Sneakers are universal shoes, indispensable for walks, in the gym, and have become an everyday attribute at rest and work. It needs cleaning inside and out more than any other shoe. Therefore, the practice of washing sneakers in the washing machine is becoming increasingly common. However, the result obtained is not always effective: the stains are not washed off or the sneakers are hopelessly damaged. Before you put them in the washing machine, you need to know when automatic washing is possible, in what modes and what products can be used.
What shoes should not be machine washed?
Not all sneakers can be machine washed; it is contraindicated for the following types of shoes:
made of genuine leather - requires special dry cleaning for leather shoes; in the washing machine from hot water and mechanical friction they are greatly deformed and cannot be restored;
made of nubuck and suede - any type of wet washing is strictly prohibited; dry cleaning or hand cleaning with special compounds is also required;
with artificial or natural fur - does not tolerate high humidity, the fur may become bald after the first wash;
with decorative decorations (rhinestones, rivets, beads, sequins, embroidery, prints, appliqués, reflective elements) - even if the shoes themselves are washed, the decor may fall off, and in addition, damage the machine;
with glued elements - rare glue can withstand exposure to hot water and detergent;
with damaged or torn parts - the water cycle in the drum will only worsen the situation and completely destroy the shoes, and pieces of foam rubber, insoles, etc. can clog machine filters.
What to do with “non-washable” shoes
Many shoe manufacturers include care instructions in the box or on the label of the sneakers.
For shoes made from natural materials (leather, suede, nubuck), only hand cleaning is allowed without unnecessary water procedures. Shoe boutiques sell a lot of products for the care and cleaning of such shoes: aerosols, shampoos, special erasers for suede and nubuck, water-repellent impregnations. If you follow the instructions, you can achieve good results.
If these products are not available, it is recommended to use water with ammonia (a few drops of ammonia per 1 liter of water). Shoes cleaned of dirt are wiped with a soft cloth soaked in the prepared solution. After this procedure, the pile of suede and nubuck is combed with a rubber brush or revived with hot steam, for example, from a kettle. Finally, a water-repellent impregnation is applied to the shoes. It is advisable to treat leather sneakers with a cream of the appropriate color or colorless.
Sneakers made of synthetic material and textiles can be cleaned with a soft brush and soapy water, but you need to act quickly, without waiting until they are completely wet. The use of bleach is undesirable; permanent whitish stains may remain.
Which sneakers can be washed?
Before you machine wash your sneakers with regular detergents, take a good look at what they're made of. Fabric or rag sneakers are mostly machine washable. The automatic washing machine is perfect for sneakers made from the following materials:
artificial leather;
synthetic fabric;
textile;
mesh made of nylon and polyester.
Also pay attention to the sole; rubber or foam will not fall off during automatic washing.
Preparation
Proper machine washing of sneakers requires significant preparation. The best method to check if your shoes are machine washable is to soak them for 10-15 minutes in a bowl of warm water and laundry detergent. This test drive will show whether the shoes are fading, whether the soles are coming apart, and whether decorative elements are falling off. The further algorithm for preparing for “bath procedures” consists of the following steps:
remove shoes from insoles and laces;
remove dirt and stones from the sole tread;
put a pair of shoes in a special shoe bag or in a regular mesh laundry bag, which always comes with the machine;
To protect against mechanical damage, it is advisable to add unnecessary things, rags, etc. to the car, since sneakers clink on the tank and the surface of the washing machine deteriorates.
Membrane sneakers require special attention. The answer to the question “Is it hygienic to machine wash sneakers” is clear: yes! The manufacturer’s main recommendations for washing membrane sneakers:
temperature – no higher than 30 ºC;
use of liquid products without bleaches;
rinse thoroughly.
Washing accessories
New washing machines that have a shoe wash program have special hooks for hanging sneakers so that they don't get knocked around during washing. In conventional units, to avoid this, sneakers can be placed in a mesh bag, a shoe bag that usually comes in a shoe box, or any other pouch with drawstrings. In extreme cases, an old pillowcase can serve as such a bag; a children's pillowcase will work very well.The main thing is that the bag is not colored and does not fade when washed.
Detergents
Regular laundry detergent is used with great care as it is more aggressive than liquid detergents. Therefore, washing gels, liquid powders or soluble capsules are preferable for sneakers. Consumption rates – 1 standard dose of gel or 1 capsule per pair of sneakers.
