scratches, smoothing the texture to make shoes shiny. Oil preps surface on a microscopic level.
Lightly spray shoes with an oil-water mixture, then wipe with a soft cloth. The spray facilitates even distribution before buffing.
Gently buff until noticeable shine returns. Removes excess oil and evens out the shoe’s surface.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, keep jelly shoes clean by washing them gently with mild soap and water. Use items like baking soda, lemon juice, or vinegar to tackle tough stains. Rinse thoroughly after washing and air dry with crumpled paper inside to retain the shape.

Avoid harsh chemicals, oversoaking, heat, and sunlight exposure that can damage the delicate material. Follow the tips to lift dirt, eliminate odors, fix stains, and restore shine. With the right techniques, you can easily keep your favorite jelly shoes looking like new.

Now that you know how to care for jelly shoes properly, it’s time to give your pair some tender, loving care. Try out these cleaning methods next time your shoes need refreshing! Let us know in the comments if you have any other handy jelly shoe-cleaning tricks.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I wash jelly shoes in the washing machine?

No. Use your hands to wash jelly shoes instead. The washing machine can damage them.

How do I get oil stains out of my jelly shoes?

Mix baking soda with a little water. Rub the paste onto the stain. Let it sit for a few minutes. Gently scrub the stain. Then rinse the shoes with water.

What’s the best way to store my jelly shoes?

Keep them in a cool, dry place that does not get direct sunlight. This will help prevent fading and warping of the shoes over time. Avoid hot places like a garage or attic. Putting them in a closet or under a bed works well.