How To Wash Sneakers At Home?

  • Riya Yadav
  • January 21, 2025
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How to wash sneakers at home?
How to wash sneakers at home?

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We love our sneakers! Since we wear them so often, it’s essential to know how to clean them. Whether you have Converse or leather sneakers, cleaning them properly will help them last longer. Do you even know that cleaning sneakers is easy? You can do it by hand or in a washing machine using simple ingredients like detergent and bleach. Regular cleaning will remove dirt, stains, and odors, keeping your sneakers looking fresh and new. By following a few easy steps, you can extend the life of your favorite sneakers and keep them looking great. 

How To Wash Sneakers At Home?

Reading this simple guide will show you how to clean your sneakers like a pro!

1. How often should you wash your sneakers?

How often you wash your sneakers totally depends on how often and where you wear them. For intense, if you wear your sneakers multiple times a week, it is recommended to clean them every other week to keep them smelling fresh. On the other hand, if you only wear them occasionally , a good cleaning once a season should suffice, with spot cleaning for any specific stains. Additionally, it is essential to remove stains immediately by spot cleaning or washing the sneakers. By following this simple cleaning schedule, you can keep your sneakers looking and smelling their best.

2. What you’ll need

To wash your sneakers, you will need:

Tools:

Sink or medium plastic tub

Microfiber cloths

Small, soft-bristled nylon scrub brush

Drying rack (Optional)

Material:

Enzyme-based laundry detergent

Melamine eraser

Baking soda

Non-bleach laundry disinfectant

Incase your shoes have 

tough stains!

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3. How to wash sneakers with a washing machine?

how to wash sneakers in washing machine?
How to wash sneakers with a washing machine?

To wash your sneakers with washing machine, you need to follow these steps: 

Step 1: Remove laces and insoles

Firstly, remove laces and wash them either by hand or add them to a mesh laundry bag. Also, Hand Wash the detachable insoles, and replace them if required. 

Step 2: Treat the stains

Before washing your sneakers, always remove the loose soil or dirt, and treat the stains using a mild detergent and a soft bristled brush, work at the stain and let it sit for 15 minutes to break up the soil before adding the shoes to the washer. 

Step 3: Choose appropriate detergent

To wash sneakers, always try to use enzyme based detergent as it helps to remove dirt and stains effectively. 

Step 4: Choose the correct washing machine mode

Choose the gentle mode in the washing machine that helps to prevent damage to the shoes. Slow spin will prevent the washing machine from off balancing during the cycle. 

Step 5: Wash the sneakers

When it comes to washing, always put your sneakers and laces in a mesh laundry bag. 

Step 6: Dry the sneakers

Remove the sneakers from the mesh bag and let them dry in the air. To speed up the dry time, put a microfibre in the shoes that can absorb the moisture from the shoe laces. 

Want a professional shoe cleaning?

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4. How to hand wash sneakers?

4. How to hand wash sneakers?
How to hand wash sneakers?

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To hand wash your sneakers, you need to follow these below mentioned steps:

Step 1: Remove the laces

Before washing your sneakers, firstly remove the laces and wash them separately. 

Step 2: Pretreat Stains

Before putting your shoes into water, always pre treat the stains and remove the loose dirt with a brush and a mild detergent. 

Step 3: Choose the cleanser 

To create a solution for hand-washing your sneakers, mix one teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent with warm water in a sink or plastic tub, stirring gently to combine the two ingredients and create a soapy solution that’s perfect for cleaning your shoes.

Step 4: Wash your sneakers 

Put your sneakers into the tub and allow them to soak for about 15 minutes. Now, dip a cloth or soft brush in the detergent solution and use it to scrub the outside and inside of the sneakers. 

Step 5: Dry the sneaker

Always try to dry your sneakers in the air but try to escape them from direct sunlight exposure. If you want to quicken the process, put a soft cloth inside the sneakers so that it could absorb the extra moisture.

Quick Hack: Don’t use hot water on logo as it is usually made up of rubber.

Few Tips For Extra Care

Few Tips For Extra Care
Few Tips For Extra Care
  1. Always Check the care label to know specific instructions
  2. Stuff them with scrunched up newspapers after each wear
  3. Store your sneakers properly
  4. Rotate your shoes
  5. Keep your sneakers away from moisture

FAQs

You can choose either a hand or machine wash to clean your sneakers, just remember to use mild detergent and soft brush. For white sneakers, use an oxygen based bleach to brighten the white shade.

Yes, you can choose a machine wash for your sneakers but before putting them into the washer, keep them in a mesh laundry bag so that sneakers could prevent damage.

To wash your sneakers, enzyme based cleanser should be used as it helps to remove stains and give effective washing. 

Sprinkle baking soda inside and let it sit overnight to neutralize bacteria and absorb moisture. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil for a refreshing scent. Dump out the baking soda in the morning and step into freshly cleaned, fragrant shoes.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not necessarily purport to reflect the values or views of Tumbledry.

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  • Inspection

    Shoe material analyzed to decide the cleaning methodology.

  • Dismantling

    The laces, sole, and other removable parts are separated to be cleaned individually.

  • Deep Cleaning & Stain Removal

    Any spots or stains are removed with German organic chemicals.

  • Deodorize (Anti-bacterial Treatment)

    All the bacteria, viruses and bad odor is eliminated.

  • Drying

    Shoes are Air Dried, Blow Dried, or Sun Dried depending on the skin type.

  • Shoe Nourishment

    Shoe skin is nourished & enriched with our unique natural oil based polish

  • Assembly

    Once polish is dried, our experts reassemble all shoe parts and pack them for delivery.

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