How to wash sneakers in a washing machine

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.

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.

Which sneakers cannot be machine washed at all?

When selecting, you need to take into account the quality, wear and material from which the sneakers are made.

You should not wash automatically:

Leather, suede and nubuck shoes. It all depends on the quality of the production of natural materials. You can wash a leather model and nothing will happen to it. Or, on the contrary, the skin will get wet, dry out and become rough so that it will be a pity to look at it. It is better not to take risks and clean using suitable manual methods.
Models with reflective inserts and photocells that will be damaged by contact with water, deteriorate or come off.
Sneakers decorated with small glued elements: pebbles, pictures or studs. When they come off, they end up in the drain and damage the equipment.
Slippers of poor quality with sloppily taped seams. There is a possibility that the sole will fall off completely. Not every glue can withstand extreme wetness.
Old and falling apart shoes may not withstand the mechanical impact of torsion in the drum and will completely tear.

If models have leather inserts, then when washing in a machine you need to be prepared for the fact that they will fade or become rough. Therefore, if they have more than 30% skin, then it’s not worth the risk.

Washing machines of different brands in questions and answers

If the machine doesn’t have a special “shoes” mode, it’s easy to get confused. Here's what program you can turn on to freshen up your favorite sneakers:

How to wash sneakers in an Ariston machine?

Choose the “Delicate”, “Mix 30 (15)” mode, and also “Wash children’s clothes”. The last program is a very good solution, since the machine works delicately and draws a large amount of water into the drum. The shoes seem to float and when washed they hardly rub against the walls of the drum. Turn off the spin cycle and the dryer too.

How to wash sneakers in an Indesit machine?

The designers of this brand’s sneakers are people with common sense or avid athletes: the “Sports Shoes” and “Sportswear” programs clearly confirm this. Simplified models of washing machines always have “Express” and “Delicate” modes, which is also quite suitable.

How to wash sneakers in an LG machine?

These models have a large selection of suitable programs: “Baby Clothes”, “Delicate”, “Duvet” and others, which imply gentle operation of the drum.

How to wash sneakers in a Samsung machine?

Feel free to choose “Children’s things”, “Delicate”.

It’s generally difficult to wash shoes... And if you’re also an extreme sports enthusiast!..

How to wash sneakers in a Siemens washing machine?

The program “Delicates”, “Sensitive”, “Down” is suitable.

How to wash sneakers in an Electrolux machine?

These machines have a good selection of suitable buttons: “Sport”, “Delicate fabrics”, “Hand wash”, “Blankets”, “Curtains”.

How to wash sneakers in a Zanussi washing machine?

The popular brand boasts features such as Delicates, Kidswear, Blankets and (oh eureka!!) Shoes.

How to wash sneakers in a Bosch machine (Bosch Maxx, etc.)?

Suitable: “Hand”, “Delicate”, wash, “Wool”, “Silk” mode. Don't forget to click "Disable Spin". I do not recommend using the logixx program - combined washing is not the best choice for shoes.

Advice from Chistyuli. Is your car not on the list? Choose any gentle mode: silk, wool, hand wash, or ask a question in the comments - we’ll figure it out together!

Which sneakers can be washed in a washing machine?

Shoes made from the following materials are machine washable:

fabric models made of canvas, tarpaulin, viscose or other textile materials;
leatherette, eco-leather and artificial suede;
mixed, membrane and mesh materials made of polyester, nylon or elastane;
combined models without leather inserts.

All synthetic or cotton fabrics with synthetic additives, materials imitating leather, suede, and nubuck can be washed perfectly. Summer and demi-season models made from several synthetic materials.

