How to Bleach Colored Canvas Shoes

Last Updated: November 28, 2022

Have you ever wanted to lighten a pair of canvas sneakers, or turn them completely white? This article will show you a few ways you can do that. It will also show you a few ways you can add interesting designs.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Getting Started

1
Work in a well-ventilated area. The best place to work is outside. If you can't work outside, open up a window or turn on a fan. Bleach can get stinky and cause headaches if you don't have enough fresh air.
2
Protect your work surface. Spread some newspapers, a plastic tablecloth, or some old towels over your work surface. This will help protect it from getting stained.^{[1]
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3
Try to work on clean shoes. If your shoes are dirty, you may not see the effects of the bleach as well. If necessary, wash your shoes in a bucket of soap and water, and let them dry.

Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Using a Rag

1
Gather your supplies. This method will work best on shoes that lace up or have a rubber toe cap, such as Converse, but it can work on all-fabric canvas sneakers as well, such as Toms and Vans. Here's a list of what you will need:
- Canvas
- Bleach
- Water (optional)
- Bowl
- Old rag
- Rubber gloves
2
Take any laces out of your sneakers and set them aside. If you don't take them off, then the spaces under the laces will still be the original color. You might also end up bleaching the laces.
3
Put on a pair of rubber gloves. This will protect your hands from the bleach if your rag gets soaked through.
4
Pour some bleach into a bowl. You can use the bleach full-strength or you can dilute it with water. Pure bleach will give you faster results, but it may also eat away at the fabric. Using diluted bleach will take more time, but it will be less harsh on your fabric.^{[2]
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- If you are diluting bleach, use one part bleach to one part water.
5
Get out an old rag. You might also want to bring out some Q-tips or an old toothbrush to reach small areas.
6
Use the rag to apply the bleach to the surface of the shoes. If you rub the bleach into the shoe it will lighten the cloth more. Don't be worried if the canvas turns weird colors — for example, navy may turn brown. This will go away.
- Keep in mind, however, that some shoes will never turn fully white. For example, most shades of black tend to turn brown or orange.
7
Repeat as many times necessary. If it's a dark color, you may have to use a lot of bleach and go through this step several times. They will get lighter and lighter as you go. It may take some time and patience.
- Use a Q-tip to get into small areas, such as corners and between grommets.
8
Wash the shoes in a bucket of soap and water. This will stop the bleach from acting and prevent it from eating away at the fabric.
9
Allow the shoes to dry. After that you may want to wash them so they stop smelling like bleach.
10
Lace up your Converse when you are done.

Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Using a Plastic Tub

1
Gather your supplies. This method will work best on shoes that are made completely out of canvas, such as Vans and Toms. If you have a pair of shoes that lace up or have a rubber toe cap, try this method instead. Here's a list of what you'll need:
- Canvas sneakers
- Bleach
- Water
- Plastic tub
- Rubber gloves
2
Consider removing the inserts. If your sneakers have inserts inside, you can pull those out and set them aside. This way, they will be their original color when you put them back in. This can create a nice contrast.^{[3]
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3
Put on a pair of rubber gloves. You want to protect your hands from the bleach solution.
4
Fill a plastic tub with bleach and water. For a stronger solution, use one part bleach and one part water. For a weaker solution, use one part bleach and two parts water.^{[4]
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- The water-bleach solution needs to be deep enough so that you can submerge the shoes completely.
- The plastic tub needs to be long enough so that you can sit your shoes inside.
5
Place your sneakers in the plastic tub. Try to set them upside down in the tub. This way, more of the fabric gets covered with bleach.^{[5]
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6
Leave the sneakers in the tub until you get the desired effect. This will take one to five hours, depending on how dark the shoes are to begin with, and how light you want them to become. Keep in mind that some of the darker colors will never fully turn white. Some colors, such as black, will turn orange or brown.
- Be sure to check back on the shoes every 10 to 60 minutes.
7
Take the shoes out of the bleach solution and wash them using soap and water. This will stop the bleach from acting. It will also get rid of the smell.
8
Let the shoes dry before lacing them back up. It will take about three hours for them to fully dry.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Using a Spray Bottle

