How to wash a pair of running shoes in the washing machine? How to wash your sneakers in the washing machine without a bag?
Basic preparation steps:
- Remove the shoelaces and wash them by hand (they can become clogged and fall through the holes in the drum).
- Take out the insoles, too, so that the washing of the sneakers inside was better.
- Pieces of dirt and other stuck things (pebbles, gum, twigs, leaves, trash) must be flushed out and removed beforehand, so they don’t get into the washer and break it.
- If you do not have special mesh bags for washing, you can put your sneakers in an old pillowcase or shoe bag.
How to wash sneakers in a washing machine
Sneakers have become an attribute of everyday style. Because of the daily use of such shoes quickly gets dirty and requires regular maintenance. Hand washing can not always cope with ingrained dirt or unpleasant odor.
The fastest way to bring your sneakers to their original appearance is to wash them in the machine. The main thing. follow a few important rules. In addition, please note that shoes made of certain materials is strictly prohibited to wash. Read more about these and other nuances.
What problems can arise with sneakers after washing?
Exposing the machine washed sneakers. always a risky activity. As a result of these actions with shoes can be a variety of troubles:

You can avoid this by choosing the alternative of handwashing. In a basin with warm water and dissolved laundry soap can gently wash many contaminants from the shoes. A soft, fluffy cloth (microfiber) is good for this purpose.
It is dipped in a soapy solution and gently rubbed on the inside and outside of your sneakers. Do not use regular washing powder. It can be added when washing shoelaces and insoles.
After wiping off all the dirt, sneakers should be dropped into the soapy solution for a few minutes. Soap will be able to dissolve dirt, grease, and sweat particles from the walls. Then gently wipe the inside of the walls with a microfiber cloth and drain off the soapy water. Clean slippers are rinsed under soft running water and placed to dry.
Washable in a washing machine can be the following types of sneakers:
- Of synthetic materials or textiles;
- Sneakers without reflective and decorative details (beads, sequins, sequins, etc.).);
- Pairs without sole and insole defects.
Categorically cannot be washed in an automatic machine:
The leather will shrink after washing, the décor will come off, and the foam filling will fall out of the heels. In any case, the shoes will be permanently damaged and unusable.
Advice from sports shoe manufacturers
Manufacturers of athletic shoes always give advice on care, depending on the material of manufacture of the product.
Fabric sneakers weigh little, so they can even be washed in standard mode and with a spin. But with this treatment, there is a risk that the fabric will shrink and the sole will peel off in places. That’s why manufacturers recommend washing fabric sneakers at low temperatures and low speeds. Hand wash heavily soiled areas before processing. Cloth shoes can be washed even with a simple powder. If streaks are left on the surface of the fabric after the rinse, they can easily be washed off.
Companies that produce artificial suede or nubuck sneakers, allow machine washing products. When carrying out the procedure, there is only one risk of the possibility of streaks from the detergent.
All branded athletic shoes that are made entirely of natural suede or leather, or decorated with inserts of these materials, may only be washed by hand. This is indicated on the label.
Can you wash your sneakers in the washing machine, and if so, how to do it?
This question regularly arises in groups and forums on related topics, such as housekeeping. In most discussions, there are opinions of people who claim to wash any sneakers in the machine and always get excellent results. But having studied the question, we do not recommend such a categorical approach. In brief, the conclusion is this: to wash sneakers in a washing machine is possible, but not all models. In addition, machine washing sneakers. an activity that we carry out at our own risk. If we do decide to do it, it is worth following some of the rules below.
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What manufacturers say?
To begin with, we studied the recommendations of the major manufacturers of athletic shoes. Most brands do not recommend washing their sneakers in a washing machine, as they write on the official website.
For example Reebok agrees to wash leather sneakers and hand wash textile ones, but for suede shoes advises to use dry cleaning. Washing your sneakers in the machine brand does not recommend.
Nike recommends a weak detergent solution and does not recommend hand or machine washing.
New Balance generally forbids washing their sneakers in water. even leather ones. At most. wipe with a damp soft cloth.
And only Adidas gives some indulgences concerning machine washing of sneakers. Here is what they write: “If you still dare, then wash at a cold temperature / mode of delicate washing / in a special mode. Remember that shoes made of dyed genuine leather, genuine nubuck, genuine suede, artificial and synthetic materials cannot be washed in the washing machine.”.
Often brands also emphasize that the sneakers can “lose their consumer properties” from machine washing, in which case the company will not accept quality claims. And manufacturers can be understood. Sneakers can really get ruined from washing in the machine. And they may not be spoiled. So once again: if we do it, we do it at our own risk.
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What sneakers can’t be washed in a washing machine?
These types of sneakers are best not machine washed:
Suede. a generally capricious and delicate material. Exposure to water can cause it to deteriorate, such as fade, stain, wipe, or become hard. Sneakers can deform. It is better to follow the rules of care for suede shoes.
Yes, often in discussions on the network people claim to wash in a machine leather sneakers, and all is well. But in the same network you can find lots of examples of how the sneakers made of leather deformed from machine washing. If you really want to clean both the inside and outside of your shoes, it is better to wash them by hand.
