Shoes are not washed nearly as often as clothes, but they still need to be cleaned. The easiest option is to put it in the washing machine, dry it and steam it like new. But sneakers, unlike clothes, often don’t have a label indicating exactly how to wash them. But there are restrictions. They must be followed so that the shoes and washing machine remain safe and sound.
How to wash sneakers by hand
If the material from which your shoes are made cannot withstand automatic washing, it is better not to risk it and clean them manually.
Use an old toothbrush to clean your sneakers.
Before starting work, prepare the product. This should be done as follows:
- Remove the top layer of dirt and dust from the surface with a brush.
- Wash the sole of your shoe, clearing it of dirt, pebbles, stuck chewing gum and anything else that gets on the textured surface.
- Remove the insoles and laces. These parts need to be washed separately, and if they look completely unattractive, they should be replaced.
When starting to wash New Balance sneakers or products from another brand, first familiarize yourself with how and in what order you should do it. So the process looks like this:
- Soak the laces and insoles in a separate container of laundry detergent. While you are working on your boots, they will have time to “get wet” and it will be much easier to remove dirt from them.
- Fill a basin with warm water and dissolve detergent or laundry soap in it. It is better not to use dry powders to clean sneakers; such a composition is difficult to rinse out. But if you don’t have any other product, take one that is designed for hand washing, and use it in small doses. This powder does not form as much foam as a product marked “automatic” and it will be easier for you to wash it off your shoes.
- Using a soft clothes brush, thoroughly clean the dirty areas. Don't let the material get too wet if you don't want your sneakers to smell damp or get damaged.
- When the shoes are clean, wash them from soap and send them to dry on the loggia, having previously filled them with paper. This will help keep the shape after washing the shoes.
- Now you can work on the laces and insoles. Wash them from dirt, the insole can be cleaned with a clothes brush, and then rinse under running water and send to dry. These products can be placed on batteries if the weather outside is damp or rainy.
If you follow these simple rules, you can put your Adidas or Nike sports shoes in order without the risk of ruining them.
Which sneakers are not machine washable?
Manufacturers prohibit washing sneakers in a washing machine, arguing that as a result the product will be able to:
- lose shape;
- come unstuck;
- fade (if the shoes are not plain and are made of textile material).
In addition, adidas or nike sports shoes are often decorated with decorative elements that are glued to the surface, and as a result of machine washing they can simply come off.
But those who decide to take a risk and put the product in a drum, so as not to bother with basins and brushes, need to know that there are materials that definitely will not “survive” this. These include suede and nubuck. New balance sneakers made from this material cannot be washed in a machine; the lint will be erased and the product will be deformed.
As you know, suede and nubuck shoes are susceptible to moisture; such sneakers should not be worn in rainy weather, since there is a high risk of the product losing its shape and damaging the velvety surface.
Can leather sneakers be washed in a washing machine? As for leather, both natural and artificial, we can say that this material is resistant to moisture, but at the same time sensitive to mechanical stress. In the drum of a washing machine, such shoes can be scratched, deformed and completely lose their attractiveness.
In other situations, everyone decides for themselves whether it is worth putting shoes in the washing machine or whether it is better not to risk it and wash them with a brush.
Recommendations from sports shoe manufacturers
Manufacturers of sports shoes always give advice on how to care for them, depending on the material used to make the product.
Fabric sneakers weigh little, so they can even be washed in a standard cycle and with a spin cycle. But with such processing there is a risk that the material will shrink and the sole will peel off in places. Therefore, manufacturers recommend washing fabric sneakers at low temperatures and low speeds. Before treatment, heavily soiled areas should be washed by hand. Fabric shoes can be washed even with simple powder. If after rinsing there are stains left on the surface of the fabric, they can be easily washed off.
Companies that make sneakers made from faux suede or nubuck allow their products to be machine washed. When carrying out the procedure, there is only one risk - the possibility of stains from the detergent.
All branded sports shoes, which are made entirely from natural suede or leather or decorated with inserts from these materials, are allowed to be washed only by hand. What is the relevant information on the tag.
Which sneakers can be washed in a washing machine?
There is the least risk of the product being damaged in the washing machine only if the sneakers are made of textiles or eco-leather. Such materials tolerate moisture and mechanical stress well, and shoes can easily return to shape after washing.
The main thing is not to forget to put the product in a special bag for washing sneakers or a pillowcase, this will help prevent damage to the shoes and the unit.
But when a textile product is decorated with rhinestones and other glued-on accessories, it is still not worth washing in a machine, since these parts may fall off when exposed to moisture.
How to wash leather sneakers
As mentioned above, it is not recommended to put a leather product into a drum. Such shoes are only allowed to be processed by hand.
