To clean cheer shoes, brush the dust off, wipe the white uppers with a soft cloth and a little mild soap or a light layer of foam, clean the rubber soles, and let the pair air dry away from sun and heat. Keep them out of the washing machine and the dryer; Varsity, Nfinity, Rebel and Omni Cheer, which sells Chassé, all say so. The brands disagree only on soaking, and for that the maker of your pair decides.
Quoted lines below come from Varsity's care guides and Omni Cheer's blog; Nfinity's, Rebel's and Chassé's advice is paraphrased. SneakerSalt is not affiliated with Varsity, Nfinity, Rebel or Chassé.
What cheer shoes are made of
Most are white synthetic leather, mesh or knit on a rubber sole, but the mix changes by model.
| Model | Upper | Our foam |
|---|---|---|
| Nfinity Vengeance | Mesh, synthetic overlays | Yes; test the overlays first |
| Nfinity Flyte | Knit | Yes |
| Nfinity Evolution | Leather, silk and mesh | Leather and mesh, yes; silk, no |
| Rebel Rise | Microfiber synthetic leather | Yes; test first |
| Rebel Recon | Leatherette and mesh | Yes; test first |
| Varsity Aeros Elite | Mesh and synthetic | Yes; test first |
| Chassé Flip IV | Synthetic leather | Yes; test first |
| Chassé Ace II | Sateen | No; untested |
Our materials table rates mesh and knit excellent, and synthetic leather counts under its patent and vinyl row, also excellent; "test first" means an inside panel. For a model not listed, such as the Varsity Edge or a Kaepa pair, read the label and use the matching row.
The brands disagree on soaking
- Varsity suggests, for a deep clean, "soaking your shoes in mild, soapy water for 1-2 hours", then taking out the foot bed inserts and air-drying. For a single mark: "gently dab the stain with mild soap on a soft cloth until it lifts".
- Nfinity says avoid soaking. Brush off dirt, wipe with a sponge or cloth in warm water with a little mild soap, go over it with plain water, stuff with paper towels and dry away from sun and heat.
- Rebel says don't submerge the shoe at all. Wash laces and insoles separately, use a mild detergent, no bleach or alcohol, and blot glitter or metallic finishes.
- Chassé product pages at Omni Cheer say spot clean and air dry. Omni's blog: "First, try just using a damp, white cloth." "If that doesn't work, add a little soap."
So they differ: Varsity soaks, while Nfinity and Rebel say don't. Follow whoever made the pair in your bag. If you can't tell, skip the soak; a gentle clean is easy to repeat.
How to clean cheer shoes at home
- Laces and insoles out. Clean them separately and let them dry fully.
- Brush off the dust. Varsity's line for after each use is "Use a soft brush or cloth to gently scrub the surface." Do it dry. An old toothbrush reaches the seam above the sole.
- Foam one panel. Two pumps on the mesh or the synthetic leather (test an inside panel first), then wait ten seconds so the foam lifts the grime instead of being rubbed back in.
- Wipe with a white cloth. Straight strokes on synthetic leather; on mesh, press and lift so dirt comes out of the holes. Omni's blog warns against coloured cloths.
- Do the soles. Foam, ten seconds, firm wipe. Rubber soles fall under our rubber midsole row, rated excellent.
- Dry them cool. Paper towels inside, room temperature. No radiator, hair dryer or sunny windowsill: Varsity says sun or "artificial heat sources can cause the shoes to warp or lose their color."
Nothing gets soaked, so there's no long wait; let the surface dry before lacing. Cleaning them fast before a competition? Brush, foam the toes and sole edge, wipe.
We make SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam for this kind of clean: a pump foam with no bleach or solvents, and the brush and cloth come in the box. It's our method, not one any cheer brand recommends. It doesn't remove creases or undo soles yellowed with age.
Glitter, silk, sateen and metallic
Our foam hasn't been tested on the Evolution's silk, the Ace II's sateen, or glitter, crystal and metallic trim, so keep it off them. Rebel's rule for glitter and metallic finishes is to blot them. On sateen, start with Omni's damp white cloth, add a little soap only if that fails, and dab.
Can cheer shoes be washed in the machine?
By hand, yes. In a machine, no. Varsity: "We advise against putting your shoes in the washing machine." Nfinity and Rebel rule out the washer, dryer and heat. Omni allowed machines for "many styles and brands" in a 2014 post; its newer post replaces it and says "always hand-wash them".
The dryer is worse. Varsity: "Never put your shoes in the dryer." Omni: "The dryer can actually shrink your shoes". Heat is the problem, in the dryer and in the dishwasher hack alike.
Keeping them white, bottoms included
- Mat only. Varsity says keep them for "performance surfaces". Pavement greys the soles fast.
- No bleach. Rebel rules it out; Omni's blog says "less is more". Our bleach guide explains why bleached whites often yellow later.
- Magic erasers, rubber at most. Varsity says avoid "harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners", and a melamine sponge is an abrasive. Keep it off the uppers, where it can dull synthetic leather. If you use one at all, a light rub on a scuffed rubber sole edge is as far as it should go.
Smelly cheer shoes
Pull the insoles after practice and let shoe and insole dry apart. Once dry, a spoonful of baking soda in each shoe overnight helps, and so does rotating two pairs. The foam cleans grime off removable insoles; it doesn't treat the smell. See our insoles and odour guide.
Questions people actually ask
How long do Nfinity cheer shoes last?
We didn't find a figure from Nfinity. Varsity says to replace cheer shoes "about every 8 months"; how much you train changes that.
Is Dawn dish soap good for cleaning cheer shoes?
A few drops in water is the mild soap Varsity and Nfinity describe. Use very little and wipe it off with plain water, as Nfinity does. On glitter, blot rather than wipe.
How can I whiten my cheer shoes?
Clean them often and keep them off the street. Dirt comes off; aged yellowing doesn't, and bleach tends to make it worse.
Brush, two pumps, ten seconds, a white cloth, and they're ready for the mat: SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam, $24, free shipping, brush and cloth in the box, money back if it doesn't clean them.
