Take out a wash cloth, and wet it under cold water. If the ballet shoes are made out of canvas, then you can put soap on the wash cloth as well. If the shoes are made out of leather, simply wet the wash cloth. Only a small amount of water is needed.
Wash the ballet shoes carefully with the wash cloth. Do not rub too hard. Ballet shoes are very delicate. If the shoes are made out of canvas, much soap and water may be necessary to remove the dirt. With leather shoes, you must be gentle when rubbing with the damp wash cloth. Rubbing too hard or making the shoes too wet in the process has the potential to ruin them. When the dirt is removed from the ballet shoes, you can stop.
Rinse the canvas ballet shoes in cold water in order to remove any excess soap. When cleaning ballet shoes, it is important to make sure that you wash out all of the soap. Soap residue will make the shoes stiff.
Place the ballet shoes in a spot where they can air dry. You have to allow the ballet shoes to dry after washing them, or else the material will become ruined. When the ballet shoes have finished drying, then they are once again ready to wear.