Hard case…

How to wash sneakers in a machine (white sneakers or shoes with specific dirt)? Remove stains first using one of the following recipes:

Difficult stains on the surface of sneakers are removed using purified gasoline and stain remover. Dampen a cotton pad and rub the dirt. Let it sit for the gasoline to evaporate. Apply stain remover. After 15 minutes, rinse your sneakers thoroughly.
Yellowness on a white or textile surface of the sole can be treated with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide 3%, washing powder and table vinegar 9%. Take the components in equal parts. Apply with a brush to the stain and the ENTIRE surface. Let it sit for a while and rinse thoroughly.
Dirt on light soles. It is easy to clean with “White” or other bleaching agent. Apply it carefully with a cotton swab so that the product does not get on the fabric.
Stains on suede after water. Stuff the sneakers with white paper, dampen the surface, and comb in the direction of the grain. Blot with a rag so as not to disturb the design. Dry it. Brush with a dry soft brush.

Washing features

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.

Cleaning laces

If the dirt is not significant and the fabric is simply grey, simply rub the laces with laundry soap and then wash them in the machine.

To clean white laces from dirt, just rub them with laundry soap and wash them in a machine.

For more serious contamination, the following scheme is used:

Add a stain remover intended for white items to a container of warm water.
Soak the laces in this solution and leave them overnight.
Wash the laces either by hand with soap or with light-colored items in the machine.
If necessary, repeat the procedure.

In more difficult cases, you can use a stain remover for white items.

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.

Removing stains from sneakers

Old or stubborn stains should be treated in advance because machine washing may not be able to remove them.

It is permissible to pre-soak sneakers in non-chlorine washing powder or soap solution. There are several ways to deal with local pollution.

Clean the stain with toothpaste.
Mesh sneakers can be cleaned using soda, slaked with lemon juice; the resulting foam must be carefully treated with the fabric.
A mixture of baking soda, liquid soap, and toothpaste will help remove stains.

Removing paint stains

Paint stains are a special category of complex stains, so they need to be removed as soon as possible; the older the stain, the more difficult it is to get rid of. To remove such stains use:

solvent applied to cotton wool;
acetone, also with a cotton swab, if there is no acetone, then you can resort to nail polish remover;

A mixture of one teaspoon of soda and 100 ml of water will help to clean such a stain from leather sneakers without damage.

If such a remedy does not work, then you should resort to dry cleaning or try to paint over the mark with special paint for white shoes.

Advice! Before using any product, test its effect on an inconspicuous area of fabric.

What is the best way to wash sneakers?

To wash sneakers in a machine, it is better to choose liquid detergents or capsules. The powder does not always dissolve completely, gets into the pores of the material or leaves streaks. A regular portion of detergent is enough for one pair.

There is no need to put more, even if everything is very dirty. Excess soap simply cannot be rinsed out and streaks may form.

For light-colored natural fabric models, it is permissible to use bleach, but only oxygen. Chlorine bleaches can permanently damage shoes. There is no point in using air conditioning. This will not make the sneakers softer or more tender.

A pleasant smell will come from the detergent itself. For bright models, it makes sense to use products for colored linen.

How to dry white sneakers correctly

For initial drying, it is highly not recommended to use special shoe dryers. They are quite effective, but have a negative impact on maintaining the shape of the sneakers. To avoid deformation of the shoes, it is better to place tightly crumpled paper in it (preferably white, since newspaper, despite its greater absorption efficiency, can leave a specific odor). When it gets wet it should be replaced. It is better to place the pair itself to dry in the sun or on a radiator lined with a towel.

After the liquid has drained inside, you should put the crumpled paper and put the product in a warm place that is well ventilated.

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.

What to do if yellow spots appear after washing

Sometimes, after washing or during wear, yellow spots may appear on sneakers. You can get rid of them using one of the following methods:

Adding table vinegar to water when washing by hand. The ratio of components is 1:1.
Soaking shoes in a solution obtained by mixing water, washing gel and oxygen bleach.
Treat stains with a mixture of machine powder and white vinegar in equal proportions. After wearing sneakers, rinse them in plenty of clean water.
Treat stains with a mixture of liquid soap and baking soda. It is convenient to use an old toothbrush. Afterwards, the shoes must be rinsed thoroughly.

To deal with yellow stains on sneakers, you should use baking soda.

