Does water cause yellowing on icy bottoms?

^^ I use Dawn Advanced dish washing soap, good old oral b toothbrush, and hot water. I also use a suede type brush (small one from a Chanel Suede/Nubucc cleaner) and a softer bigger brush for leather shoes. I'm glad to see icy bottoms from 2000 worn that many times... I salute you for that.
 
^
Me, I am looking, I bought them & like to keep them clean
keeping them nice and clean helps them last longer
 
^
Me, I am looking, I bought them & like to keep them clean
keeping them nice and clean helps them last longer
 
Originally Posted by green rhino123

^
Me, I am looking, I bought them & like to keep them clean
keeping them nice and clean helps them last longer
Click to expand...

People always say, "who cares? Nobody's gonna look at the bottom...", but in reality shoes are fresh only when they're clean. Back in HS and used to play basketball all the time, I used to constantly clean my soles after every wear. Even when I would play on gym floors, I'd check to see if any dirt got under there if so, I cleaned em. Cleaning the soles is nothing new, collectors have been doing it since collecting started. Guys in the 70s used to walk around with toothbrushes and stuff. People shouldn't act all surprised at people cleaning the soles.


  
 
Originally Posted by green rhino123

^
Me, I am looking, I bought them & like to keep them clean
keeping them nice and clean helps them last longer
Click to expand...

People always say, "who cares? Nobody's gonna look at the bottom...", but in reality shoes are fresh only when they're clean. Back in HS and used to play basketball all the time, I used to constantly clean my soles after every wear. Even when I would play on gym floors, I'd check to see if any dirt got under there if so, I cleaned em. Cleaning the soles is nothing new, collectors have been doing it since collecting started. Guys in the 70s used to walk around with toothbrushes and stuff. People shouldn't act all surprised at people cleaning the soles.


  
 
Originally Posted by SOURorbetter

Originally Posted by WhatisLove

The only concern would be tiny droplets of water that get absorbed into the sole (or find small cracks/crevices to get into); there's really nothing you can do about that, though. If you're in a humid place, chances are that it's going to happen to you no matter what you do.

I think cleaning the soles can help slow down yellowing, though... avoiding all the dirt/grime/etc. definitely keeps them looking better. Plus, there are times that the some of the dirt that stays on the sole in one of the cracks/treads/etc. actually seems to yellow that particular part of the shoe (I guess it's just exposure to that piece of dirt for an extended period of time... the dirt could also have had some moisture which caused an oxidation spot to occur).

Anyway, as long as you dry the shoes off as best as you can afterward, you should be alright... but if you live in a humid place, it really won't make that much difference in the long run IMO.
Click to expand...


I agree with you on dirt or water getting into the cracks of the sole. As soon as I'm done rinsing them off I dry them with a clean towel. Damn! So you think humidity even at night outside with a breeze will yellow them? I stay in Miami and humid as f¥€€ right now! Ima have to get two pairs I guess... Im getting DS 2000 VI's White/Midnight Navy
Click to expand...
All I'm saying (which has pretty much been proven by every yellowed pair of kicks from humid areas... even DS pairs) is that a great amount of humidity over a prolonged period of time seems to be a recipe for disaster (in terms of yellowing)... and moisture has to be a factor.  It's not going to be one night, and then the next day they're yellowed completely... it's just the prolonged contact with moisture that doesn't help things.

It also depends on how you store them.  I know for a fact that some of the tissue/box paper can cause discoloration of shoes (and most likely yellowing... but discoloration for sure, particularly on the midsoles)... combine that with a lot of humidity and you have a problem.  However, that doesn't mean you should saran wrap your kicks way tight... I highly doubt that would help in a humid area (I think it could possibly trap moisture inside the shoes, which could cause yellowing... and then dry them out severely if left in the wrap for a long time, which could result in crumbling/cracking).

when you dry the sole with a towel, you mean like a hand/ dish towel? do you dab at the water or scrub with the towel, when drying?
Any towel should work; I would just make sure they are as dry as you can get them... prolonged contact with water isn't a good thing (it's not necessarily going to yellow your soles immediately, or if it only happens a few times... but continued/prolonging it could increase your chances for yellowing I think).  Obviously, you won't be able to dry every crack with a towel... but you should probably get them as dry as possible, and then put them in a position where they are more likely to naturally dry without the excess water just sitting forever (as in, with the soles on the ground, so that the water moves downward).  Might be obvious and might sound dumb... but I think it's pretty logical if you want to do what you can to avoid yellowing (which, ultimately, is unavoidable if you wear them and/or live in a very humid area... not counting SeaGlow tricks, etc.).
Click to expand...
 
Originally Posted by SOURorbetter

Originally Posted by WhatisLove

The only concern would be tiny droplets of water that get absorbed into the sole (or find small cracks/crevices to get into); there's really nothing you can do about that, though. If you're in a humid place, chances are that it's going to happen to you no matter what you do.

I think cleaning the soles can help slow down yellowing, though... avoiding all the dirt/grime/etc. definitely keeps them looking better. Plus, there are times that the some of the dirt that stays on the sole in one of the cracks/treads/etc. actually seems to yellow that particular part of the shoe (I guess it's just exposure to that piece of dirt for an extended period of time... the dirt could also have had some moisture which caused an oxidation spot to occur).

Anyway, as long as you dry the shoes off as best as you can afterward, you should be alright... but if you live in a humid place, it really won't make that much difference in the long run IMO.
Click to expand...


