How to Wash Sneakers in a Washing Machine

It happens to the best of us; you accidentally step in mud, spill a drink, or just wear your favorite shoes often, and they earn a few battle scars along the way. Thankfully, following just a few simple steps on how to clean your sneakers in a washing machine will extend the life of your shoes.

Keep reading to get your kicks back into pristine condition, or at least worth a few more wears.

Make Sure Your Shoes Can Handle It

Before diving in too much, determine if your dirty sneakers won’t get damaged in a washing machine cycle. Materials like foam, leather and suede are not suitable for the washing machine.

Also keep in mind that shoes with embellishments like buckles or glitter tend to not do well when submerged and agitated in soapy water.

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Athletic shoes made of nylon or polyester are much better to withstand a cycle, as are heavy cotton or canvas shoes.

Gather Materials

Once you’ve determined that your sneakers can go through the wash, it’s time to gather everything you’ll need. This list includes:

∙ Liquid laundry detergent

∙ Mesh delicates bag

∙ Vinegar

∙ Stain remover

∙ Old towels, blankets, sweatshirts, etc.

∙ Sole cleaner

Prep the Shoes

Once you have everything you need, remove the laces. You can place it in a mesh bag, or you can wash it separately, placing it in a bath of 1:1 white vinegar and water.

Next, take out the insoles if they are removable.

Before putting the shoes in, tackle any spots and stains by using a stain-removing spray and following the directions on the package. After that, place the shoes in a delicate mesh bag.

To avoid banging around your machine, you can wash the shoes with towels, sweatshirts or blankets, but it is recommended you don’t use new linens as the dirt from your shoes can leave a residue.

Finally, add in your detergent. Be careful not to use too much, as this can leave behind soap residue, potentially staining and leaving your shoes stiff.

Start Your Cycle

Once your shoes are ready, check the different settings on your machine. A gentle cycle is key, as it subjects your sneakers to a slower speed during both the wash and spin cycles, which will reduce the amount of friction they experience.

Moreover, if the water temperature is a separate setting on your machine, choose cold. If water temperature is built into the speed of the cycle, select gentle.

Air Dry

Letting your shoes air dry overnight is an important last step to cleaning with a washing machine, as dryers can be too hot and damage the shoe.

Simply reshape the shoe, or take it a step further and flip the tongue out, and leave it for a few hours or overnight. After that, re-lace and replace the insoles if they are removable once dry. Another optional step is to use sole cleaner to get any portion of the shoe’s sole a bit more sparkly.

Enjoy!

Now that your kicks are fresh again, take them for a spin and enjoy wearing your favorite pair for a little bit longer.