Important! Since the soles of sneakers are made of plastic or rubber, the use of chlorine-based bleaches, as well as kerosene, gasoline and chemical solvents is contraindicated for cleaning them.

How to wash the sole

If after washing, the sole remains yellowed or gray, you must resort to bleaching agents. First, try to whiten the sole with improvised means; if this does not help, you can resort to using household chemicals.

Household chemicals should be used with caution, first tested on a small area of the sole: if the product is suitable, you can use it for complete cleaning.

Let's consider popular means for whitening soles.

Lemon acid

Using citric acid, you can not only descale your kettle, but also restore the whiteness of your favorite pair of sneakers. To do this, take a lemon, squeeze the juice out of it and rub the sole with it. Let the product work, it will take 10 - 20 minutes. Then wipe off the remaining citric acid and look at the result.

Acetone with vinegar added

Acetone with vinegar added: the product is effective, but has a specific odor, so use latex gloves and a respirator when working with it.

What do we have to do:

Mix nail polish remover and vinegar in equal proportions.
Apply the mixture to a cotton pad and wipe the sole with it.
Rinse the sneakers with water.

This cleaning option is fast and effective, so if you need express cleaning, use it and enjoy the whiteness of your soles without much time and effort.

Potato starch with milk

A spoonful of starch and milk can certainly be found in every kitchen. By mixing one tablespoon each of milk and starch you can get an excellent bleach for white soles. Apply the mixture and wait until it dries. Then thoroughly rinse any remaining milk and starch from your sneakers.

Methods for whitening sneakers

Shoes will sparkle white again after using folk and modern methods.

Leather shoes cannot be washed, but they can also turn yellow under the influence of various factors, so it is worth considering methods of bleaching both types of materials.

Leather shoes

A mixture of washing powder, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and lemon will remove yellowness from the product.
Special shoe paint for white shoes will return the desired color.

Fabric shoes

Ammonia, rubbed in with a cotton swab in several approaches at intervals of 15 minutes, can eliminate yellowness.
A good home cleaning method is oxygen bleaches, which can either be applied with a soft cloth or used in a solution with laundry detergent to soak. Soaked sneakers should be periodically rubbed on all sides with a brush.
You can bleach fabric by using tooth powder applied to the fabric with the abrasive side of a slightly damp dishwashing sponge. You need to leave it for a couple of hours, and then wipe off the residue with the soft side of a sponge.

Cleaning odor inside

Hydrogen peroxide and an unsaturated solution of potassium permanganate and other home methods help get rid of the unpleasant odor inside luminous sneakers.

Odor removal:

The peroxide is simply poured into the boot. When the medicine stops bubbling, the liquid is drained, and the sneakers are stuffed with paper and sent to dry.
You can freshen the inside of your sneakers using ammonia. Soak a cotton pad in the product and treat the internal surfaces of the product. Wipe with a dry cloth and take out into fresh air.
Ammonia smells unpleasant; use a respirator or medical mask during the procedure.
If you are afraid that excess liquid will ruin your sneakers and there will be no trace left of the glow, try the dry method of odor removal.
Lightly spray the insides of the sneakers with water. Then immediately sprinkle in the baking soda. Don't be afraid, it won't do any harm. Leave the sneakers overnight, shake out the baking soda in the morning and vacuum the items.
Buy chamomile in bags at the pharmacy. Place 1 sachet in each shoe and leave them inside overnight. Chamomile improves the microenvironment of sneakers, thereby preventing the proliferation of harmful microorganisms. Therefore, odors are eliminated. Chamomile can be used daily.

The smell inside sneakers appears due to wearing them on bare feet and rarely changing socks. Therefore, try to wear clean socks every day and do not wear sneakers without them.

Caring for glowing sneakers is not easy. But to make your purchase a pleasure, wash sneakers with LEDs only by hand.

Useful tips

If you have even the slightest fear of damaging the appearance of your shoes, clean them manually.

