Washing your sneakers in the washing machine: find out how to avoid damaging them
Who doesn't have a favorite pair of sneakers in their home? They can be the shoes with which we go for a run or exercise in, or they could be so-called walking shoes that we use with a myriad of different outfits and purposes. Whatever the use, it is inevitable that sneakers get dirty after a while: dust, sweat, but also rain or mud certainly do not help, and therefore it is necessary to wash them from time to time.
To make them look like new without too much stress, we can use the washing machine, and with a series of steps that will ensure the washing will not be too aggressive.
First of all, make sure that your shoes can be washed: basically there is no problem in washing canvas sneaker or those that are made of materials such as nylon, cotton or polyester. These are durable materials that should not suffer any damage when in contact with laundry detergent. If they don't have rhinestones, sequins or details in delicate fabrics, you shouldn't have a problem.
- Remove the bulk of the dirt: hit your sneakers together with the soles facing each other or against the inside of a garbage pail, making the worst of any dust and debris fall off. You can also use brushes, old toothbrushes or even toothpicks to reach the most difficult parts.
- Remove the laces from the sneakers, and put them in a perforated canvas bag - the kind used for washing delicate clothes in the washing machine. If they are very dirty, it is always better to wash them by hand with the help of a toothbrush.
- If the insoles are removable, take them out and wash them separately. You can also put these in a net bag, if they are the type that can be washed in the washing machine - otherwise deal with them by hand with laundry soap or Marseille soap and maybe a little baking soda.
- To wash sneakers in the washing machine, it is always recommended to use closeable mesh bags, which prevents the sneakers from bouncing all over the place during the wash, with the risk of getting damaged. Another trick to prevent them from getting damaged is to add a few towels (old ones), to the wash, so that they fill the drum enough to cushion the banging around of the sneaker. It is best to always use white, old towels, which have undergone multiple washes so as not to risk them discolouring the shoes.
- Choose a delicate and cold wash cycle or a 20 degree wash cycle, with the lowest number of the spin cycles in order to replicate, as close as possible, the delicate treatment that is achieved by hand.
- Always use liquid detergent and not powder.
- Once you have finished washing the sneakers, remove them from the mesh bags and let them air dry. If it is not very hot, it may take a few days for the sneakers to dry completely. You can help speed up the process towards the end, and remove residual moisture by placing old dry towels inside them, or even use crumpled newspapers for the same purpose.
With all these steps followed, your sneakers will be as good as new!
