You wear your tennis shoes just about anywhere and they get dirty. Think about it: You wash your clothing after each wearing but rarely your shoes. When cleaning a regular, inexpensive pair of tennis shoes, its fine to throw them into the washing machine with a load of similarly colored laundry. However, never put them into the dryer. Drying your shoes in the dryer tends to cause cracking and reshaping of the soles. Here are some easy steps to get those tennis shoes looking and smelling almost like new.
Inspect the soles of your shoes for gum, dirt, or other objects picked up in your travels. Use the tine of a fork to remove these items.
Look at the sides of the soles of your tennis shoes to check for ground in dirt. If there is quite a bit of dirt, use an old toothbrush and brush back and forth until most of it is removed. If necessary, put a little dish-washing detergent on the bristles of the toothbrush.
Loosen the shoelaces and lift the tongue of the shoe to expose as much of the inside as possible.
Put the shoes into the washing machine with similarly colored clothing. Add a scoop of Oxi Clean, your normal detergent, and fabric softener. Set your washing machine on the normal settings that you would use for the color of clothing placed in the load with the tennis shoes.
Remove the shoes when the cycle is complete. Inspect the shoes for any remaining dirty spots. If you find some areas that are not as clean as you would like, repeat step one. If you repeat step one, rinse the dish soap off before continuing.
Open the shoes up by lifting the tongue and loosening the laces to expose as much of the inside of the shoe as possible. Place the shoes under a fan for several hours, possibly even overnight. Dont forget to turn the fan on medium speed.
Tighten your laces up and put the tongue back down where it belongs. Read more....

Wearing out or damaging the heel on a favorite shoe has generally meant it needs to be taken into a cobbler for expert shoe repair, or it ends up in the garbage to be replaced with a brand new pair of shoes. Home shoe repair is not something that a lot of people think about when the heels of their shoes go bad, but if you have a little do-it-yourself knowledge, repairing a shoe heel yourself can save a lot of time and money.
Sand and rough up the damaged area of the heel. Use either an emery board or sandpaper. If you have purchased a tube of Shoe Goo, it will come with a sanding board.
Squeeze out and apply Shoe Goo over the damaged area of the heel. Fill in as much of the damaged area as possible.
Apply Shoe Goo to the tip of a toothpick and work it into difficult places to reach like cracks or crevices.
Smooth out the freshly applied Shoe Goo with an ice cube.
Follow manufacturers directions for drying time, but most repairs will take 24 hours to dry. Thick applications may take longer. Read more....

Weak ankles that turn at the tiniest pebble or uneven sidewalk are the bane of hikers, walkers and runners. No matter how you tie low-top shoes, you will receive little to no ankle support. High-top shoes and boots with stiff sides, however, hug your ankles and limit the occasional sprains and strains. Tying shoes for ankle support is probably not much different than what you are already doing, but adding two easy steps can help your shoe support you.
Choose shoes that extend above your ankle bone.
Make sure the shoes have stiff sides to help add support while walking, running or hiking.
Test the shoes in the store before buying them. Be sure the fit is correct before committing to the shoe.
Open the laces really wide on your boot or high-top shoe.
Slide your foot into the boot or high-top shoe and slide your heel as far back into the heel cup as you can.
Tie the laces in the traditional manner, with one exception. Instead of encircling the first loop just once, go around twice before finishing the bow. Read more....

There is nothing worse than being in a hurry, pulling on your shoelaces, and having one end pull away in your hand. While replacing the lace is the best solution, it may not always be possible on short notice, and an unsightly knot in your shoestring is not acceptable either. A quick fix that does not require a trip to the store is what you need. Most homes have the needed items in the garage or kitchen junk drawer to create a suitable fix in just a few minutes.
Remove the lace from the shoe, careful to keep track of both ends. Place them on a flat work surface in a well-lit area.
Thread a medium-sized hand sewing needle with thread the same color as the lace. If that is not available, use black as it will be least noticeable on most dark dress laces. If your shoes have light colored laces, use white thread.
Tie a knot in the end of the thread to keep it from pulling through and insert the needle through the center of one piece of lace, about 1/8-inch from the broken end. Pull the thread through until the knot catches. Feed the needle through the other half of the lace in the same way, pulling the two halves together.
Stick the needle back through the first half, back up through the other, repeating this step five or six times. Tie a knot in the thread and cut it off close to the repair. Cut the end of the thread near the first knot and pull the lace tight between your hands to check the repair.
Wrap a piece of black electrical tape around the repair on dark laces. Use white masking tape or Scotch tape on light colored laces. This will reinforce the repair and keep the edges tucked in for easier lacing.
Relace the shoe with the repaired string, put it on and tie it, careful not to pull too tight. Your repair should hold until the lace can be replaced. Read more....

