The more often shoes are used, the more noticeable street dirt, dust and sweat become. If the commercially available cleaning products fail, the only option is the washing machine. But not every shoe is suitable for this.
Classic sports or street shoes, which are used in everyday life as well as for sporting (outdoor) activities, get dirtier over time and start to smell – even shoe deodorant is no longer of any use. In this case, it would be a good idea to simply clean the shoes in the washing machine, but are they even suitable for this? In fact, all shoes made of synthetic materials can be washed, such as vegan sneakers, ballerinas, trainers, canvas and fabric shoes. What you need to bear in mind and how you can also wash your shoes by hand is explained in this article.
Instructions for washing shoes: step by step
- Before you put the shoes in the you should remove coarse dirt with a firm Remove – alternatively, use a damp cloth.
- Remove the laces and any insoles from the shoes so that they are not washed.
- To prevent shoes from accidentally damaging the washing drum, you should only wash them with other sturdy textiles such as towels or bed sheets.
- It is even safer for the shoes in the machine if you use a special or a padded use for protection.
- Wash the shoes at 30 degrees, preferably on a gentle cycle (easy-care or wool) – and avoid the spin cycle to protect the materials.
- Only add a little (full) detergent to the machine and no fabric softener. If you only wash the shoes, there are also special for sneakers.
- After washing, the shoes should be stuffed with newspaper so that they return to their original shape when dried in a warm place.
- In the last step, the dry shoes are cleaned with a treated to seal the surface and protect it from new signs of wear.
Care tips: Washing shoes without a washing machine
Whether boots, high heels or sandals: If the shoes are made of leather, they should never be put in the washing machine. But what if the fine shoes are so dirty that you don’t want to show them off in public anymore? It’s simple: there are a variety of suitable care products that you can use to clean leather – the same applies to shoes made of synthetic materials that you also cannot wash in the washing machine because of glued or sewn-on applications (e.g. metal, rhinestones or sequins).
- For fabric and canvas shoes, a liquid detergent is suitable, which you have to rub in and wash out by hand.
- For sneakers made of synthetic leather there are also special intended for cleaning and maintenance, or a .
- For shoes made of genuine leather – or recommended. They not only remove coarse dirt, but also stains.
And even with sensitive shoes, it makes sense to treat the material with a waterproofing spray after manual cleaning and care.
More information can be found here.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
