How to properly and can you wash leather sneakers in a washing machine and by hand?

Sneakers with intensive use require regular cleaning. The leather upper of these shoes is practical and visually attractive.

To keep it in good condition, you must follow the rules of care and know the features of hand and machine washing, as well as drying such shoes.

Is it possible and how to wash leather sneakers in a washing machine? Find answers to your questions in the article.

Preparation for the process

Before washing your favorite pair of sports shoes, you need to analyze exactly how to clean them. so that it does not become deformed or damaged.

Some manufacturers provide recommendations for caring for their products, even indicating washing rules.

There are no guarantees that cheap sneakers from an unknown manufacturer will survive washing. Even if the manufacturer denies the possibility of washing their products, owners of sneakers wash them by hand and in a washing machine. The result of such processing will be unpredictable.

Before washing your shoes, you should prepare them:

• pull out the laces;
• remove the insoles;
• rinse shoe soles with water;
• remove difficult stains from the surface (for example, from lubricants).

In the washing machine

The automatic machine makes washing leather sports shoes a breeze. To prevent shoes from dangling in the drum and hitting the walls, you should use a special mesh or additionally add a couple of old terry towels to the load.

If your automatic washing machine has a special “Sports Shoes” mode, you should use it.

In the absence of a special program, the sneakers are washed on delicate mode without spinning.

The optimal temperature for washing leather sports shoes is from +30? C to +40? C.

Hotter water can cause the shoes to come apart and require repair, and cold washes will be ineffective. Washing detergent for sneakers should be designed for an automatic washing machine. For a white pair of shoes, it is possible to use powder or gel with a whitening effect, but not containing chlorine.

It is advisable not to select the “spin” mode. Even minimal speeds create an increased load on the elements of the washing machine, shortening the service life of the equipment and causing breakdowns. After the end of the washing cycle, the wet shoes are taken out to dry.

Handwash

You can clean the uppers of sneakers quite well even by hand. To do this, you will need a rag or sponge and detergent (from baby soap to washing powder).

Hand washing process not very dirty shoes:

1. Prepare your sneakers.
2. Pour warm water into the container.
3. Wet and soap the rag and clean the outside of the shoes.
4. Rinse off the soapy mixture with water.
5. Dry.

In cases where the sneakers are very dirty, more serious treatment is necessary.To do this, you will need a basin that allows you to lower the couple completely into it.

Procedure:

1. Warm water is poured into the prepared basin.
2. Dilute washing powder in water. It is advisable to give preference to liquid detergent.
3. Lower the sneakers completely into the water.
4. Wash the outside with a rag and brush.
5. Using a small brush with a long handle, clean the inside.
6. Wash off the soap solution.

When washing heavily soiled shoes, it is necessary to change the water in the basin several times.

Cleaning natural suede

Natural suede more demanding to process than leather.

For manual cleaning you will need:

• vinegar;
• ammonia;
• suede brush;
• water;
• container for preparing cleaning solution;
• rags.

Cleaning procedure:

1. Especially dirty areas should be treated with vinegar.
2. Mix half and half alcohol and water.
3. Wipe the contaminated areas with an alcohol solution with a brush.
4. Wash the steam in water using a cloth.
5. Dry.

If the pile is damaged after washing, you can steam it or use a special brush for caring for suede.

When the shoes are dry, a waterproof coating can be applied to their surface.using the drug in a spray.

To clean the outside of suede and nubuck sneakers, you can use special products designed to care for this material.

Watch a video on how to wash suede sneakers in the washing machine:

Faux leather

The artificial material of the upper of the sneakers has significant differences from the natural one. It is lighter in weight, less demanding to maintain, and inexpensive. The disadvantages include less elasticity, poor breathability, and rapid wear.

When washing by hand, you cannot:

• use hot water;
• use brushes with abrasive surfaces;
• apply effort - pressure, intense friction, etc.

Sports shoes made of artificial leather should be hand washed only if they are excessively soiled, since the material is not intended for wet processing.

Wash insoles and laces

Washing insoles does not have to be done only together with cleaning sneakers. Due to the specific nature of using sneakers, insoles not only can, but also need to be washed more often.