1
Gather your supplies. You can use a spray bottle to completely cover your sneakers with bleach, or to splatter them. Here's a lit of what you will need:
- Canvas sneakers
- Bleach
- Water
- Spray bottle with nozzle
- Rubber gloves
2
Consider taking the laces out of your sneakers. This will help you bleach them more evenly, and prevent you from damaging the laces.
3
Put on a pair of rubber gloves to protect your hands. Even though you are working with a spray bottle, there is a good chance that some bleach may drip onto your skin. The gloves will keep your skin safe.
4
Fill a clean spray bottle with bleach and water. For a stronger solution, use one part bleach and one part water. For a weaker solution, use one part bleach and two parts water. The bottle should have a nozzle with two to three settings: spray, mist, and off.^{[6]
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5
Close the spray bottle and shake it. This will mix up the bleach and water inside.
6
Start spraying your shoes. Use the "spray" setting to squirt a few splatters onto your sneakers. This will give you a sort of galaxy effect. Use the "mist" setting and spray your shoes all over to completely bleach them.
7
Set the shoes out to dry. This may take around 20 minutes to several hours. The longer you leave them out, the lighter they will become. Keep in mind that some darker fabrics will never turn white. Some, such as black, may turn brown or orange.
8
Consider washing your shoes with soap and water once you get the color you want. This will not only stop the bleach from acting, but it will also get rid of the smell.
9
Re-lace your sneakers if you took the laces out.

Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Drawing Designs with Bleach

1
Gather your supplies. You don't have to bleach your shoes all the way; you can paint or draw designs onto them as well. Here's a list of what you will need:
- Canvas sneakers
- Bowl
- Bleach
- Small, cheap, stiff-bristled paintbrush
- Bleach pen (optional)
2
Plan out your design. Once you start drawing on your shoes, it will be impossible to erase the bleach. Get out a piece of paper and a pen or pencil, and sketch out your design.
3
Consider copying your design onto your sneakers using a pencil. This will allow you to see where you are drawing and keep you from making mistakes.
4
Pour some bleach into a bowl and get out a cheap, thin paint brush. Make sure that the bristles are stiff and made of plastic. If the bristles are too soft, they won't hold the bleach. If they are made of natural fibers, such as boar bristle, sable, or camel hair, the bleach will eat through them.
- You can also use a bleach pen, although some people find those difficult to control. Consider testing the bleach pen out on some scrap fabric first.
5
Start drawing your design onto your shoes. The bleach won't work at first, but after a while, you should see the colors start to fade. It will take about an hour or so.
- Keep in mind that some designs won't fade completely to white. If you want really white designs, you may want to try drawing them with a white, opaque fabric pen instead.
6
Consider rinsing the shoes once you are happy with the lightness. This will stop the bleach from acting, and prevent it from deteriorating the fabric.

Community Q&A

Question

Does the bleach affect the black line on the gumsole?

Community Answer

No, it doesn't (at least not if they are Vans or Converse). If it has black stitches, it will dye those, though.
Question

How do I turn my white shoes pink?

Community Answer

You have to dye it whatever shade of pink you want. Get a big bucket that you're not worried about ruining and fill it halfway. Then follow the instructions on the back of the dye that you are going to use to dye your shoes.
Question

What sort of bleach is required?

Community Answer

Regular liquid bleach that you find in the laundry section. Someone above said Rit dye works as well, and it's easier on the fabrics.

Warnings

Be careful with the bleach. If you start to feel lightheaded at any point, take a break and get some fresh air.

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Helpful 13 Not Helpful 3
Not all fabric turns white. Some of the darker colors may turn pink or orange.

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Keep an eye on the fabric. Bleach can eat through fabric and create holes.

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