Can you wash sneakers without ruining them? Can you keep your white sneakers white?
Our answer is “Yes, you can!”
There is nothing like that first time you wear a fresh pair of sneakers. They’re fresh, clean, and white. We are here to tell you that you can keep that “brand new sneaker feel.”
We have all been there: a spilled coffee on our white sneakers—or being caught in the rain and mud. Not fun.
So yes, you can wash your sneakers, especially the ones made from material (like most sneakers nowadays) can be washed easily.
Here is what you need to know.
Before we begin:
Not all sneakers can be washed in the washing machine.
Yes that seems obvious, but, we don’t want you to ruin your shoes completely on our account. Leather shoes should not be thrown in the washing machine, and the same goes for suede, unless the company specifically specifies that you can. We know many of us have had success with Veja and Adidas, and we love how great they look after washing. So, use discretion. Sometimes, it’s worthwhile to take a chance, especially when you know that you’re either going to clean those sneakers or else get new ones. So you give it a try. But generally shoes made from canvas, nylon, cotton, and polyester should be fine to throw in the washing machine.
Getting rid of stains and that yellow look on soles and other areas:
Create a paste with baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and a bit of dish soap.
Use a toothbrush to apply it to the soiled areas. Let sit for a few minutes, and then remove with a soft cloth. At this point you can either rinse and be done or throw in the washing machine.
Another way to get rid of stains and yellowing is to use a Magic Eraser sponge. Also used to clean The White Soles of Your Shoes in this post.
Here you can see the difference between two shoes. One was cleaned with the baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and dish soap method and the other wasn’t. Both were washed in the washing machine.
How to wash shoes in the washing machine?
Once you have prepped the shoe, you can place it in the washing machine on a delicate cycle, no spin. Add a towel or two to absorb the bumps and protect the shoes from damaging themselves in the washing machine.
Once the cycle is done, place shoes in a warm place to dry, preferable in a sunny warm spot. It might take 24 hours for the shoes to fully dry.
This is an actual image of sneakers with spilled coffee on them
and this is how they look after washing them in the machine.
Natives and Crocs can get pretty dirty in the summer, too. Here’s how to get them looking like new.
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