For this you will need:

• warm water;
• brush;
• soap solution.

For off-season and summer shoes, remove the insole and wash it in warm water using a brush. In winter sneakers, printed wool, felt or other insulation is used as material for the insoles. Such insoles should also be washed more often, but it is better to use cool rather than warm water.

Shoes removed before washing laces also need cleaning. As with insoles, they can be washed much more often than the shoes themselves. The easiest way is to wash them by hand, thoroughly soaping them.

Washing bag: why is it needed?

Washing bag sports shoes are significantly different from ordinary ones intended for clothing. The main difference is the presence of seals that prevent shoes from hitting the ribs of the drum. Each bag is designed for one pair; its parameters are indicated on the packaging.

Externally, shoe washing bags may have different designs. Seals in bags play 2 roles:

1. Protect the drum from mechanical impact.
2. Prevents the shoes themselves from fraying.

The size of the shoe bag allows you to put both children's and adult sneakers in it.

If a special bag is not available, then when washing you need to add old terry towels to the drum. The sneakers themselves should be placed in a linen bag, for example, in an old pillowcase. The top is tightly tied or stitched to keep the shoes in place.

It is important to check in advance to ensure that the towels are not fading.

Proper drying

After manually or automatically washing leather sneakers, they need to be dried. Convenient in summer dry sports shoes on open air. When it’s cold, stay warm, indoors.

For these purposes you should not use:

• newspaper (printing ink can stain the inside of the sneakers);
• glossy paper (it does not absorb moisture well).

As the paper becomes saturated with moisture, it is replaced with dry paper.

What not to do during the drying process:

• place shoes near an open fire source and in bright sunlight;
• place leather shoes on the radiator;
• leave wet sneakers in a damp, cold room;
• Use the drying mode in the washing machine.

Dry cleaning

For expensive sneakers equipped with decorative elements, as well as winter ones, hand and machine washing are replaced by dry cleaning.

If the item cannot be subjected to home cleaning products, you should contact a professional.. This option is also suitable if you don’t have a washing machine or doubt your abilities. wash sneakers Right.

Recently, a niche in the service industry has begun to be filled, providing sneaker cleaning at the highest level. You can find such establishments on the Internet by searching for “sneaker dry cleaners” or “shoe dry cleaners.”

But even in large cities this service is not widely available, and in small towns it may be completely absent. Sneaker dry cleaners have existed in the Russian Federation since 2015.

• comprehensive cleaning;
• easy restoration;
• washing or replacing laces;
• aromatization;
• giving the top coat shine;
• disinfection, etc.

The duration of professional cleaning ranges from several hours to several days.

Additional services, including restoration work, are paid separately. If the problem is complex, for example, restoration is required, then it may take more time to get the shoes in order - up to two weeks or even more.

Dry cleaning sneakers - cool or a waste of money, the video will tell you:

Recommendations

In order to avoid unpleasant surprises and not spoil your sneakers, It is recommended to use the following tips:

1. Prolonged contact of leather and suede with water should be avoided.To do this, the washing process must take place without prolonged soaking.
2. You can use an old toothbrush to manually scrub the inside of your sneakers.
3. Exposure, even short-term, to hot water should be avoided.
4. Sneakers should not be washed together with clothes, as all the dirt from the shoes will transfer to other things.
5. The presence of a special mesh for washing shoes in a machine is a condition that will protect the drum from possible damage.
6. Do not wash damaged sneakers with protruding foam. As the washing machine operates, the gaps will become even larger, and the foam rubber may get stuck in the filter.
7. You cannot put more than two pairs of shoes in the washing machine.
8. The washing machine drying function cannot be used.
9. When washing sneakers, it is recommended to use liquid detergent rather than powder.
10. Do not use fabric softener when washing leather sneakers - it can leave stains.
11. After drying, you can treat the outer part with shoe polish (matching color or colorless) to soften the material.
12. Yellowed white elements can be bleached, rubbing them with a slice of lemon.
13. Leather sneakers with light are not machine washable.

Conclusion

The frequency of washing leather sneakers depends on their condition. Insoles should be washed most often. The shoes themselves should be washed only when they become dirty; if worn frequently, once a season.