It may be tempting to avoid the cost of a brand-name Nike shirt by putting the logo on a generic item of clothing, but you cannot do this because it violates intellectual property law.
You cannot transfer the Nike Swoosh to another brand of shirt because you do not have the proper licensing to do so. Transferring a logo to another shirt is called counterfeiting, according to AllBusiness.
Unauthorized use of trademarks such as the Nike Swoosh creates confusion in the marketplace, because customers have a hard time deciding which Nike shirts are authentic. The Copyright Act specifically forbids this dilution of trademarks, according to Harvard Law School.
Companies that sell rebranded t-shirts face hefty fines. In 2000, Nike and Adidas sued Wal-Mart for selling counterfeit products and won a $6.4 million judgment against the retailer. Read more....

Mesh adds a unique design to tennis shoes while also allowing them to breathe. However, it also attracts dirt, dust and residue. Routinely cleaning your shoes and protecting the mesh with a silicone spray can prevent dirt and dust from sticking to the mesh. However, if the mesh is already dirty, soap and water or shoe cleaner can be used to clean the mesh and the shoes, leaving them looking restored and clean.
Fill the sink with a squirt of liquid dish soap or laundry detergent and warm water.
Dip a soft cloth or soft-bristled cleaning brush in the soapy water. Scrub the mesh to remove dirt, dust and residue.
Blot or dab at the mesh with a cold water dampened cloth to remove soap residue.
Allow the tennis shoes to air dry. Do not place the shoes directly in the sun, but rather allow them to air-dry in a shaded area or indoors.
Spray the mesh with a tennis shoe foam cleaner.
Scrub the cleaner into the foam with a cloth or soft-bristled brush. Many foam cleaners have a brush on the top of the can of cleaner. This brush is a firm brush which should not be used on the mesh; it can rip or tear the mesh.
Blot or dab at the mesh with a cold water dampened cloth to remove soap residue. Repeat the process until the mesh is clean.
Allow the tennis shoes to air dry. Do not place the shoes directly in the sun, but rather allow them to air-dry in a shaded area or indoors. Read more....

Buy Creative Recreation sneakers from a reputable seller like Barneys or Revolve Clothing.
Check the sellers history if you want to buy the less expensive second hand on a site like eBay. Creative Recreation doesnt produce large quantities and dont sell wholesale. A seller with five pairs of the same shoe in the same size is probably not selling an authentic product.
Other buyers can also tip you off in their comments on the seller on eBay and their rating. A high rating doesnt necessarily guarantee an authentic shoe, but the sellers history combined with a high score is likely to lead you away from a fake Creative Recreation sneaker.
Avoid sellers from China, Malaysia and Thailand, from where many of the high end fakes are coming from. Avoid sellers that wont ship to Italy. Italy has stronger customs laws on fakes than the United States, and many sellers of fake products wont even bother doing business with customers in Italy.
Be willing to pay a reasonable price. Creative Recreation sneakers go for $100 or more in stores. If you buy a non-auction pair for $30, youve probably bought a fake.
Touch and inspect the leather used. Creative Recreation uses soft tumbled leathers and supple patent leathers. Leather that seems rough to the touch or like vinyl is fake. Patent leathers that are too shiny and that feel more like plastic than leather are sure signs that youre looking at a fake sneaker.
Check the stitching on the shoe and on the sole. Creative Recreation sneakers are top of the line. You will not find shoddy, uneven stitching on shoes from this company. You will also never find a glue stain left from fabrication.
Compare your shoe to colorways and styles available in stores or on the web. If it doesnt exist in the store or on a reputable online shoe store, the shoe is probably a fake. If the seller has a Creative Recreation shoe that is exclusive to its Barneys New York collection, ask for a receipt from Barneys.
Feel the wool for softness on their plaid-fabricated styles. The woolen fabric on the fake Creative Recreation sneakers is rough to the touch.
Pay close attention to the hardware and metal used on the shoes. Hooks should be shiny and firmly attached. The metal on the fakes is often scratched and often appears painted. Read more....

