How to clean oil off your trainers

Imagine if you will, me busy in the kitchen preparing dinner, when our whirlwind toddler grabs my legs screeching in delight and I spill the olive oil in my hand on the floor, and consequently also on my fairly new (and rather pale coloured) trainers! GUTTED!

I often wonder as a mother why I buy myself nice things, as more often than not, new trainers especially, are often seen to be scuffed within minutes as little feet trample all over mine having no awareness of personal space, or drop anything from tuna sandwiches to tomato pasta on my feet. I am by no means athletic at this stage in life (unless you count running for the bus that is) but I do find that a good pair of sports shoes or trainers are a must have as a mum – running around after kids, for school runs, and general comfort when out for family adventures. I also find running trainers a must for me when going walking/on hikes and the just in case moments when your in-laws fancy some sports tournaments!

So, if like me you’ve happened to dribble olive oil on your trainers while prepping dinner with little ones whirling round your feet. Or maybe you dropped a good dollop of your salad and it caught your trainers? Either way, I thought it might be helpful to share a quick trick of “How to clean oil off your trainers”, and thus help to maintain an element of style amidst the chaos, and help maintain an otherwise good pair of trainers!

How to clean Olive Oil off your trainers

Act Immediately 

Like all stains, the quicker you act, the easier and quicker it is to lift out of the fabrics. This is absolutely the case for oil stains on trainers, and the quicker you can grab the shoe off and get to work, the better.

Corn starch or baby powder

Once removed, sprinkle a little corn starch or baby powder over the oily stain (baking soda is also a good one to use too). This will help to draw the oil out of the fabric so that it doesn’t set it… make sure to obviously cover the whole stain, and leave this for about 5 minutes or so.

After 5 minutes, use a small brush (toothbrush) to dust off the powder. You don’t want to rub it, as it will then potentially rub the oil back into your trainers.

Washing up liquid and warm water 

Once you have rubbed off the powder, take a cloth and soak in warm water, then wring out and add a couple drops of washing up liquid to the damp (warm) cloth. Next you want to gently rub the stain until it goes.

Washing up liquid is a grease remover for the kitchen and so breaks the oil down – I was amazed how quickly it lifted the oil out of my trainers.

Leave to air dry 

If your shoes are really wet, then scrunch news paper or a sock to help keep their shape, but otherwise, just set them aside for a day or 2 and leave to air dry!

And Voila – good as new trainers, ready for another day of running (around after the family), walking, and heading out on new adventures!

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