Care tips
Washing shoes: this is how you properly clean your feet in the machine
Sneakers, linen and cloth shoes can be used in the washing machine
© Iryna Imago / Getty Images
The more often shoes are used, the more noticeable street dirt, dust and sweat are on them. If the commercially available care products fail, all that remains is the washing machine. But not every shoe is suitable for this.
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Classic sports or street shoes that are used in everyday life as well as for sporting (outdoor) activities get dirtier and dirtier over time and begin to stink – no deodorant shoes can help. It would make sense to simply clean the feet in the washing machine, but are they even suitable for this? In fact, all shoes made from synthetic materials can be washed, such as vegan sneakers, ballerinas, sneakers, canvas and cloth shoes. This article explains what you need to pay attention to and how you can wash your shoes by hand.
Instructions for washing shoes: step by step
Before you put the shoes in the washing machine, remove any coarse dirt with a firm Shoe brush remove – alternatively, a damp cloth is also possible.
Remove the laces and any insoles from the shoes so that they are not washed with the shoes.
To prevent the shoes from accidentally damaging the washing drum, you should only wash them with other robust textiles such as towels or sheets.
It is even safer for the shoes in the machine if you have a special one Laundry net or a padded one Laundry bag use for protection.
Wash the shoes at 30 degrees, ideally on a gentle cycle (easy care or wool) – and do without the spin cycle to protect the materials.
Put only a little (full) detergent in the machine and no fabric softener. If you just wash the shoes, there are special ones too laundry detergent for sneakers.
- After washing, the shoes should be stuffed with newspaper so that they regain their original shape when they dry in a warm place.
- In the last step, the dry shoes are made with a Impregnation spray treated to seal the surface and protect it from new signs of use.
Care tips: Wash shoes without a washing machine
Whether boots, high heels or sandals: If the shoes are made of leather, they must never be put in the washing machine. But what if the fine treads are so dirty that you no longer want to show them in public? Quite simply, there are a large number of suitable care products that you can use to clean leather – the same also applies to shoes made of synthetic materials, which you also use because of glued or sewn applications (e.g. metal, rhinestones or sequins) cannot be machine washed.
- A liquid detergent that you rub in and wash out by hand is suitable for cloth and canvas shoes.
- There are also special ones for sneakers made of synthetic leather Shoe cleanerintended for cleaning and maintenance, or one Care foam.
- For shoes made of real leather are horsehair– or Crepe brushes to recommend. They not only remove coarse dirt, but also stains.
And even with sensitive shoes, it makes perfect sense to treat the material with an impregnation spray after manual cleaning and care.
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