Leather from machine washing can irreparably damage, such as cracking. These sneakers is better not to wash at all, but only to wash or wipe with a rag.
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Sneakers with glued reflectors and decorative elements
Can deteriorate the outer and inner material of these sneakers.
If the sneakers of large well-known manufacturers, as a rule, are made of high quality, and, despite the warnings of the brands, are more likely to survive a machine wash, then inexpensive not very high quality sneakers with a greater likelihood will not survive this process.
Sneakers that already have something torn and peeled off
Especially the soles. If it is not stitched and in some places has already come off, machine washing is likely to aggravate this defect. Some seam that has begun to separate can separate even more, and so on.
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Which sneakers can be washed in a washing machine?
What is left for machine washing? Accordingly, only sneakers with textile tops. It is still less risky to wash them by hand, but if you decide to machine wash, it is better to adhere to a few rules.
How to wash sneakers in the washing machine: tips and tips
Get rid of heavy dirt before washing your sneakers. Wipe it off with a cloth or rinse it off, and brush the soles with a brush to remove sand and pebbles.
Wash your sneakers in a laundry bag. You can buy special bags for washing sports shoes, but will do and standard. Shoelaces can be placed in the same bag (or washed separately, as described here). Do not wash shoelaces without a bag: the tips of the shoelaces may damage the drum! Insole can be folded in the same bag or washed by hand. Do not machine wash orthopedic insoles.
Use a liquid detergent instead of powder. Do not use aggressive bleach with chlorine! Air conditioning is not necessary.
To avoid damaging the drum of the machine and the sneakers themselves (especially the soles), do not wash your sneakers without some laundry. A few old terry towels or a couple of old sheets are best. Do not wash more than two pairs at a time.
Choose a gentle wash cycle, or if your machine has one, a sports shoe wash cycle. Water temperature should be no higher than 40 degrees. Spinning on low speed is best.
Do not dry your sneakers near or on a radiator, using a hair dryer, or in direct sunlight. It is better to put them horizontally and leave them to dry in a well-ventilated place. Crumpled paper towels can be placed inside (not newspapers or other coloured papers, these can stain the fabric). It is better not to stuff too much sneakers so they are not deformed. But in general, sneakers made of modern textile materials will dry faster on their own, without paper.
Can I wash my running shoes in the washing machine?
Sports shoes experience great physical stress. both outside and inside. Outdoor dirt and foot sweat can quickly turn dressy, bright sneakers into unkempt, stompy shoes with a strong, unpleasant smell. Many who know how to properly wash sneakers in a washing machine, successfully get out of the situation.
To achieve the desired result, wash sneakers in a washing machine, you need to follow certain rules
Sneaker manufacturers and many models of washing machines strongly advise against this, but experience shows that you can only partly agree with them. Indeed, poor-quality laminated shoes made of cheap materials, especially with damage (popped foam, tears) or decorative elements (reflectors, rhinestones, rollers, lighting) you risk taking out of the wash in disassembled form, and even damage your machine.
Expensive leather or suede shoes should not be subjected to machine testing. better to clean and wash them by hand with a minimum amount of water and detergents
How to decide whether to wash a sneaker in the washing machine? Guarantees in this matter no one will give you, but the stitched shoes made of textile, mesh, synthetic materials, rubber, foam, or plastic sole after machine wash is clean and almost new. In addition to sneakers you can wash any other shoes made of the same materials. sneakers, moccasins, ballet flats, topsiders, house slippers, etc.
Features of drying
Even shoes that are already clean and white can be ruined by improper drying. Consider how to properly dry shoes so they do not lose their shape and appearance:
- After washing, dry your sneakers with a dry paper towel;
- Do not put shoes on the radiator and leave in direct sunlight. dry shoes on a balcony or outdoors, where there is air circulation;
- Put paper towels or crumpled clean album sheets in the middle of the sneaker. This simple technique will not only remove moisture, but also keep the shape of the sneaker;
- For a nice smell, you can put an orange peel inside your dry shoes.
In no case do not dry shoes near heating devices, such as with a hair dryer or heater. it is not only a threat to the shoes, but also an increased fire hazard.
Washing sneakers in different washing machines
Each model and brand of washing machine has its own specifics of washing, so it is worth to review the rules in advance. There are general recommendations that should be considered.
Bosch
Bosch machines have a mode “Delicate Washing”, and it should be used to wash sports shoes. Water temperature should be within 30 degrees, and the time of the procedure lasts about half an hour. Spin the thing is possible, but with the condition that the speed per minute will not exceed 500.
Indesit
In Indesit machine washing time is 40 minutes, the spin speed during spin cycle is up to 500. Water temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. Modern devices have a great functionality, so that you can easily select the appropriate washing mode.
Samsung
In a washing machine brand Samsung, you can use the program fast or delicate washing. Both modes will perfectly cope with the task, wash sneakers, remove stains. The only drawback is the lack of opportunity to turn off the spin.
The machine of this brand has two modes that are suitable for washing sports shoes:
Washing time is more time consuming, the process takes about one hour. The advantage of modern models is that they already have a mode designed for washing sneakers.