Features of manual cleaning of suede sneakers

Prepare a suede brush, ammonia, vinegar, and soap. Treat dirty areas with a weak vinegar solution . Clean the rest of . Use a damp cloth to remove cleaning products from your shoes. Dry well.

IMPORTANT! For suede, do not use either acetone or gasoline.

Go over the surface with a brush special for suede, which can be replaced with a regular office eraser.

Washing for different types of materials

When choosing a washing method, it is worth considering the material of the product.

Let's look at the washing features for the following types of options:

Fabric sneakers can be washed in a machine and can even be wrung out. But you need to use low temperatures and spin at low speeds. When washing white shoes, you can use bleach. If the dirt is heavy, the fabric can be washed.
Products made from leatherette or eco-leather can be washed frequently, since feet in such shoes sweat a lot. They withstand the spin cycle excellently. Depending on the quality of the material, the temperature should also be adjusted.
Suede sneakers can also be cleaned using a machine. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that no streaks from the powder appear.
Leather products should not be washed in a machine, as they may not retain their original shape.

If you do not want multi-colored sneakers to change their color, then wash them at a low temperature and put them in the washing machine 2-3 color catcher wipes.

Genuine Leather

Apply a protectant such as Skechers Water Proofer Spray to protect leather Sketchers from water and stains before wearing in wet conditions.

Use a leather cleansing lotion or spray such as Skechers Athletic Cleanser to clean.

Apply the product periodically to keep the skin elastic. Do not wash Sketcher leather sneakers.

Smooth leather sports shoes need to be cleaned and maintained with shoe polish or polish.

Choose a neutral shade or color that is closest to the color of your shoes. Remove all dust with a damp cloth. Never polish wet sneakers.

How to dry sneakers quickly?

If you need to quickly dry your sneakers after washing them at home, you should remember that leaving your shoes near heating appliances or in direct sunlight is strictly prohibited. But you can use the following methods.

A piece of cotton fabric will help quickly dry fabric sneakers. It needs to be put inside wet shoes. You can replace the fabric with a kitchen towel and toilet paper. You can even use old newspapers if the sneakers are dark in color and there is no risk of printing ink imprinting on them. Then the products should be left to dry at room temperature, periodically changing their filling. In warm weather, you can put your shoes on the balcony.

Table salt also helps to quickly remove excess moisture. To use this method, you need to heat the salt crystals in a frying pan and pour them into your socks. Place the resulting bags inside the sneakers. The salt will give off its heat and absorb the liquid. If it cools down and the shoes are still damp, the manipulation should be repeated.

Experts do not recommend using a hair dryer to dry sneakers, but if there is a need to use this device, then only cold blowing is allowed. Hot air can cause the top material of the product to simply peel off. The hair dryer should not be brought too close to the shoes or turned on for too long. One hour of cold air drying may not be enough to dry out the middle of the shoe.

A vacuum cleaner will allow you to do without a hair dryer, and the drying process itself will take much less time. The tube must be placed inside the sneaker and the unit must be turned on. It will suck in air along with moisture. After 20 minutes, the shoes will be dry and you can move on to the next pair.

Silica gel will quickly and effectively dry a suede product. You just need to put the balls inside your shoes and wait an hour or 2.

Sole whitening methods

To return the sole to its original appearance, you need to use the following means:

pour an oxygen bleach solution into the bottom of the basin, at the height of the sole, and immerse the sneakers there for a couple of hours;
wipe the sole with a cotton pad soaked in a mixture of vinegar and acetone;
treat the sole with citric acid;
mix baking soda, dish detergent and white toothpaste (1 teaspoon each), stir until smooth and apply with an old toothbrush, then rinse with water.

And another budget method for whitening soles - this requires formic alcohol and cotton pads. Just wet the disc well with alcohol and wipe the sole thoroughly.

The rules for caring for white shoes are not so complicated, the main thing is not to neglect or put off washing dirty items for too long, then your sneakers and sneakers will always look like new.

And if the information about washing turned out to be at least a little useful, then it would be right to share it with friends and acquaintances on social networks.

