Sneakers are the favorite footwear of people who lead an active lifestyle, but their frequent use leads to the fact that they quickly become dirty. Superficial cleaning may not be enough to solve the problem.
However, not all shoes can withstand processing in an automatic machine. Some couples require careful care, while others do not tolerate contact with water at all. In order not to spoil your shoes, you need to follow certain rules for caring for them.
Below we will tell you whether and how to properly wash sneakers in an automatic washing machine (at what temperature, what washing mode) so that they do not lose their shape.
Is it washable?
Sneakers can and should be washed. Even with the most careful wear, after some time they will lose their attractive appearance. Proper cleaning will refresh your shoes, renew their color and extend their service life.
Sports pairs made from such materials as:
- leather;
- suede leather;
- velours;
- nubuck.
You cannot wash sneakers that consist of several types of fabrics at once, for example, genuine leather, rubber and foam polymers. It is dangerous to load shoes with minor defects into the machine.
Before you place your shoes in the drum, you should read the information on the inside label. Also, the rules for caring for sports shoes can be presented on the box.
Most often, manufacturers place information in signs . If the product cannot be washed in a machine, then the label will show a crossed out square with a circle inside.
You should not wash sneakers that have many additional parts. These can be fur inserts, appliques, sequins, rhinestones. Adhesive-based shoes do not tolerate contact with water. With active rinsing, it simply falls apart.
What problems may arise
Sneakers, especially professional ones, are not just shoes, they are a design! Manufacturers take into account hundreds of studies, tests, and reviews from athletes. These shoes are very expensive, but using them is a pleasure. Washing in a machine can ruin not only the appearance, but also disrupt its sporting properties:
- When twisted in the drum of a washing machine, the surface of the sneakers wears out greatly.
- Water gets into the inside of the sole, causing it to lose its shape and lose its shock-absorbing properties.
- The surface in the stitching areas begins to fray, and the appearance suffers.
- The upper part loses its shape and no longer fits tightly to the sole.
That's why dry cleaning or gentle hand cleaning is recommended for super-professional shoes.
Crosses are too expensive an attribute - both in terms of preferences and in terms of money
Features of washing in an automatic machine
If shoes can be washed automatically, then they need to be properly prepared. To do this, you must follow the following recommendations:
Inspect the pair carefully. If foam rubber, threads stick out from it, and there are also poorly stitched parts, then intensive washing should be abandoned.- Unlace the shoes, remove the insoles and liners. These elements are processed separately.
- Clean shoes from debris, sand, leaves, gravel, and dried dirt. Small pebbles stuck in the sole can be removed using a knitting needle or a dry brush.
Once the shoes are prepared, you can start washing.
Step-by-step algorithm of actions:
- place the pair in the drum;
- add liquid detergent to the compartment;
- start the washing program, after it is completed, remove the shoes and dry them.
It is not recommended to wash more than 2 pairs of shoes in one cycle.
You can use anything to protect the drum, such as an old towel or tracksuit. The clothes will act as a counterweight, so the washing machine will not get damaged.
On what program (mode)?
When choosing the optimal washing mode, you need to focus on the brand of the machine. There are models that are equipped with a program called “sports shoes” .
If it is not separately highlighted in the menu, it is recommended to process shoes in a delicate mode. It can also be designated as “gentle”.
It's not difficult to set up the machine yourself. To do this, remove the spin function, or set the speed to 400-500 per minute.
At what degrees should I wash? The temperature should not exceed 40 degrees . With these parameters, washing time will be reduced to a minimum.
Washing sneakers in various washing machines
Depending on the brand of washing machine, the washing mode for sports shoes will differ. All features are presented in the table:
| Washing machine brand | Name of washing mode | Features of the mode |
| Samsung (Samsung) | Quick wash or delicate wash. | A quick wash lasts 15 minutes, but there is no option to turn off the spin cycle. Delicate wash lasts about 45 minutes. |
| LG | Delicate wash or wool program. | Water temperature – 30 or 40 degrees, washing time 50-60 minutes. |
| Bosch | Delicate wash. | Water temperature - 30 degrees, light rocking of the drum. Washing duration is 30 minutes. |
| Indesit | Sport shoes | Washing temperature – 30 degrees, speed – 500, washing time – about 40 minutes. |
At what temperature?
The optimal washing temperature is 30 degrees Celsius . As a rule, it is this that is set automatically if a specialized program has been selected. In such conditions, the sneakers will not come apart.
