Keeping your shoes clean, it’s easier than you might think!

Now, I’m not one to normally clean my shoes with regularity, however, not too long ago I acquired a pair of super cool 5.10 approach/ parkour shoes. I’m no parkour aficionado, but I do get out to climb a bit, so I was psyched for some new kicks. The downside was that these shoes were white, meaning they would stay white for about 5 minutes after I took them out of the box. Sure enough, after an outing or two, they were downright filthy.

In order to bring my shoes back to a state that would at least be appropriate for frequenting a dive bar, I turned to my Nikwax arsenal to get them clean. In order to prepare for the overhaul, I removed the laces and insoles in order to get better access to all parts of the shoe. Good thing too, as you can see the tongue was particularly filthy.

Remove the laces and insoles.

The next step was to get the shoes good and wet- like wetting your hands before soaping them up.

Get those shoes good and wet!

Then, I grabbed Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel and went to town.

Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel to the rescue!

I scrubbed like a mad person.

Scrub your shoes!

Then, I rinsed off the Cleaning Gel suds. I was amazed at how much cleaner they were!

Sparkly!

Now, these shoes will never be waterproof. As you can see, they have holes all over them and there is no Gore-Tex membrane either. However, in order to help prevent further dirt and mud from corrupting my shoes, I thought, “it couldn’t hurt”! So I grabbed a bottle of Nikwax Nubuck & Suede Proof Spray-On (as the shoes are of the textured leather persuasion). I sprayed the shoes thoroughly and evenly.

I used the spray-on version.

Then, I set the shoes on a protected surface so they could dry. I also put some paper towel (newspaper works too) inside them in order to help them dry faster and soak up any water that got inside. You never want to accelerate the drying of your shoes with heat, as it can damage the uppers, as well as compromise any glued parts.

Drying time!

After a couple minutes I checked on them and removed any excess (pooling, etc.).

Dab to remove excess.

I let them dry over night. the next day gave them a little spritz to check the water repellency- They look great!

Look at that beading action!

Now to go get them filthy again!

Ready for action!

Why white shoes? Why?

Not too long ago I acquired a pair of super cool 5.10 approach/ parkour shoes. Now I’m no parkour aficionado, but I do get out to climb a bit, so I was psyched for some new kicks. The downside was that these shoes were white, meaning they would stay white for about 5 minutes after I took them out of the box. Sure enough, after an outing or two, they were downright filthy.

Bleah.

In order to bring my shoes back to a state that would at least be appropriate for frequenting a dive bar, I turned to my Nikwax arsenal. In order to prepare for the overhaul, I removed the laces and insoles in order to get better access to all parts of the shoe. Good thing too, as you can see the tongue was particularly filthy.

Remove the laces and insoles.

The next step was to get the shoes good and wet- like wetting your hands before soaping them up.

Get those shoes good and wet!

Then, grab Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel and go to town.

Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel to the rescue!

I scrubbed like a mad person.

Scrub your shoes!

Rinse off the Cleaning Gel. Look how much whiter they look!

Sparkly!

Now, these shoes will never be waterproof. As you can see, they have holes all over them and there is no Gore-Tex membrane either. However, in order to help prevent further dirt and mud from corrupting my shoes, I thought, “it couldn’t hurt”! So I grabbed a bottle of Nikwax Nubuck & Suede Proof Spray-On (as the shoes are of the textured leather persuasion). I sprayed the shoes thoroughly and evenly.

I used the spray-on version.

Then, I set the shoes on a protected surface so they could dry. I also put some paper towel (newspaper works too) inside them in order to help them dry faster and soak up any water that got inside. You never want to accelerate the drying of your shoes with heat, as it can damage the uppers, as well as compromise any glued parts.

Drying time!

After a couple minutes I checked on them and removed any excess (pooling, etc.).

Dab to remove excess.

I let them dry over night. the next day gave them a little spritz to check the water repellency- They look great!

Look at that beading action!

Now to go get them filthy again!

Ready for action!

Adventures Without Limits Partnership

Recently we announced our partnership with the non-profit Adventures Without Limits (AWL), an organization dedicated to using the outdoors as an experiential learning tool to enhance the lives of youth, families, and adults with special needs in the greater Portland metropolitan communities. We will provide ample supplies of product to the non-profit throughout the year to help the organization maintain their gear and equipment.

AWL uses an extensive amount of gear that experiences high use and rough wear, which also requires frequent maintenance, including washing. Partnering with us will help enable the organization to maintain and treat their gear, increasing its function and prolonging its life.

“A partnership with Nikwax is a perfect match for us as a non-profit,” says AWL executive director Doug Knighton. “Our gear tends to have rougher usage than average and is washed every time it is used, so wear and tear is much faster than normal. Having an ample supply of Nikwax products on hand enables us to treat our gear and lengthen its life, which will help us lower our replacement costs and keep our gear looking great and functional.”

AWL was founded in 1995 in response for a need for year round, adventure-based activity for special needs youth. They provide adventure trips throughout the year including: rock climbing, river rafting, sea kayaking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and more. AWL fulfills its mission by providing outdoor access to people of all abilities, social statures, and backgrounds. Additionally, the organization provides participants with the opportunity to develop new skills, enhance awareness of the natural environment, build self-confidence, and recognize personal potential. They also adapt equipment and provide additional staff-support to accommodate people with disabilities.

We are honored to partner with such an incredible organization whose mission supports enjoyment of the great outdoors to such a myriad of outdoor enthusiasts. This partnership also supports our mission of prolonging and enhancing outdoor gear in a sustainable way, resulting in less gear in the landfill and a greener, safer outdoor experience.