How to Clean Vans: What Vans Says About Canvas, Suede, Soles and the Washing Machine
Quick answer: Vans says to hand clean with warm (not hot) water and a soft brush. For white canvas, use a few drops of dish soap in warm water, or a baking soda paste for a deep clean. Use a suede brush with minimal water on suede, a magic eraser on rubber soles only, and air dry at room temperature. Vans advises against the washing machine.
We compare Vans with Cleanipedia and show where they differ.
How to Clean Vans: Vans and Cleanipedia Compared
Vans publishes its own cleaning guide. Cleanipedia (a Unilever brand) has a short Vans page that leans on the washing machine. They agree on a soft brush, no bleach and a low temperature, and they differ on how willing they are to use the machine.
| Topic | Vans | Cleanipedia |
|---|---|---|
| General approach | Hand clean. Remove laces and insoles, tap shoes together to shed loose dirt, use warm (not hot) water and a soft brush or toothbrush. | Check the shoe label first. If machine washing is allowed, use a mesh bag, gentle spin and low temperature. For non-washable Vans, use a soft brush and a damp towel. |
| Machine washing | Avoid it. Vans says it can loosen glue and affect the shoe structure. Its FAQ calls machine washing “a little risky” and only for all-canvas pairs, cold water, gentle cycle, air dry. | Allowed if the label says so: cold water, gentle cycle, mesh bag. Never for suede. Do not wash too often, because it can weaken the fabric. |
| White canvas | Quick clean: a few drops of dish soap in warm water, soft brush, damp cloth. Deep clean: baking soda paste or mild laundry detergent, 15 to 20 minutes, light rinse. | Pre-soak stubborn stains with laundry detergent. No amounts are given. |
| Black canvas | Colour-safe mild detergent, lightly scrub with a dampened toothbrush, do not soak. A black fabric dye can restore faded pairs. | Not covered. |
| Suede | Suede brush with minimal water, sparing use of suede cleaner. No soaking or machine. | Suede should never go in the machine. |
| Bleach | Avoid chlorine bleach. It can weaken fabric or yellow it. Even diluted bleach can fade black canvas. | Not recommended. It can leave yellow marks and remove colour. |
Where the two differ, Vans is the maker, so it is the safer source for your own pair. The Cleanipedia page is dated 30 May 2022.
How to Clean White Vans
Vans gives a quick clean and a deeper clean for white canvas.
- Prep. Remove laces and insoles and tap the shoes together to knock off loose dirt (Vans).
- Quick clean. Mix a few drops of dish soap into a small bucket of warm water, scrub with a soft brush, wipe with a damp cloth (Vans).
- Deep clean. Brush on a paste of baking soda and water, or mild laundry detergent, scrub gently and leave 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse lightly. Vans gives no ratio for the paste.
- Optional whitening. Vans suggests 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar and 1 tablespoon of baking soda, scrubbed in and left 30 minutes before rinsing.
- Dry. Blot with a dry towel, stuff with newspaper or use shoe trees, and air dry at room temperature (Vans).
For other whitening options and sole yellowing, see our white shoes guide.
Black Canvas, Suede and Leather Vans
Black canvas. Vans uses a mild colour-safe detergent and a lightly dampened toothbrush, and says not to soak the shoes. It says even diluted bleach can fade black canvas, and a black fabric dye can be used on faded pairs.
Suede. Vans says to use a suede brush with minimal water because too much water can leave marks, and a suede cleaner sparingly. It says not to soak or machine wash suede. For more detail, see our suede cleaning guide.
Leather. Vans does not give separate leather steps. It groups leather with suede: minimal water and a specialty cleaner or brush. Our leather shoe guide goes further.
Can You Wash Vans in the Washing Machine?
The two sources are not far apart, but they sound different. Vans advises against the machine because it can loosen glue and affect shoe structure, and calls it “a little risky” even for all-canvas pairs, with cold water, a gentle cycle and air drying. Cleanipedia says to check the label, then use a mesh bag, gentle spin and low temperature, and never wash suede in the machine.