Membrane shoes are washed at temperatures less than 30 degrees. Even the most durable sneakers cannot be washed at temperatures above 40 degrees.
Which powder is best to use?
For washing sports shoes, it is best to use liquid detergents . These can be gels or concentrates.
It is important that they do not contain aggressive components, such as chlorine or acids.
To wash colored shoes, you need to purchase products suitable for caring for dyed items . Failure to follow this recommendation may result in damage to the shoes.
No less important is the mode in which the detergent is activated.
It should work in cool water (up to 30 degrees Celsius). It is recommended to avoid washing powder, as it contains multi-colored inclusions .
They dissolve poorly in water at low temperatures. As a result, unsightly stains may appear on your sneakers. The best option for washing sneakers are gel capsules. They are placed directly into the drum. It is not recommended to add various conditioners. It is unknown how shoes will react to these substances.
It is strictly forbidden to pour liquid soap, shampoo, or dishwashing detergent into the washing machine compartment. These substances contain a large amount of surfactants, so they will foam a lot. Using them will cause the equipment to fail.
With and without spin
All modern washing machine models have a function for adjusting the spin speed. The number of revolutions can be set manually.
Only fabric sneakers can be spin washed. It is important that there are no visible defects or broken seams. The optimal number of revolutions is 500 per minute .
If you leave this value at 600 or higher, you can seriously damage the shoes and the drum itself. In some cases, the sole even comes off. When you can’t set the spin speed, you just need to disable this function.
Using a special bag
To make washing as safe as possible, you need to place your shoes in a special mesh bag. It is secured with a zipper or with laces. Sneakers or sneakers, while in the bag, will not be subject to excessive wear.
This device allows you to protect the drum, since shoes will not knock on it , and therefore will not be able to damage its internal structure.
Laundry bags are inexpensive, about 300 rubles. You can use them for several years. These products are reusable. Some of them are additionally reinforced with shock-absorbing foam inserts.
This article will tell you how to wash sneakers in a shoe bag.
Preparing shoes
It is necessary to wash sneakers in a washing machine after preliminary preparation, which includes the following preparation steps:
- Free from all foreign elements. Untie and pull out the laces and ties. Because they can get into the holes and damage the device.
- Remove the insoles so that they do not become deformed during washing, and the boots can be washed better from the inside.
- Remove all dirt and old stains. Particular attention must be paid to the sole; often various debris gets stuck in the grooves: twigs, pebbles, chewing gum, etc. The stains are rubbed with soap or cleaning powders and stain removers.
- Immerse the pair in a wash bag or blanket. If any element falls off, it will remain in the bag, which will prevent it from getting into the holes and damaging the equipment. There should be no more than two pairs of shoes in the washing machine.
The laces can be tied into a knot and also thrown into the drum, or cleaned by hand along with the insoles. The earbuds need to be cleaned more frequently. It is best to clean them in warm water using antibacterial agents. This will remove all microorganisms that, during their life processes, give the shoes an unpleasant, pungent odor.
Never wash other clothes with your shoes. Dirt from the soles can leave stubborn stains that will then have to be washed again.
Manual cleaning at home
You can wash your sneakers by hand. This is especially true for shoes made of suede, nubuck, and genuine leather.
Hand washing can be done with or without pre-soaking . To carry out the procedure, you can use liquid detergents, washing powder or ordinary laundry soap.
The most important thing is to thoroughly dissolve the detergent composition in water. The water should remain cool. Heavily contaminated areas are additionally rubbed with a brush.
Read more about hand washing sneakers here.
Wash by hand
Washing by hand is a rather long, but more delicate process than using household appliances. Shoes like white sneakers will be much easier to wash. It is better to use the rough side of a sponge or a brush for this - it all depends on the type of fabric or the roughness of the material on top of the product. Shoes are soaked in warm, but not hot water, after dissolving the detergent there. In many cases, ordinary laundry soap is used along with specialized gels. It copes with dirt no worse.
Suede sneakers are best washed by hand. Even if they are stitched, the guarantee of their integrity during a rough cleaning regime is small. Use your hands and a sponge to carefully comb out the dirt from them - rough brushes can damage the suede, so it is better to act on it as delicately as possible. You should not make the cleaning solution too foamy to make it easier to rinse your shoes later.
How to wash shoes of different brands?
Depending on the brand under which the sneakers are produced, the rules for caring for them will differ. We are talking about original brands, and not about Chinese analogues .
