Cleaning fabric tennis shoes

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Prepare a second bowl of clean water. You'll use this to rinse your dishcloth as you clean your shoes.

• Dip a washcloth in the solution and scrub your shoes. Work on one section at a time, dipping your cloth in the water and scrubbing your shoes in a circular motion. Rinse the dishcloth in the clean water, then dip it in the cleaning solution and keep going until you've cleaned the canvas part of both shoes.

• You can use the same method to clean the inside of the shoes as well.
• If you want to wash your laces separately, pour some of the cleaning solution into a separate small bowl and soak your laces in it. When you're finished cleaning your shoes, rinse the laces in clean, warm water.

• Clean the rubber parts with an old toothbrush. Dirt and grime can grind into the rubber parts of Vans shoes, so you may need something stiffer than a wash cloth to tackle these parts. Dip an old toothbrush into the cleaning solution and use it to scrub the sides of the soles and all other rubber parts of the shoes.

• If you don't have a toothbrush handy, use the abrasive side of a kitchen sponge or a small scrub brush.
• If the rubber parts of your shoes aren't that dirty, you can clean them using wet wipes to remove scuff marks and other light marks.

Go back over the shoes with a clean wet cloth. Use it to wipe away any dirt and soap residue remaining on your shoes. When you're finished, check out your shoes to see if you're happy with their color. If you see places where the cleaning solution didn't work, you may have to move on to stain removal techniques.

Stuff the shoes with newspaper and let them air dry. Using newspaper will help your shoes keep their shape as they dry. Set them in a sunny place and let them dry completely before replacing the laces and wearing your shoes.