Is it possible to wash shoes in a washing machine and how to do it correctly

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Published: 06/09/2021

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Untidy shoes can ruin any look, even the most luxurious one. But ideally clean is the opposite. But how can this be achieved? With mild contamination it is clear what to do. Wipe with a damp cloth and use a soft brush. What about grass marks, greasy stains, salt stains? All that remains is to wash the shoes in the washing machine. But you can’t send any pair into the drum. In order for the result to be high-quality and safe, you need to know many nuances.

• 1 How to determine whether a pair is washable
• 2 Preparatory process
• 3 Washing winter shoes
• 4 Cleaning sports shoes in a machine
• 5 What to do with natural leather
• 6 Drying
• 7 Possible damage during washing 7.1 How to fix
• 7.2 How to prevent

How to determine whether a pair is washable

It is better to immediately exclude the experimental method. So what should you do before washing your shoes in the washing machine?

The main points are presented in the table below:

How to wash shoes by hand

Not all fabrics from which shoes or sneakers are made are equally resistant to even hand washing. Therefore, before hand washing, make sure that your pair of moccasins or shoes is made of thick synthetic fabric, leather or high-quality leatherette.

To wash boots, ballet flats or sneakers by hand without damaging their shape and appearance of the material, do the following:

1. Dissolve the detergent in warm water not hotter than 40˚.
2. Dip a pair of ballet shoes into the resulting soap (powder) solution for 15-20 minutes.
3. Then drain the dirty soap solution and immerse the items in a new one again.
4. Using an old toothbrush, clean the sole and other parts of the product.
5. Rinse under pressure with not hot water and remove to dry.

Preparatory process

If the decision has been made, you still shouldn’t rush and put your favorite sneakers or trainers in the washing machine. Necessary:

• first clean the sole;
• remove dust from the outer surface;
• get the insoles and laces.

Then think about how to protect your shoes and the washing machine itself. The solution is simple. This is an old pillowcase, if there is no special bag.

Instead of powder, it is better to use liquid detergent. It has a softer effect. But before you wash the dummies in the washing machine, you need to stock up on special compounds that are intended for membrane materials. If there is synthetic or down filling inside, you will need a product that is used to wash ski suits.

If the manufacturer does not indicate in what mode to wash shoes in a washing machine, then you need to select a “delicate” program. It implies temperatures up to 40°C. You will have to manually wring out and dry your shoes, so these functions should be disabled.

Preparation

If you're ready to wash your shoes, don't throw them in the drum straight away, as this will lead to negative results and you may forget about your favorite shoes. In addition, you can damage the washer. Therefore, you need to approach washing correctly, carefully and thoughtfully. Before washing, boots need to be protected from excessive load under the influence of a rotating drum. At the same time, it doesn’t hurt to protect the SMA drum, because the hard sole will knock on it. There are known situations where an imbalance occurred when washing a heavy pair of boots. This problem can be solved quite simply - immerse your favorite pair in a special washing bag, after which you can select the appropriate mode.

Is it possible to wash ballet flats in a washing machine? A pair made of fabric material can be loaded into the drum just like that, but ballet flats made from leatherette or other dense fabric should be washed in a laundry bag. Don’t forget to wash your shoes thoroughly, removing dirt from the soles and dust from the outside. You also need to get rid of any metal parts and laces. Insoles are no exception; they also need to be washed separately. Place the shoes in a bag and load them into the machine.

Such bags are usually sold in sports stores (at Decathlon a bag costs 119 rubles and similar) and on aliexpress.com (search for “shoe washing bag”).

Important! If it is not possible to purchase a special bag, then an old pillowcase that you no longer need will do instead.

Washing winter shoes

Much depends on the material. There will be no problems with fabric models. They wash well, which cannot be said about suede and genuine leather shoes. They should absolutely not be put in the washing machine. They can sit down and this is not the only possible problem.

You cannot wash winter boots in a washing machine if:

1. their soles are torn off;
2. some parts come off;
3. there are cracks, threads stick out;
4. a lot of decor.

It is rare to find a winter boot manufacturer that allows their products to be machine washed. Usually everyone recommends dry cleaning and only sometimes wet cleaning. But if you do everything right, everything will work out.

How to remove stains

Despite the fact that many large contaminants are removed before washing in the machine, some of them may appear precisely after the shoes are removed from the drum.

In this case, you will have to remove the stains manually, resorting to “folk recipes”:

• Oil stains can be easily removed using dishwashing liquid. You just need to apply the product to the stain and leave it for a day.
• Grass stains are first lubricated with a mixture of ammonia (1 tablespoon) and warm water (about a glass). Then these same places are rubbed with a piece of laundry soap.
• Paint stains can be easily removed with white spirit, and areas contaminated with soot or soot can be easily removed with turpentine diluted with water.

After using any of the methods, shoes should be washed by hand or in SMA. The latter is a fairly intense test of strength for shoes; for some shoes, repeated rotation in the machine drum can be disastrous. That is why you should try to inspect the entire surface of each shoe as thoroughly as possible to identify hidden contaminants before you start washing.

Cleaning sports shoes in a machine

We're talking about sneakers and sneakers. If with the first ones everything is more or less clear. For them, a washing machine is an acceptable option, and only if certain rules are followed.

If the crosses can be put in the washing machine, the manufacturer marks this point with a special sign. At the same time, the instructions contain complete information on how to wash shoes in a washing machine.

The algorithm of actions is usually as follows:

• Inspection before loading.
• Remove the insoles and laces and wash them separately. This will take up to 5 minutes. They don’t need a full-fledged program.
• Clean the sole to remove stuck small stones, sand and dirt. You can use a thin stick or knitting needle. Rinse off any remaining dirt under running water.
• If you don't have a shoe bag, throw old towels, soft rugs or tennis balls into the drum with sneakers. They will reduce vibration, balance friction, improve results, and keep the structural elements of the unit itself intact.
• Sort by color. Conduct a paint behavior test. You will need a damp cloth for this. All you have to do is run it across the surface of the sports shoes and get the result.
• To prevent shoes from breaking the glass of the washing machine, throw only a pair of sneakers. If they are not so massive, you can use 2 pairs.
• To prevent shoes from coming unglued, set the temperature to 30 to 40°C. This mode is available in the “Shoes” and “Delicate” wash programs.
• Add a little bleach to the regular powder (if the sneakers are snow-white).
• Do not turn on the “spin” and “drying” functions.
• Dry clean crosses. Fill it with crumpled paper and place it on the balcony.

As for winter sneakers, they should be dry cleaned or hand washed. They have internal insulation, different materials and details. In addition, these shoes are large in size and massive. It can cause the drum to become loose and damage the machine’s mechanisms.

Author:

Zakharova Nina Afanasyevna

I hope you like my article! If you find any shortcomings, just write to me about it! I am always ready for a conversation and will answer any questions you have, ask them!