General advice: since Vans itself leans toward hand cleaning, treat the machine as a last resort for all-canvas pairs only. If you do, see how appliance makers describe it in our washing machine guide.
Soles, Laces and Insoles
For rubber soles and foxing, Vans says to use a magic eraser or a damp cloth with soap, and not to use sandpaper. It says magic erasers are safe on rubber but should not be used on fabric uppers. Laces soak 15 to 30 minutes in warm soapy water, then rinse and dry, with no hot water or tumble drying. Insoles are wiped with a damp cloth and mild soap and air dried (all Vans).
How to Dry Vans
Vans says to blot with a dry towel, stuff with newspaper or use shoe trees, and air dry indoors at room temperature. It lists direct sunlight, heaters and dryers as things to avoid because they can cause loss of shape, though it says white canvas can air dry in indirect sunlight after a quick clean. Cleanipedia only covers hairdryer use for wet shoes and warns to keep the dryer well away from the shoes, calling a close dryer a fire hazard. For faster options, see our guide to drying wet shoes.
Mistakes That Damage Vans
- Chlorine bleach. Vans says it can weaken fabric or yellow it, and fade black canvas even when diluted.
- Hot water. Vans says warm, not hot. Cleanipedia says hot or vigorous washing can damage or shrink fabric.
- Soaking suede or leather. Vans says to avoid it.
- Stiff brushes. Cleanipedia says they can damage the fabric.
- Sandpaper on soles. Vans says to avoid it.
- Magic erasers on the fabric. Vans says to keep them on rubber only.
- Washing too often. Cleanipedia says frequent machine washing can weaken the fabric; use a brush for everyday marks.
How we checked this
- Steps come from the Vans US cleaning guide and Cleanipedia (Unilever) page for Vans. We name who says each thing.
- The two disagree on how acceptable machine washing is, so we show both. Our own reading is labelled general advice.
- The Vans page gives no ratio for its baking soda paste, and neither source gives numbers for detergent. We have not tested any of these methods.
Cleaners for Vans
A soft brush, a mild cleaner and a suede kit cover most Vans. These are listed on Amazon.
Jason Markk Essential Kit
A cleaning solution plus a brush, a two-piece set for sneakers.
Check it on Amazon
Angelus Suede and Nubuck Cleaner Kit
An eraser block and a nylon bristle brush for suede and nubuck.
Check it on Amazon
Mesh shoe wash bags
Mesh bags for the machine wash route some sources describe. Check your pair first.
Check it on AmazonFrequently Asked Questions
How do I clean white Vans?
Vans says to use a few drops of dish soap in a small bucket of warm water, scrub with a soft brush and wipe with a damp cloth. For a deeper clean, use a baking soda paste or mild laundry detergent for 15 to 20 minutes.
Can you put Vans in the washing machine?
Vans advises against it because it can loosen glue. It calls it “a little risky” for all-canvas pairs only, with cold water, a gentle cycle and air drying. Cleanipedia says to check the label and use a mesh bag.
How do I clean suede Vans?
Vans says to use a suede brush with minimal water, and a suede cleaner sparingly. No soaking and no machine.
How do I clean the soles of Vans?
Vans says to use a magic eraser or a damp cloth with soap, and no sandpaper. Do not use the eraser on the fabric.
How do I clean Vans laces?
Vans soaks them 15 to 30 minutes in warm soapy water, then rinses and air dries. No hot water or tumble drying.
Can I use bleach on Vans?
Vans says to avoid chlorine bleach because it can weaken the fabric or yellow it. Cleanipedia also does not recommend it.
How do I clean black Vans?
Vans uses a mild colour-safe detergent with a lightly dampened toothbrush, no soaking, and a black fabric dye for faded pairs.
How do I dry Vans after cleaning?
Blot with a towel, stuff with newspaper or use shoe trees, and air dry at room temperature, away from heaters and dryers (Vans).
The Short Version
Hand clean with warm water and a soft brush, match the method to the material, keep bleach and heat away, and air dry at room temperature.