Remove the insoles and laces and wash them with laundry detergent or laundry soap. First clean your shoes from external dirt, and then treat them with a soap solution. When washing leather, it is better to use a sponge rather than a brush to avoid scratching the surface.
After washing, you need to wash the sneakers in warm water to remove the cleaning composition and send them to dry. Since leather tends to “dry out” and, as a result, become covered with cracks, after drying, treat the surface with a special impregnation or glycerin. This will help keep the skin intact for a long time.
Care Tips
Sneakers should not be washed frequently. Therefore, proper care is important:
- Clean after every wear.
- For those who want to know how to wash sneakers by hand without streaks, you need to remember that you should only use liquid detergents. If traces remain, they can be removed with ammonia or soda solution.
- An unpleasant odor will not appear for a long time if you add a couple of drops of eucalyptus or juniper oil to the rinse. It is also recommended to wash and treat insoles with vinegar water more often.
How to clean fabric sneakers
Fabric shoes are easy to clean and are easier to get rid of dirt than nubuck or suede.
If you clean these shoes by hand, use laundry soap. As the experience of many housewives shows, the use of advertised means for dry cleaning sneakers, in the form of powders, gels and capsules, often leads to the fact that colored shoes lose their bright color and look worn out. Therefore, it is better and safer to use soap.
When there is a lot of dirt, it is advisable to put the product in the drum of the washing machine. For such washing, the best means are liquid formulations and crushed laundry soap placed in the powder compartment or directly in the drum.
It is better to wash sneakers made of textile materials in the “manual” or “delicate” mode, with the water heated to 30–40 degrees, turning off the spin mode. Air conditioners should not be used. After washing, the sneakers are stuffed with paper and aired on the balcony until completely dry.
Use special containers or bags when washing.
Dry cleaning a sports pair made of fabric
Since not all sneakers can safely withstand washing in a large volume of water, and there is not always time to dry, they resort to the dry cleaning method.
This means the use of such available materials:
- white toothpaste: apply to contaminated areas and clean with a small brush (you can take a used toothbrush);
- hair rinse: rub into stains with a sponge, then wipe with a dry cloth;
- freshly squeezed lemon juice and regular soda: first moisten with juice, then sprinkle with soda and clean;
- table vinegar (suitable for suede shoes): apply with a brush and scrub off.
The sole can be easily cleaned from black stripes and various stubborn stains with a stationery eraser. Just rub it and you're done.
And the unpleasant smell from inside shoes goes away if you wash the insoles regularly. You can also pour baking soda into your sneakers at night (it is considered the best adsorbent).
How to clean sneakers with mesh
Mesh on sports shoes should be handled carefully so as not to tear it. How to wash sneakers with this finish? To clean this part, you can use an old toothbrush, which has become soft enough from repeated use.
Detergents used include washing powder, laundry soap or Vanish. When choosing the latter, you should focus on the color of the mesh and do not use compositions with bleaching properties for colored materials. After treatment, thoroughly wash the composition.
Is it possible to wash sneakers in a washing machine if they have mesh? It's better not to, there is a risk of damaging it.
If the sole is white
The bottom may turn yellow or gray due to dirt clogged in the pores of the material, poor rinsing or drying on the battery. Therefore, it is important not only to know how to wash white sneakers by hand, but also how to tidy up the soles so that there is no contrast between the color of the top and bottom of the shoe.
To help restore whiteness:
- melamine sponge;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- lemon juice or acid;
- oxygenated bleach;
- teeth whitening paste;
- vinegar solution.
What to do if yellow spots appear on your sneakers after washing
Often, after washing sneakers in the washing machine and then drying them, they become covered with yellow spots. This problem mainly happens with products made from textile materials. To understand how to fix the problem, you need to understand why it happened.
It is better to dry your sneakers in the fresh air.
Most often this happens because the shoes were not sufficiently washed from soap or were poorly dried. A yellowish tint also appears after drying on radiators and heaters.
Repeat the cleansing, following all the rules, namely:
- thoroughly rinse the cleaning agent out of the product;
- Before drying, wipe the inner surface with a towel or terry cloth, and then be sure to stuff your shoes with paper;
- Place the product on the balcony to dry, rather than placing it on the radiator.
If you did everything correctly, yellowed items will turn white again.
How to care for your sneakers
To ensure that sports shoes last a long time, follow the basic rules of care:
- after a walk, immediately wash your shoes to remove dirt and dust;
- do not allow heavy contamination of the internal surfaces and wash the product on time;
- do not use aggressive or abrasive compounds when cleaning products;
- Dry a rain-soaked pair immediately by removing the laces and insoles and “opening” the sneakers as much as possible;
- try to wash your sneakers in a washing machine less often, preferring manual processing.
By following these recommendations, you will keep your sports shoes in good shape for a long time.
