News — Accessories

Nothing ruins a pair of shoes more than yellow soles. While most people might consider yellowed shoes to be ruined, it's a lot easier than you might think to restore your worn-out kicks.

Let's take a look at how you can restore your yellowed shoes with just a few products.

Why Shoes Turn Yellow

There are a few reasons your white shoes and soles might turn yellow over time, but the main reason is oxidation. In some cases, though, it might be because of something simple like dirt or because you aren't cleaning them correctly.

If your kicks are yellow or are starting to turn, just follow the steps below to restore them to factory condition.

How to Restore Yellowed Shoes

Ready to get started?

Follow these simple steps to get your shoes back to like-new condition.

Grab Your Supplies

Not all cleaning supplies are safe to use on certain shoes and materials. The wrong tools can make your kicks look even worse, or at least won't be effective in restoring your shoes.

If you want to easily and safely restore your shoes, try using the following products:

• Angelus Easy Cleaner Kit
• Angelus Sole Bright
• Angelus Mink Oil

Once you grab these materials, it's time to get started on the restoration.

Clean the Shoes

This Easy Cleaner Kit has everything you need to clean your shoes and prep them for painting or restoration.

To use it, pour some of the Easy Cleaner into a bowl, dip your brush into the cleaning solution, and scrub your shoes to get rid of any dirt and grim. Afterward, use the microfiber towel to wipe the surface clean.

De-Yellow the Soles

Next, it's time to get rid of that yellow tint. Sole Bright works to remove oxidation and restore yellowed soles and midsoles. Sole Bright is safe for all soles including Glow in the Dark and will not hinder glow properties. 

Start by using a brush to apply a light to medium coat of Sole Bright to the oxidized parts of your shoes. Be careful not to let the product get onto unwanted areas. Also, avoid contact with non-rubber materials.

Then, cover the shoes in clear wrap and leave them in the sun for one to six hours (one hour for midsoles, four to six for clear/icy soles). After you remove the clear wrap, you can use a toothbrush and warm water to remove any excess Sole Bright.

Keep in mind, multiple sessions might be necessary to c=completely get rid of any oxidation.

Apply Mink Oil

Mink Oil is a water-proofer and conditioner and can also help protect against stains.

To use it, simply apply a thin layer to the shoe with a few quick sprays. Then, use a clean and dry rag to pat down the shoe. This will help protect your shoe from yellowing once the restoration is complete.

Make sure to check out this tutorial on our YouTube channel for a more detailed walkthrough on how to restore yellowed soles.

Also, don't forget to follow Angelus on Instagram and check out our website to pick up the materials you need for your next custom or resto project.

It's one thing to simply give your kicks a new colorway, but if you want to make your customs really stand out, you might want to try your hand at painting some more detailed and intricate designs.

Of course, painting detailed designs is a little more difficult than color-blocking. So, if you want to try creating some more complex customs, check out these tips for painting detailed designs.

Choose High-Quality Paint

Customizing a pair of sneakers takes a lot of time and effort, but it's only worth it  if your design doesn't fade the second you wear them out of the house. If you want your customs to look professional, you need to start by picking up some high-quality paint.

High-quality paint will create a smooth factory finish without cracking, chipping, or easily fading.

Use the Right Brushes

Good tools always make a big difference. If you want to create a pair of incredible custom kicks, don't use dollar store brushes.

High-quality detail paint brushes will help you paint intricate designs without leaving streak marks and jagged edges.

Start With an Outline

Precision is key to creating professional intricate designs, and it's hard to be precise when painting by free hand.

To make it easier to paint your design, use masking tape and a drawing pencil to create a detailed outline. After you outline your design, it's easy to paint over it to create a clean final product.

Use Stencils

Outlines are great for planning your design, but stencils are perfect for specific shapes and lettering -- especially if your design has repeating shapes. Stencils are also great for airbrush projects.

You can buy pre-made stencils or cut your own using a detail knife. Then, you can use them to paint some of the finer details in your design.

Protect Your Customs

Once your customs are finished, you need to keep them in top condition. Otherwise, the paint can start to fade and crease over time.

If you want to learn how to protect your customs from damage, make sure to check out this post for some essential products and tips for cleaning to protecting your sneakers.

Don't forget to check out our Instagram to get some design inspiration, and check out our website to grab the materials you need to for your next custom project.

The holidays are coming up fast, so if you haven't already bought gifts, it's time to stop procrastinating.

If you're not sure what to buy, we've got you covered. We offer a bunch of great gifts  under $35 for the artists in your life.

Check out this list for some great, affordable holiday gift ideas.

If you know someone new to customizing and restoring sneakers, the Angelus Starter Kit is a perfect holiday gift.

This kit includes three paints, acrylic finisher, Easy Cleaner, Leather Preparer and Deglazer, a cleaning brush, and a paintbrush set -- everything you need to get started on your first pair of customs.

If you don't need to pick up all of the essentials, the 12 Color Assortment Kit is the perfect alternative to the starter kit.