Daily activities such as walking outdoors or playing sports can often cause yellow stains on your white shoes. The white shows the stains more than most colors, which makes cleaning the shoes essential to keep them from looking yellow and discolored. You can clean the shoes carefully by hand to remove dirt and grime. Once you remove your yellow stains and clean your white shoes regularly, you will restore your shoes to their original white color.
Fill a gallon-sized bucket with warm water. Do not make the water too hot because it can affect the durability of the shoe, depending on the material used to make the shoe. Soak your shoes in the warm water to loosen dirt and debris.
Stuff the shoes with old newspapers or magazines. This will help to hold the shape of each shoe while you clean it.
Pour 1/2 tsp. of liquid dishwashing soap onto an old toothbrush.
Scrub the yellow stain with the brush. Rinse the brush and continue to reapply dishwashing soap to clean the shoe.
Dampen tough yellow stains with vinegar. Apply baking soda on the tough yellow stains, and allow it to soak for 5 minutes. Scrub the stain with the toothbrush.
Remove the newspaper stuffing from the shoe. Wipe the dishwashing soap off with a clean washcloth soaked in warm water.
Place the shoes in a room-temperature location. Allow them to air-dry.
Apply a commercial shoe polish to the shoe to protect the material. Read more....

The increase in technology has allowed players and fans the opportunity to customize their own football gear. Whether youre a player, coach or avid fan, there are many options available for you to create your own football shirts. One of the easiest ways to customize your own shirt is by doing it online. Nike offers an array of options on their website, NikeFootball.com, which can be customized using Nike iD. This will allow you to customize and purchase your shirts at one location.
Go to the Nike football website, NikeFootball.com and select which country you are from.
On the left menu, select the Nike iD drop-down menu and select Custom Clothing. Youll be able to choose the specific style you want on the next screen.
Pick which style football shirt you would like to customize and select the item. Nike iD offers three different stylessleeveless, long-sleeve and short-sleeve. Of these three styles, you also need to choose the fit. The two options available are fitted and tight.
On the left side, select Start Bank. Move your mouse across different regions of the shirt. You will notice that there are multiple sections you can customize.
Start with the main shirt color by selecting the hover icon that says Main. Choose the color you would like. This is the first step in the Nike iD design process.
Select the Front Graphic and choose which graphic you would like to add. If you do not want a graphic on the front, leave the Add a Graphic box unchecked.
Select the front iD and choose whether or not you want to add an iD to the top and bottom. Type in your iD, choose a font type and then choose a font color. Repeat this step for each sleeve and the back of the shirt, depending on what model you are customizing.
Select Whats Left? on the right side of the screen to make sure you have completed each step in the design process. Once the Design Progress bar says 6/6, you are ready to move on.
Select the Size tab on the right-hand navigation. Choose the size and quantity you want to order.
Select Add to Cart to purchase. Select View Cart to review your order and select Continue Shopping to add more items or Checkout to finalize your purchase.
Enter your shipping and billing information and confirm your order. Nike iD orders take up to four weeks to arrive. Read more....

When you wear white tennis shoes, it is only a matter of time before they show signs of wear and need a cleaning. Dirt, dust, smudges and other materials mark up the pristine whiteness of the shoe, leaving them to look old and worn. Whitening tennis shoes can give the commonly worn footwear a fresh, new look that can be repeated whenever the shoes need whitening.
Remove shoe laces from the white tennis shoes. Launder the shoe laces with a load of white clothes in the laundry. Use fabric bleach if you are laundering white clothes to freshen up the white color. Laces can be hand washed by soaking in a small bucket of laundry detergent and water. Let laces air dry or put in the dryer with other laundry.
Wipe down tennis shoes with a damp rag. Use water or a water and laundry detergent mixture to dampen rag. Focus on wiping down the top, side, back and sole of the tennis shoe. Rinse rag as needed during cleaning process.
Squeeze a pea-sized amount of whitening toothpaste onto an old, soft toothbrush. Gently brush all of the white spots on your shoes in a circular motion, states Happy Homes Maids.
Wipe whitening toothpaste off of the tennis shoes with a clean, wet rag. Re-lace the shoes. Read more....