How to Clean Your Takkies with Boerseep Cream

September 22, 2026

Takkies looking a little worse for wear? 👟

Before you throw them out, give them a good clean!

Takkies take a lot of punishment. Dirt, dust, sweat, body oils and everyday grime can build up on the fabric, around the seams and along the soles.

And if you often wear your takkies without socks, moisture and sweat can build up inside them too — which can contribute to that familiar “smelly takkies” problem.

The good news? A good clean can make a remarkable difference.

What You'll Need

Suiwer Boerseep Laundry Cream or Suiwer Pure Magic Cleaning Cream
A soft shoe brush or old toothbrush
Water
A cloth or sponge
An old towel
Suiwer Oxygen Bleach — only if you have very stubborn, deeply embedded dirt and the shoe material and colour are suitable

Step 1: Remove the Loose Dirt

Before adding any water or cleaning product, remove as much loose dirt as possible.

Take out the laces and use a dry, soft brush or old toothbrush to brush away loose dust and dirt from the uppers, seams and soles.

This prevents you from simply turning loose dirt into muddy water.

Step 2: Start with Cold Water

For ordinary dirt and especially when you're not sure what caused a stain, start with cold water.

Wet the dirty area and apply a small amount of Suiwer Boerseep Cream.

Gently work the cream into the fabric with your soft brush or toothbrush.

Suiwer Boerseep Cream contains Boerseep, Washing Soda and Bicarbonate of Soda — a hardworking combination designed to tackle everyday dirt, grime and oily residues.

The American Cleaning Institute recommends starting with cold water for many regular stains and advises identifying the stain before deciding on the most appropriate treatment.

Let the cleaner do some of the work

You don't need to attack your takkies with a hard brush.

Apply the cream, give it a little time to work, and then gently brush the dirty areas.

Pay particular attention to:

Toes
Seams
Around the soles
Heels
Areas where dirt has become embedded

A combination of cleaning product + gentle brushing + a little time can do a lot of the work.

What About Hot Water?

This is where it gets interesting.

You may have heard that you should never use hot water on stains. That's not quite that simple.

Different stains respond differently to temperature.

When you don't know what a stain is, cold water is a sensible starting point. Some stains, such as fresh blood, can actually be made more difficult to remove with hot water.

On the other hand, the American Cleaning Institute notes that for some particularly dirty or difficult stains, the warmest temperature that's safe for the material can be appropriate. Grease and oil stains, for example, can benefit from warmer water.

So our rule is:

When in doubt, start cold.
Know what you're dealing with? Choose the temperature that's appropriate for the stain and the material.

And always follow the shoe manufacturer's care instructions.

When Your Takkies Are REALLY Dirty

Our white and coloured takkies were not just a little dirty — they had seriously embedded grime.

For that kind of extreme clean, we used a stronger approach, including hot water and Suiwer Oxygen Bleach on suitable shoes.

But this is not our everyday recommendation.

Start with Boerseep Cream and the gentler cold-water method first.

If the dirt is deeply embedded and the shoe material and colour are suitable, Oxygen Bleach can be considered as an additional treatment. Rub the Boerseep Cream onto the tackkies, make a paste with some Suiwer Oxygen Bleach (by adding a little boiling water) and then rub it over the Boerseep Cream to make a lovely, creamy mixture over the troublesome areas. Leave that in the sun to dry and then rinse takkies in warm water.

Always test a small, inconspicuous area first and check that the material is suitable.

⚠️ Important: Not All Takkies Can Be Cleaned the Same Way

Before you start scrubbing, check what your takkies are made from.

Fabric, canvas and many washable mesh shoes

These can generally be cleaned carefully with a suitable mild cleaning solution and gentle brushing.

Suede

Stop here!

Do not treat suede takkies like canvas or fabric shoes.

Suede is much more delicate and absorbs moisture. Nike specifically advises against washing suede shoes in soap and water because water can cause staining and damage to the material. Suede should be cleaned using appropriate suede-care methods instead.

The same caution applies to nubuck, leather and other specialty materials.

When in doubt, check the manufacturer's care instructions before reaching for the Boerseep Cream.

Rinse and Dry Properly

Once you've finished cleaning, remove the loosened dirt and cleaning product according to the shoe's care instructions.

Then allow your takkies to dry completely in a well-ventilated place before wearing them again.

Don't rush this part!

The NHS recommends allowing shoes to dry out before wearing them again, particularly because moisture contributes to smelly feet and shoes.

Nike also recommends air-drying shoes and avoiding excessive heat, which can damage some shoe materials.

Why Do Takkies Get Smelly?

It's not actually the sweat itself that's responsible for that familiar foot odour.

Your feet contain a huge number of sweat glands, and bacteria naturally live on your skin and inside your shoes. When bacteria interact with sweat, they produce by-products that create unpleasant odours.

And the inside of a shoe can be a perfect environment for this: warm, moist and dark.

Cleveland Clinic explains that heat and moisture inside shoes can encourage the bacteria associated with foot odour, while regularly cleaning and allowing shoes to dry can help reduce the build-up.

So if your takkies are getting a little whiffy:

Don't just mask the smell. Clean them!

And give them plenty of time to dry before wearing them again.