So, I had this pair kicking around, you know? They weren’t exactly Dunks, but that style. Pretty beat up, honestly. Was thinking about just getting rid of them, but feels like such a waste these days. Everything is just thrown away. Figured, why not try to clean them up, give them a new look? Decided to go for that clean, all-white vibe.
Getting Started: The Big Clean
First job was getting years of grime off. These things were nasty. Seriously.
- Pulled out the old laces – they were goners anyway.
- Got a bucket of soapy water and a couple of brushes. A stiff one for the main parts and soles, and an old toothbrush for the little seams and fiddly areas.
- Scrubbed and scrubbed. Took a while to get all the dirt out, especially around the sole.
- Let them air dry completely. Took a good day or so.
Prepping for Paint
Next up, had to prep the surface. Heard if you don’t do this right, the paint just peels off later. Didn’t want that after all the cleaning effort.
Used some kind of leather preparer stuff I found online – think it was mostly acetone, based on the smell. Had to do this bit outside. Rubbed down all the surfaces I planned to paint. The idea is to get rid of the original factory coating so the new paint sticks better. Made the surface feel a bit rough, kinda dull looking.
The Painting Part
Alright, the main job. Got myself some white leather paint specifically for sneakers. Went with Angelus paint, seemed popular.
This was the longest part.
You gotta do thin coats. Like, super thin. Used a small paintbrush. First coat looked terrible, really streaky. Almost gave up then.
But I just kept going. Thin coat, let it dry for maybe 15-20 minutes, then another thin coat. Repeat. And repeat again. Probably did five or six coats in total until it looked properly white and even.
Getting around the edges and the stitching without making a mess was tricky. Taping off the sole helped a bit, but still had to be careful. The tongue area was awkward too.
Finishing and Final Touches
Once the white paint was totally dry – left it overnight just to be sure – needed to seal it. Used a matte acrylic finisher. Just sprayed a light coat, let it dry, then another light coat. Helps protect the paint from scuffs and water, apparently.
Last thing was putting in some new, bright white laces. Amazing how much difference fresh laces make.
And that’s the story of my ‘white dunker’ effort. It definitely took more patience than I expected, especially waiting for paint to dry between coats. Bit of a pain, really.
But they turned out pretty good! Look fresh and clean. Way better than being thrown out. It’s kind of satisfying bringing something old back to life. They’re not absolutely perfect if you get super close, but they look great on foot. Already worn them out a few times. Feels good, saved myself some money too, I guess. Good little project.
