Can suede sneakers and other shoes be machine washed?

suede sneakers Suede shoes are considered the most elite and delicate to care for. But even despite this, people ask the question, can such shoes be washed in a washing machine?

The question is quite appropriate for a busy person, and laziness prompts us to look for simpler shoe care options than cleaning and hand washing. Let's figure out whether it's worth washing shoes, including suede ones, in an automatic washing machine.

How suede reacts to washing

Natural or artificial suede is a delicate material made in a special way. Shoe manufacturers do not even recommend getting suede items wet, so machine washing of almost all suede shoes is prohibited. The only exception is sneakers, and in our opinion, it is still better to clean them by hand rather than machine wash them.

Suede will lose its softness from prolonged exposure to water. In addition, colored suede may fade due to paint leaching. Low-quality artificial suede will fall apart. Even if after one or two washes nothing happens to the suede at first glance, then after a couple more such tests the seams will appear on the suede. That is why it is recommended to clean or wash suede by hand.

What shoes should not be washed?

About 20 years ago, few people thought about washing shoes in an automatic machine. Today, this method of care is becoming a priority for many. Even the latest models of washing machines have modes such as “Sneakers” or “Shoes”. But this does not mean that you can put whatever you want into the drum. You can’t wash not only suede shoes in a washing machine, but also:

shoes made from any leather.After washing, the leather will dry out and lose its appearance;
boots, shoes, shoes and other footwear with a hard last; they may lose their shape when wet;
shoes with damage, such as sneakers with parts coming off. Washing them in a machine will completely ruin them;
Shoes with jewelry should also not be machine washed;
shoes of poor quality and dubious production, shoes with glued soles. The glue can swell from water, which will lead to damage to the shoes.

Note! Sneakers, moccasins, slippers, and sneakers made of synthetic materials can withstand machine washing well.

Manual cleaning

So, it is best to clean suede shoes by hand, and the same goes for sneakers. For expensive suede shoes, a washing machine should generally be prohibited; you should not experiment. To give your suede shoes an attractive look, you can choose one of the cleaning options.

Dry cleaning. If your shoes have heavy wet stains, you shouldn’t try to wipe them off. immediately, on the contrary, it will only worsen everything. Wait for the dirt to dry, and then scrub the dirty area with a stiff brush, completely removing dirt and dust. Rub the shiny areas with an eraser, this will help ruffle the pile.
Cleaning with foam. This procedure will require a special foam cleaner. The foam is applied to shoes that have been cleaned of dirt using a flannel cloth and then removed. Shoes are left to dry.
Wash with water. This method is not washing in the full sense. You just need to take the liquid powder and add it to warm water, as it dissolves better. Then use a cloth soaked in the resulting solution to wipe the shoes, paying special attention to contaminated areas.Next, rinse the rag in clean water and wipe the shoes again. Use a dry cloth to blot the surface of the shoes so that they dry faster.
For your information! Instead of washing gel, you can use suede shampoo.
Steam treatment. If suede shoes have lost their appearance, then steam treatment will help restore it. You just need to hold the shoes over boiling water for a few minutes, and then straighten the fibers with a stiff brush.
Removing stains. Simple cleaning and washing with soapy water will not help in the fight against stains; they will have to be removed with stronger substances. For example, gasoline effectively fights stains, but it also dissolves paint well, so you need to be careful with colored shoes. Coffee grounds can be used to restore the color of brown shoes by pouring them onto the shoes and brushing them off with a brush after drying. To wash sneakers of other colors, use talc, it helps fight greasy stains.

Whatever method of cleaning suede shoes you choose, be sure to dry them, but not on a radiator, but naturally by pushing white paper inside. Otherwise, the shoes will become rough and hard.

Adviсe

washing sneakers in the machine If you want to wash your shoes in the washing machine, then you need to do it correctly. To experiment with suede sneakers, choose those that you won’t mind throwing away if the wash results aren’t to your satisfaction. To wash any shoes in the machine, follow these instructions:

prepare the shoes for washing by cleaning the soles from dirt, removing the insoles and laces, and removing any existing stains;
put a couple in shoe washing bag, this will protect the product and the machine from unnecessary impacts;
put the shoes in the drum;
Remember! You can put no more than two pairs of shoes, and preferably one.If you don't have a laundry bag, be sure to add a couple of old towels.
pour liquid powder into the cuvette, it will dissolve better and will not leave streaks;
select a delicate mode, if available, then the “Sneakers” mode, temperature, time and number of revolutions should be minimal. Optimum washing temperature 30⁰C. It is better to turn off the spin and dry mode.
Shoe laces and insoles must be washed separately;
After washing, you need to stuff white paper into your shoes and leave them to dry in the sun. It is better not to use newspapers, as they can leave a dirty mark, especially on white shoes.

To summarize, we note once again that suede shoes and sneakers need to be carefully looked after. Delicate washing in a machine does not apply to this type of care; if you do not want to shorten the life of your favorite pair of sneakers, then clean them by hand. Cloth shoes withstand washing in a machine best of all, and look like new after it. Have fun washing!