So, have your sneakers seen one too many puddles? Dirty sneakers not only look unattractive, they can also smell unpleasant. Whether after jogging in the rain, a visit to a festival or simply through daily wear – there comes a point when a thorough clean is unavoidable. The washing machine offers a practical solution here, but without the right tricks, your favorite shoes can be damaged. With the following tips, even heavily soiled sneakers can be cleaned again without losing their shape or ageing prematurely. You should definitely know these tricks when it comes to washing sneakers.
Washing sneakers: What you should do before washing
First of all, not all sneakers are suitable for machine washing. First check the label or the manufacturer’s instructions. Shoes made of leather, suede, with gel insoles or special cushioning should generally not be machine washed. For most sneakers made of fabric, canvas or synthetic materials, however, machine washing is not a problem.
You may also be interested in these articles:
Before you start, remove the insoles and laces – you can wash these separately or clean them by hand. Then tap off excess dirt over the garbage can and remove coarse dirt with an old toothbrush. For particularly stubborn stains, it helps to treat them in advance with a mixture of water and baking soda or a little gall soap. Make sure that there are no stones stuck in the tread soles that could damage your washing machine.
The right wash cycle: how to protect your shoes and machine
To protect both your sneakers and the washing machine, you shouldn’t just throw your shoes loose into the drum. Instead, put them in a special laundry bag or an old pillowcase. This prevents the shoes from hitting the drum too hard during the wash cycle and also protects the machine’s coating from damage.
For additional protection, you can put some old towels in the drum. These will dampen the movement of the shoes and ensure a balanced load. Use a mild liquid detergent without bleach and select a gentle program with a low temperature – 30 degrees is usually sufficient. Avoid fabric softener, as this can attack the materials of your shoes and impair their breathable properties.
The spin cycle should either be avoided completely or set to the lowest setting. Excessive spinning can loosen the adhesives in the shoes and permanently change their shape.
Drying sneakers properly: the key steps
After the wash cycle, the most important part of shoe care begins: drying them properly. Never put your sneakers in the dryer or on the heater – the heat can loosen adhesives, deform plastic parts and make the materials brittle. Instead, line the still-damp shoes with crumpled newspaper, which absorbs the moisture and maintains the shape at the same time. Change the paper after a few hours when it is soaked through.
Place the shoes in an airy place to dry, but not in direct sunlight. White sneakers in particular can otherwise turn yellow. Complete drying can take 24-48 hours – be sure to allow this time before you want to wear the shoes again.
An additional trick for extra fresh shoes: Before the final drying step, add some baking soda to the almost dry shoes, leave it to work overnight and tap it out the next day. This neutralizes odours and absorbs residual moisture.
With these tips, your sneakers will get clean again in the washing machine, keep their shape and stay like new for longer – an easy way to preserve your favorite sneakers. Or even breathe new life into them.
Source: utopia
