Sneakers

Sneakers are the favorite footwear of people who lead an active lifestyle, but their frequent use leads to the fact that they quickly become dirty. Superficial cleaning may not be enough to solve the problem.

However, not all shoes can withstand processing in an automatic machine. Some couples require careful care, while others do not tolerate contact with water at all. In order not to spoil your shoes, you need to follow certain rules for caring for them.

Below we will tell you whether and how to properly wash sneakers in an automatic washing machine (at what temperature, what washing mode) so that they do not lose their shape.

Is it washable?

Sneakers can and should be washed. Even with the most careful wear, after some time they will lose their attractive appearance. Proper cleaning will refresh your shoes, renew their color and extend their service life.

Sports pairs made from such materials as:

• leather;
• suede leather;
• velours;
• nubuck.

You cannot wash sneakers that consist of several types of fabrics at once, for example, genuine leather, rubber and foam polymers. It is dangerous to load shoes with minor defects into the machine.

Before you place your shoes in the drum, you should read the information on the inside label. Also, the rules for caring for sports shoes can be presented on the box.

Most often, manufacturers place information in signs. If the product cannot be washed in a machine, then the label will show a crossed out square with a circle inside.

Features of washing in an automatic machine

If shoes can be washed automatically, then they need to be properly prepared. To do this, you must follow the following recommendations:

1. Inspect the pair carefully. If foam rubber, threads stick out from it, and there are also poorly stitched parts, then intensive washing should be abandoned.
2. Unlace the shoes, remove the insoles and liners. These elements are processed separately.
3. Clean shoes from debris, sand, leaves, gravel, and dried dirt. Small pebbles stuck in the sole can be removed using a knitting needle or a dry brush.

Once the shoes are prepared, you can start washing.

Step-by-step algorithm of actions:

• place the pair in the drum;
• add liquid detergent to the compartment;
• start the washing program, after it is completed, remove the shoes and dry them.

It is not recommended to wash more than 2 pairs of shoes in one cycle.

On what program (mode)?

When choosing the optimal washing mode, you need to focus on the brand of the machine. There are models that are equipped with a program called “sports shoes”.

If it is not separately highlighted in the menu, it is recommended to process shoes in a delicate mode. It can also be designated as “gentle”.

It's not difficult to set up the machine yourself. To do this, remove the spin function, or set the speed to 400-500 per minute.

At what degrees should I wash? The temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. With these parameters, washing time will be reduced to a minimum.

Washing sneakers in various washing machines

Depending on the brand of washing machine, the washing mode for sports shoes will differ. All features are presented in the table:

At what temperature?

The optimal washing temperature is 30 degrees Celsius. As a rule, it is this that is set automatically if a specialized program has been selected. In such conditions, the sneakers will not come apart.

Which powder is best to use?

It is best to use liquid detergents for washing sports shoes.. These can be gels or concentrates.

It is important that they do not contain aggressive components, such as chlorine or acids.

To wash colored shoes, you need to purchase products suitable for caring for colored items.. Failure to follow this recommendation may result in damage to the shoes.

No less important is the mode in which the detergent is activated. It should work in cool water (up to 30 degrees Celsius).

It is recommended to avoid washing powder as it contains multi-colored inclusions. They dissolve poorly in water at low temperatures. As a result, unsightly stains may appear on your sneakers.

The best option for washing sneakers are gel capsules. They are placed directly into the drum. It is not recommended to add various conditioners. It is unknown how shoes will react to these substances.

With and without spin

All modern washing machine models have a function for adjusting the spin speed. The number of revolutions can be set manually.

Only fabric sneakers can be spin washed. It is important that there are no visible defects or broken seams. The optimal number of revolutions is 500 per minute.

If you leave this value at 600 or higher, you can seriously damage the shoes and the drum itself. In some cases, the sole even comes off. When you can’t set the spin speed, you just need to disable this function.

Using a special bag

To make washing as safe as possible, you need to place your shoes in a special mesh bag. It is secured with a zipper or with laces. Sneakers or sneakers, while in the bag, will not be subject to excessive wear.

This device allows you to protect the drum, since shoes will not knock on it, which means it cannot damage its internal structure.

He will tell you how to wash sneakers in a shoe bag this article.

Manual cleaning at home

You can wash your sneakers by hand. This is especially true for shoes made of suede, nubuck, and genuine leather.

Hand washing can be done with or without pre-soaking. To carry out the procedure, you can use liquid detergents, washing powder or ordinary laundry soap.

The most important thing is to thoroughly dissolve the detergent composition in water. The water should remain cool. Heavily contaminated areas are additionally rubbed with a brush.

Read more about hand washing sneakers Here.

How to wash shoes of different brands?

Depending on the brand under which the sneakers are produced, the rules for caring for them will differ. We are talking about original brands, and not about Chinese analogues.

These rules apply to suede, textiles, synthetics and nubuck.

Shoe manufacturers Adidas, Nike and Puma can be hand washed in cool soapy water using a soft brush. However, not all models may be subject to such processing.

Features for different types of materials

Depending on the material from which the sneakers are made, the rules for caring for them will differ.

Basic recommendations:

1. Leather And suede Products do not tolerate contact with water. They should only be cleaned dry. Wet processing is permissible only in emergency cases.
2. Fabric products. Shoes can be washed automatically or manually, but you must strictly follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
3. Nubuck sneakers. The material is considered finicky, so it is recommended to treat it with a special brush and professional products.

Processing nuances depending on color

Depending on the color of the sneakers, there are the following recommendations for caring for them:

1. White Shoes are washed separately from colored items. It is allowed to treat sneakers with non-aggressive bleaches.
2. Black sneakers fade a lot. This must be taken into account when washing. In addition, they do not tolerate strong friction.
3. Colored sneakers should be washed at low temperatures so as not to cause the pigment to wash out.

Read about how to wash white fabric sneakers Here.

How to dry it properly?

Dry your sneakers naturally. Most products do not tolerate contact with direct sunlight.

Shoes should not be heated by placing them on a heating radiator or near a gas stove.

You can speed up drying by taking your sports pair out into the fresh air., or in a room with low humidity.

To give the sneakers the correct shape, they can be stuffed with paper.Read more about drying shoes after washing Here.

Problems you may encounter after

The main problems that a person may encounter after washing sneaker:

1. Shoes turned yellow. You can get rid of stains by washing again using a gentle bleach.
2. There were stains on the sneakers. To deal with them, you need to thoroughly rinse your shoes.
3. The sneakers have lost their shape. To give them their previous appearance, you need to wet the shoes, stuff them with paper and leave them until completely dry.
4. They creak. To get rid of unpleasant sounds, you can lubricate the accessible elements with soap, and pour colorless silicone into the existing cavities.

Important Tips

Top 5 washing tips sneaker:

• carry out proper preparation of shoes for the upcoming cleaning (removal of laces, insoles, dirt, stones, etc.);
• use a special mesh when automatically washing shoes;
• minimize the contact time of sneakers with water;
• do not wash shoes made of suede, nubuck and leather in automatic mode;
• Dry the pair thoroughly after wet cleaning.

If the shoes are not stitched, but are fixed with glue, they can only be washed by hand and without pre-soaking.

Conclusion

You can get rid of stubborn dirt on your sneakers by deep washing them.

You should wash any sneakers only when necessary, strictly following the manufacturer's recommendations.