White sneakers will also not withstand any bleach; oxygen bleaches must be used. Before putting white sneakers into the car, you can first use a chlorine-free stain remover to treat areas of heavy soiling.
There is no point in using fabric softener when washing sneakers. Its antistatic or softening effects will not have the desired effect.
Mode and temperature
The answer to the question “How long does the program last” depends on the machine modes. New generation washing machines provide a special mode for washing shoes lasting 20-25 minutes. If your equipment does not have it, then you can use manual, delicate or any other modes for gentle washing.
Main parameters for washing sneakers:
temperature – no higher than 30-40 °C;
washing mode – gentle;
duration – no more than 25 minutes;
Spin and dry modes are disabled.
Automatic spin and dry
The intensity of the automatic spin cycle in the machine can damage sports shoes. Therefore, you should not automatically wring out your shoes. As a last resort, you can use the gentle spin program if your washing machine has one.
Machine drying for sneakers is also not recommended. Too hot air will have a negative effect on wet shoes and they may lose their shape.
How to dry
Drying sports shoes will take a long time and in the simplest, almost old-fashioned ways:
on the balcony in sunny weather, but in the shade;
on the newspaper near the heating radiators, but not on the hot radiators themselves;
stuffing shoes with paper (not newspaper, it can get dirty) or a soft cloth, which needs to be changed periodically for a dry one;
using silica gel as a drying filler, which is applied to each pair of shoes and if you managed to save it.
After drying, it is advisable to coat the sneakers with a water-repellent impregnation according to the instructions for use: outdoors, in 2 layers. This impregnation will protect the sneakers from further contamination.
Astra, take a closer look at the machines from Hotpoint Ariston, many of them have auto-cleaning, so you can do it this way, first the sneakers, and then the bed or baby clothes, the auto-cleaning will do everything itself :) and the program is not only for sports (where you can also wash sneakers) , but there is even a program for down jackets
I also have a Hotpoint Ariston and I don’t bother with laundry at all. After bedding and everyday clothes, as well as after dirty cross-country, I have nothing left in the drum. And everything washes out fine.So maybe you should just change the machine?
By the way, I also use a Hotpoint washing machine. I was surprised when I washed my sneakers in it for the first time, and then they were completely white. Before this, there was a machine that creaked and washed dirt off sneakers.
Indesit, by the way, also has a self-cleaning function. I have a washing machine like this. There is no smell, and delicate items can be washed without fear after wearing the same sneakers.
Sneakers are universal shoes, indispensable for walks, in the gym, and have become an everyday attribute at rest and work. It needs cleaning inside and out more than any other shoe. Therefore, the practice of washing sneakers in the washing machine is becoming increasingly common. However, the result obtained is not always effective: the stains are not washed off or the sneakers are hopelessly damaged. Before you put them in the washing machine, you need to know when automatic washing is possible, in what modes and what products can be used.
Before you machine wash your sneakers with regular detergents, take a good look at what they're made of. Fabric or rag sneakers are mostly machine washable. The automatic washing machine is perfect for sneakers made from the following materials:
The most annoying thing is washing dirty sneakers in the washing machine. I wash bed linen there, lace and then these...
Astra, take a closer look at the machines from Hotpoint Ariston, many of them have auto-cleaning, so you can do it this way, first the sneakers, and then the bed or baby clothes, the auto-cleaning will do everything itself :) and the program is not only for sports (where you can also wash sneakers) , but there is even a program for down jackets
I also have a Hotpoint Ariston and I don’t bother with laundry at all. After bedding and everyday clothes, as well as after dirty cross-country, I have nothing left in the drum. And everything washes out fine.So maybe you should just change the machine?
By the way, I also use a Hotpoint washing machine. I was surprised when I washed my sneakers in it for the first time, and then they were completely white. Before this, there was a machine that creaked and washed dirt off sneakers.
Indesit, by the way, also has a self-cleaning function. I have a washing machine like this. There is no smell, and delicate items can be washed without fear after wearing the same sneakers.
And my Ariston also cooks steamed food :)
I wash on the delicate cycle in my Whirlpool, everything is always perfect.
I wash it in a regular machine, everything is fine.