Recommendations from experts

We have collected the best recommendations for caring for white sneakers from bloggers and sports shoe sellers:

You can wash one pair of shoes at a time in the drum of a washing machine, otherwise you will ruin the equipment.
In winter, shoes can be dried on the radiator, after covering them with a clean towel. Avoid contact of metal with fabric, only through an additional towel.
Be sure to rinse off the remaining detergents of your choice after washing - this will prevent the formation of streaks. It is best to rinse shoes under running water, thoroughly rinsing off any remaining detergent.
Leather sneakers should be washed by hand and in cool water, and suede sneakers should be washed by dry cleaning.

We've looked at the best tips for caring for white sports shoes. Knowing them, you shouldn’t intentionally run through puddles in white sneakers, but you don’t have to be afraid to wear light-colored sneakers. The main rule for washing white shoes is timely care: it is easier to clean fresh stains than to deal with old ones.

How to make them snow-white

If after washing the sneakers turned yellow, or they were old and simply lost their appearance, we will tell you how you can return the product to its original snow-white color. This can be done both with the help of household chemicals and with the help of improvised means available in every home. Let's consider all the options.

Household chemicals

Special store-bought products for bleaching fabric products are not all suitable for lightening shoes. Only oxygen-based products will cope with this task and will not damage the material. Such bleaches and stain removers contain the “Oxi” symbol.

To whiten sneakers using household chemicals, take the product of your choice, add a little water until you get a paste and apply the mixture using the soft side of a kitchen sponge to the fabric around the entire perimeter of the sneaker. Leave the mixture for 10 - 15 minutes, then thoroughly rinse and rinse the shoes under running water.

Soda

At home, white fabric sneakers can be washed with soda. Sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda, is found in every home and is used not only as a leavening agent for dough, but also for cleaning household items. When cleaning sneakers, baking soda is used as a cheap and reliable bleach.

Cleaning steps:

Mix baking soda with water to form a paste.
Rub the mixture into the fabric using a sponge.
Leave for a few minutes.
Rinse off any remaining baking soda under running water.

Note: for better whitening, use baking soda together with other available bleaches, such as vinegar, whitening toothpaste or hydrogen peroxide.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste is most often used to remove stains from white sneakers rather than to wash the entire item. In order to remove the stain, you need to take a whitening toothpaste that does not contain multi-colored crystals.

The paste must be rubbed into the stain, left for 10 minutes, then rinsed and washed the shoes in the usual way using household chemicals.

Radical whitening

If using all of the above methods it was not possible to restore the cleanliness and whiteness of your shoes, you can resort to a radical method of removing yellowness and stains from white fabric. To do this you will need:

Table vinegar – 2 tbsp;
Baking soda – 1 tsp;
Washing powder for white clothes – 2 tbsp;
Hydrogen peroxide – 1 tbsp.

Mix all ingredients and apply the resulting mixture to the fabric for 10 minutes. After this time, rinse everything under the tap.

Important! You cannot bleach shoes with bleach - it has a very aggressive effect on the fabric, can lead to yellowing, holes and, as a result, damage to your favorite pair of shoes.

You will need

Cold water;
Pelvis;
Soft fleecy cloth or brush;
Baking soda.

Pour water into the basin

When you decide to wash your Sketchers sneakers, first place the Skechers in a bowl filled with cold water. A sink with a plugged drain hole will do.

Add detergent

Enrich the water with two to three tablespoons of detergent. Remember that detergent will make the water very foamy, so use a small amount of product (washing powder will do). Thin if necessary.

Use a cloth/brush

Wipe the Sketchers with a cloth soaked in cold water and detergent.

Be sure to dry!

Give your beloved Sketchers time to dry thoroughly - overnight or longer if necessary.

Using baking soda

Sprinkle a little sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) on and under the insole to prevent mildew and prevent odors.

Do not use an electric shoe dryer, hot radiator, hot heater, electric stove, or other similar devices, because strong direct exposure to heat may damage Sketchers sneakers.
Let them air dry.