Sneakers from New Balance and Reebok cannot be machine washed. The manufacturer does not recommend the use of bleaches. Dirt should be removed from them with a special brush.
These rules apply to suede, textiles, synthetics and nubuck.
Shoe manufacturers Adidas, Nike and Puma allow hand washing in a cool soapy solution using a soft brush . However, not all models may be subject to such processing.
Features for different types of materials
Depending on the material from which the sneakers are made, the rules for caring for them will differ.
Basic recommendations:
Leather and suede products do not tolerate contact with water. They should only be cleaned dry. Wet processing is permissible only in emergency cases.- Fabric products. Shoes can be washed automatically or manually, but you must strictly follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
- Nubuck sneakers. The material is considered finicky, so it is recommended to treat it with a special brush and professional products.
How to get rid of odor in sneakers without water or soap
There are situations when it is necessary to remove the unpleasant smell of sneakers using quick “dry” methods, without resorting to washing. There is such an opportunity: you can use shoe deodorant, which is convenient to take with you on any trip, or wipe the inside of your shoes with hydrogen peroxide so that the fabric becomes slightly damp. The peroxide will soon evaporate, and with it the unpleasant odor will go away.
You can try putting green tea bags in your sneakers at night, however, this method takes longer and may be less effective as it masks the odor rather than destroying the bacteria that are responsible for the odor.
On the subject: How to get rid of unpleasant odor in sneakers
photo: wikihow.com
Processing nuances depending on color
Depending on the color of the sneakers, there are the following recommendations for caring for them:
- White shoes are washed separately from colored items. It is allowed to treat sneakers with non-aggressive bleaches.
- Black sneakers fade a lot. This must be taken into account when washing. In addition, they do not tolerate strong friction.
- Colored sneakers should be washed at low temperatures to avoid leaching of the pigment.
Read about how to wash white fabric sneakers here.
How to dry it properly?
Dry your sneakers naturally. Most products do not tolerate contact with direct sunlight.
Shoes should not be heated by placing them on a heating radiator or near a gas stove.
You can speed up drying by taking the sports pair out into the fresh air or into a room with low humidity.
To give the sneakers the correct shape, they can be stuffed with paper. Read more about drying shoes after washing here.
Problems you may encounter after
The main problems that a person may encounter after washing sneakers:
- The shoes turned yellow. You can get rid of stains by washing again using a gentle bleach.
- There were stains on the sneakers. To deal with them, you need to thoroughly rinse your shoes.
- The sneakers have lost their shape. To give them their previous appearance, you need to wet the shoes, stuff them with paper and leave them until completely dry.
- They creak. To get rid of unpleasant sounds, you can lubricate the accessible elements with soap, and pour colorless silicone into the existing cavities.
The main detergent for washing clothes and summer shoes:
I personally use so-called capsules. The thing is simply incredibly convenient, unlike powders and gels, but this is my opinion, I do not impose it on anyone.
To give the effect of freshness and cleanliness for a long time, I advise you to also add a cap of children's ECO laundry conditioner . Having scoured the entire chemistry department at discount stores, I couldn’t find anything safer than this one. It contains the least number of harmful additives: anionic, cationic, non-iogenic surfactants (surfactants) - beware of any products with a large percentage of such additives ( if 5% or more - immediately “goodbye” ), they are very harmful to health even adults and can cause cancer.
Important Tips
Top 5 tips for washing sneakers:
carry out proper preparation of shoes for the upcoming cleaning (removal of laces, insoles, dirt, stones, etc.);- use a special mesh when automatically washing shoes;
- minimize the contact time of sneakers with water;
- do not wash shoes made of suede, nubuck and leather in automatic mode;
- Dry the pair thoroughly after wet cleaning.
If the shoes are not stitched, but are fixed with glue, they can only be washed by hand and without pre-soaking.
Can sneakers be washed in a washing machine?
The following types of sneakers can be washed in a washing machine:
- Made from synthetic materials or textiles;
- Sneakers without reflective and decorative details (beads, sparkles, sequins, etc.);
- Pairs without defects in the soles and insoles.
It is strictly forbidden to machine wash:
- leather shoes,
- models with permanent decor,
- heavily worn pairs whose backs are worn out.
After washing, the leather will shrink, the decor will come off, and the foam filling will fall out of the backs. In any case, the shoes will be completely damaged and unsuitable for further use.
