With the winter months slowly creeping in, grit on pavements, mucky grass and splashes from puddles make it nearly impossible to keep white shoes clean.
Over time, I've noticed my otherwise well-kept trainers have started to become duller and worn out - an issue I'm expecting to continue as we make our way through the month of October.
Because of this, I thought it would be worth looking for cost-effective ways to keep my shoes looking brand new.
The £2.50 household item that makes white shoes look 'brand new'
The cleaning trick takes just over 10 minutes to complete (Image: Newsquest)
Across the internet, users have sworn by non-gel toothpaste from brands like Colgate to keep their shoes looking fresh.
Experts have said whitening non-gel toothpaste is an easy way to make shoes look whiter after only 10 minutes.
According to Family Handyman, all you need to make this cleaning hack work is a small amount of whitening non-gel toothpaste and an old toothbrush.
To start, you should apply the toothpaste to a toothbrush before working it into the dirty spots.
The website recommends leaving the toothpaste on the shoes for about 10 minutes before wiping it all off with a damp towel.
Wintry conditions can be unforgiving on white shoes (Image: Newsquest)
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Does toothpaste make white shoes look brand new?
I decided to give this life hack a try on my Nike Air Force Ones. To see if it really worked, I decided to try it on one of the shoes so that a comparison could be made.
Following the instructions, I found an old toothbrush and some whitening, non-gel toothpaste from Colgate. I applied a small amount onto the toothbrush and began working it into the shoe in a circular motion.
Very quickly I began to notice results with scuff marks on the side of the trainer disappearing.
The toothpaste worked quickly, removing scuff marks on the trainer (Image: Newsquest)
Not only did it remove dirt, but my shoes also started to look brighter and bolder.
My only complaint would be that I felt like a small amount of toothpaste was not enough. I found myself applying more to clean the shoe, meaning I had to stop the cleaning process constantly.
Overall, I would recommend this hack if you're looking for a cheap way to clean your shoes and you don't want to run up to the shops for specialist products.
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