You can choose 12 colors of your choice to put in your kit, which is enough to create a variety of different combinations. Whether you're customizing your Jordans or working on a restoration, our 12 Color Assortment Kit is your best choice.

The Angelus Easy Cleaner Kit provides all the products you need for basic shoe cleaning and care.

This kit includes one bottle of Easy Cleaner, a cleaning brush, and a premium microfiber towel. Perfect for anyone looking to keep their shoes nice and clean.

Wagner’s Furno 300 is a basic heat tool designed to apply focused heat for custom projects and is an essential tool in every artist's toolbox.

Be it for speeding up drying times or setting some Angelus 2-Soft, a heat gun is an incredibly useful tool for creating customs.

Last but not least, it's hard to go wrong with a gift card. Angelus gift cards are available for $10, $20, $50, and $100.

If you're not sure what to get, grab a gift card and let your friend decide what they need.

Hopefully, this list gave you a few good ideas for affordable holiday gifts.

If you want to take a look at some other gift ideas, check out our online store for more gifts under $35. And don't forget to follow Angelus on Instagram to see how you can use these gifts to create some amazing pairs of customs.

Angelus paints and dyes aren't just for sneakers. Clothes, furniture, accessories, and skateboards are just a few of the other things you can customize with Angelus paints.

Bryan from Swell Guy Customs (@swellguycustoms) stopped by the Angelus studio to show you how you can easily customize your own skateboard deck with just a few techniques and materials.

Follow along with this tutorial to see how a skateboard deck can be the perfect canvas to create a one-of-a-kind piece of art.

Before you getting started, you need to prep the deck by sanding it down a little bit.

Skateboard decks have light coatings which can make it difficult for the deck to absorb dyes and paints.

Start with 300-grit sandpaper, then work your way up to 800-girt, then 1,500-grit, and even higher if needed to create a smooth finish.

Sand along the grain back and forth to get even coverage all across the deck.

Once you're done sanding, apply some Angelus Leather Preparer and Deglazer to clean the surface and remove the factory finish.

Next, we're going to use some leather dye to stain the deck. Leather dye is a great way to create clean gradient effects on wood products.

Apply the leather dye in a color of your choice to the deck using a rag and work the dye into the deck using a circular motion.

Take your time, apply a few different coats, and make sure to get even coverage.

To create the gradient effect, use a different color dye along the edges of the deck and blend it in with the original color.

After applying the leather dye, be sure to let it completely dry before you start painting.

Once the dye is dry, it's time to start painting your own original artwork on top of the background.

For this deck, Bryan painted a deep-sea diver to go along with the nautical theme, but, of course, you can customize yours however you want.

If you want to replicate Bryan's design, make sure to check out the full tutorial to see which colors you'll need to get started.

After you finish painting, you're almost there. All that's left is to apply some Acrylic Finisher to add a little bit of extra protection to the deck.

Use a cotton swab to apply a couple of layers of the Acrylic Finish to the deck. This will help create an even finish and make sure your masterpiece lasts a little bit longer than it otherwise would.

Thanks to Bryan for stopping by and creating this tutorial. Again, make sure to check out the full video for a more detailed walkthrough, and go ahead and follow @swellguycustoms on Instagram

Don't forget to follow Angelus on Instagram as well, and make sure to check out our online store to grab the materials you need for your next custom project.

A few brushes and some paint might be all it takes to get started on your first customs project, but there are a number of other tools and accessories that can make your life as a shoe artist way easier.

From cleaning products to design accessories, take a look at how these products can help make creating your next pair of customs that much easier.

If you want to keep your colors accurate and your brush strokes clean, you need a product to help you keep your brush clean and soft.

Angelus Brush Cleaner makes it easy to keep your brushes and airbrush clean. All you have to do is soak your brush in the cleaner and agitate the bristles to keep your brushes good as new.

There's nothing worse than ruining the deadstock look of your customs with toe creases.

Decreasers make it easy to fill out your shoes during painting to prevent creasing when you're giving your customs that final touch.

Even if you take great care of your customs, the colors can fade and dry out over time.

Lustre Cream makes it super easy to restore, clean, and soften smooth leather shoes. A quick application of this stuff will restore your shoes and bring back their original colors.

Using paints on soft fabrics can lead to clumping and can make these soft surfaces stiff.

Angelus 2-Soft is absolutely essential when working on soft fabrics, like the sock-liner of a shoe. When heat-set properly, this Fabric Medium will help keep your fabrics nice and soft after being painted.

Whether it's for stenciling or just cutting masking tape, having a high-quality detail knife is essential for a good workflow.

The Angelus Detail Knife features a high quality anodized titanium handle, a soft comfort grip, and 6 total precision #2 blades, making it perfect for almost any project.

To check out more of our tools and accessories, visit our online store to find the perfect products for your next project. And don't forget to follow Angelus on Instagram to see how you can use these tools to create your own unique customs.