what's your experience washing sneakers in the washing machine?

cross-posted from: https://linux.community/post/1079067

after running under the rain for 30 minutes my white sneakers had a foul stench. I tried disinfectant and washing them with soap and water and lots of rubbing and sunlight to dry.

While that got rid of most of the smell, my white sneakers are now brownish, specially around the shoelaces.

I've never washed sneakers in the washing machine. Am I going to ruin them?

ToffeeIsForClosers ,

Yes, you can wash sneakers in the washer. Delicate, cold, small amount of detergent, laces out (Dan!) and in a laundry bag or the pair entirely in a bag laundry bag.

You can wash with other sneakers but I wouldn’t wash with clothes.

Consider getting a boot/mitt/hat dryer (like the ones at Costco). Very handy for quick drying and no mold, bacteria, fungi stink. I use mine all year round for this and weather related needs.

Note that the fabric on the soles might let go over time. The glue isn’t so strong.

neidu2 ,

Did it once after some cats pissed on them, and they started smelling 1% worse than they did from my feet alone. They ended up bent and unusable.

Note: This was probably my own fault. It was before I learned how to properly use a washing machine, so it wouldn't surprise me if I selected too high of a temperature. I also dumble dried them, and I have no idea if that was good for them either.

eldavi ,

you'd think it doesn't need to be said because it's obvious, but i speak from experience that it does need to be said: make sure you don't put them into an agitation based washer; impeller or tumble washers ONLY!

(or atleast use a laundry bag if you have only have access to an agitation washer)

and air dry them IN THE SUN!!!

IIII ,

What goes on in an agitation washing machine that affects how shoes clean?

eldavi ,

the agitator will either tear the shoes apart or maim them.

11111one11111 ,

Wash by themselves in washer then I stuff clean dry socks in mine to keep form drying and use a dryer rack that keeps them from tumbling around. I'm not a sneaker head tho and usually are cleaning already beat up shoes.

Bell ,

Love my Allbirds for just this reason, I machine wash them about every 2 months or so

shalafi ,

Dry them in the sun, reduces wear a great deal. Also nukes fungi.

LowtierComputer ,

Don't forget to pull the soles out!

shinigamiookamiryuu ,

Shoeshiners exist for a reason. There's a science to cleaning shoes.

cm0002 ,

Shoeshiners are for "nice" shoes that use primarily "hard" materials for the outer layer that can be, well, shined. They don't typically take care of the inner parts where more standard fabrics are nor do they do sneakers.

Sneakers you can toss in the washer and call it a day

shinigamiookamiryuu ,

I have tried this with little success, I always just assumed they weren't made for that.

FiskFisk33 ,

that reason is not sneakers

shinigamiookamiryuu ,

I thought sneakers were shoes.

FiskFisk33 , (edited )

Airplanes are vehicles, yet it won't do you much good to take them to a car mechanic.

shinigamiookamiryuu ,

Yeah, but airplanes aren't cars. Sneakers are still shoes though, so the expectation is/was there.

Drusas ,

Shoe shiners:

  1. Are exceedingly rare in the modern era, and
  2. Shine shoes. They do not clean sneakers.
shinigamiookamiryuu ,

I thought sneakers were shoes.

Drusas ,

Would you try to shine sneakers?

shinigamiookamiryuu ,

If they were as the OP describes, yes. Or whatever the equivalent to sneakers are. I just didn't know it was vastly different or that they could go in the washer without side effects as I've always failed.

hedgehogging_the_bed ,

Literally just pulled my daughter's high tops out of the washer. We unlace them and put them in a zippered laundry bag (cheap at most stores that sell Landry soap, look near the clothespins in the cleaning aisle) with the laced. Wash shoes alone with regular soap and a small amount of oxiclean on gentle with an extra rinse, cool water, smallest load. They finished looking very nice and we usually let shoes dry sitting out in the air on a towel for a day or 2 before wearing.

thisisbutaname ,

I've washed shoes in the washing machine a few times, using the setting for delicate clothes. So far no damage to be seen and they come out clean.

Probably not something that should be done every other day, but once in a while seems fine.

LarkinDePark ,

Works great! Try it. Just a short cycle is all you need.

rrrurboatlibad ,

I have washed shoes on gentle before with success. Technique, I put them in a pillowcase that closes first to keep laces from tangling

vestmoria OP ,

I assume that's an old pillowcase?

shinigamiookamiryuu ,

Why not just take the shoelaces out?

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