I agree with you on dirt or water getting into the cracks of the sole. As soon as I'm done rinsing them off I dry them with a clean towel. Damn! So you think humidity even at night outside with a breeze will yellow them? I stay in Miami and humid as f¥€€ right now! Ima have to get two pairs I guess... Im getting DS 2000 VI's White/Midnight Navy
Click to expand...
All I'm saying (which has pretty much been proven by every yellowed pair of kicks from humid areas... even DS pairs) is that a great amount of humidity over a prolonged period of time seems to be a recipe for disaster (in terms of yellowing)... and moisture has to be a factor.  It's not going to be one night, and then the next day they're yellowed completely... it's just the prolonged contact with moisture that doesn't help things.

It also depends on how you store them.  I know for a fact that some of the tissue/box paper can cause discoloration of shoes (and most likely yellowing... but discoloration for sure, particularly on the midsoles)... combine that with a lot of humidity and you have a problem.  However, that doesn't mean you should saran wrap your kicks way tight... I highly doubt that would help in a humid area (I think it could possibly trap moisture inside the shoes, which could cause yellowing... and then dry them out severely if left in the wrap for a long time, which could result in crumbling/cracking).

when you dry the sole with a towel, you mean like a hand/ dish towel? do you dab at the water or scrub with the towel, when drying?
Any towel should work; I would just make sure they are as dry as you can get them... prolonged contact with water isn't a good thing (it's not necessarily going to yellow your soles immediately, or if it only happens a few times... but continued/prolonging it could increase your chances for yellowing I think).  Obviously, you won't be able to dry every crack with a towel... but you should probably get them as dry as possible, and then put them in a position where they are more likely to naturally dry without the excess water just sitting forever (as in, with the soles on the ground, so that the water moves downward).  Might be obvious and might sound dumb... but I think it's pretty logical if you want to do what you can to avoid yellowing (which, ultimately, is unavoidable if you wear them and/or live in a very humid area... not counting SeaGlow tricks, etc.).
Click to expand...
 
Originally Posted by SOURorbetter

Originally Posted by gzagenius

guys.... theyre SOLES, who the hell is looking at the bottom of your shoes?
Click to expand...


It's like waxing your tires!
Click to expand...
Very bad example. This is more like cleaning the tread of your tires.
 
Originally Posted by SOURorbetter

Originally Posted by gzagenius

guys.... theyre SOLES, who the hell is looking at the bottom of your shoes?
Click to expand...


It's like waxing your tires!
Click to expand...
Very bad example. This is more like cleaning the tread of your tires.
 
^ya, i agree (with both of you) and forgot to mention i make sure they are dry before i put em back in the boxes

towel dry/air dry
one can even flush out water droplets from the midsole seams and air unit with hair dryer but i'm not gonna start
giving out all my secrets or give general advice that someone will botch
because one can easily damage their kicks with the same tools one uses to properly clean with
 
^ya, i agree (with both of you) and forgot to mention i make sure they are dry before i put em back in the boxes

towel dry/air dry
one can even flush out water droplets from the midsole seams and air unit with hair dryer but i'm not gonna start
giving out all my secrets or give general advice that someone will botch
because one can easily damage their kicks with the same tools one uses to properly clean with
 
Originally Posted by ohdannyboy

Originally Posted by SOURorbetter

Originally Posted by gzagenius

guys.... theyre SOLES, who the hell is looking at the bottom of your shoes?
Click to expand...


It's like waxing your tires!
Click to expand...
Very bad example. This is more like cleaning the tread of your tires.
Click to expand...

Nah, more like cleaning and maintaining an expensive baseball glove.
(Which you also have to do or it will deteriorate faster)
  
 
Originally Posted by ohdannyboy

Originally Posted by SOURorbetter

Originally Posted by gzagenius

guys.... theyre SOLES, who the hell is looking at the bottom of your shoes?
Click to expand...


It's like waxing your tires!
Click to expand...
Very bad example. This is more like cleaning the tread of your tires.
Click to expand...

Nah, more like cleaning and maintaining an expensive baseball glove.
(Which you also have to do or it will deteriorate faster)
  
 
I have been buying kicks for a long while, the only thing water really destroys is the foam portion of the shoes! Because it absorbs water and over time dries it out! Soap, Water, Hand towel, wash rag, and toothbrush! I also clean the soles of my shoes!
 
I have been buying kicks for a long while, the only thing water really destroys is the foam portion of the shoes! Because it absorbs water and over time dries it out! Soap, Water, Hand towel, wash rag, and toothbrush! I also clean the soles of my shoes!
 
Originally Posted by KenJi714

does the paper in the box have anything to do with the yellowing process ?
Click to expand...
I believe/have seen that it can cause discoloration of some midsoles (foam/rubber based... don't think I've ever seen any plastic parts become discolored, but you never know).  I see no reason why it couldn't potentially have the same effect on clear soles if it is doing this to the midsoles of some shoes.  However, I don't think the paper has any way of causing "global" yellowing of the entire sole... it would possibly only affect the direct area that it is touching.
 
Originally Posted by KenJi714

does the paper in the box have anything to do with the yellowing process ?
Click to expand...
I believe/have seen that it can cause discoloration of some midsoles (foam/rubber based... don't think I've ever seen any plastic parts become discolored, but you never know).  I see no reason why it couldn't potentially have the same effect on clear soles if it is doing this to the midsoles of some shoes.  However, I don't think the paper has any way of causing "global" yellowing of the entire sole... it would possibly only affect the direct area that it is touching.
 
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