Is it possible to wash ankle boots in a washing machine?

Is it possible to wash ankle boots in a washing machine? It is not easy to thoroughly clean massive shoes by hand: in addition to the fact that they are heavy, they usually have many folds and protrusions. Using a washing machine for this is a tempting idea. It would seem that it could be easier than loading shoes into a drum and taking them out already clean. But experts warn: you cannot wash your ankle boots in a washing machine. The same goes for boots. This can lead to breakdown of household appliances and damage to shoes. Ignoring warnings, people, in an effort to save time and make work easier, sometimes use machine washing.

The risk is too great

Military personnel, athletes and tourists often use professional footwear: ankle boots, boots. It has to be cleaned regularly. Therefore, many wash them in a machine, although household appliances are not designed for such loads. And shoes can quickly deteriorate after such cleaning methods. What are the risks of machine washing ankle boots and boots:

deformation of pads;
coarsening of natural leather or leatherette;
loss of metal inserts or other elements of shoes;
breakdown of household appliances.

Such consequences can often be avoided, but the risk is great. To protect your equipment and boots, it is better to use a brush and soap or powder. This is a safe way to clean combat boots and boots.

Make it machine washable

If it is not possible to wash your ankle boots by hand and you have to clean them in the washing machine, you should try to reduce the likelihood of breakage. To do this, you need to know and apply a number of simple rules. Instructions for washing ankle boots in an automatic washing machine:

clean dirt from soles;
unlace the shoes, remove the insoles.They must be washed separately;
place the boots in a shoe washing bag. If you don’t have it at hand, you can use a large piece of fabric or a towel;
load shoes into the drum. Place a rag on top. This will help reduce the force of the boots hitting the drum walls when the machine starts working;
add detergent to the powder receptacle;
select a washing mode. Suitable programs for shoes are “Hand Wash”, “Delicate Wash”. Some models have a special “Shoes” mode;
set the temperature within 30⁰-40⁰ C, and the spin parameters are up to 400 rpm.

Important! When cleaning boots in the washing machine, it is better to use liquid detergents. They rinse out better than powders.

The boots should be dried at room temperature, in a room with good air ventilation. Heating or heating devices must not be used for drying. To speed up the process, you can put newsprint inside the boots.

Cleaning without a machine

Military personnel and athletes cannot always use a washing machine. For example, during training camps or in barracks conditions, ankle boots and boots often have to be washed by hand. To do this quickly and correctly, you need to act as follows:

pour warm water into a basin;
remove the insoles from the shoes. Place it in water for 10–15 minutes. This time is enough for the dirt to remove;
then clean the shoes with a brush and washing powder or laundry soap;
rinse shoes several times in clean water;
set to dry.

You can put linen bags filled with green tea inside the shoes while drying.

Insoles also need regular cleaning, as they quickly absorb dirt and unpleasant odors. They are washed by hand with soap.Shoe labels do not indicate whether the products can be washed in washing machines. Each consumer decides for himself whether this is worth doing. In the case of ankle boots and boots, the risk of machine breakdown is high.