Washing Shoes in a Washing Machine - Instructions

washing shoes in a machine Can shoes be washed in a washing machine? It's impossible to give a definitive answer to this question; there are too many "ifs." Everything will depend on the type of shoe, the material it's made of, the presence of additional elements that are not water-resistant, and so on. In general, shoes aren't designed to withstand the stresses that clothing undergoes in a washing machine drum, so the success of the wash will also depend on the wash cycle you choose.

Can it be washed or not?

The first question people have when considering washing their shoes in an automatic washing machine is which shoes can be washed and which can't? Indeed, you don't want to risk your shoes or boots just for the sake of an experiment. You want to know the results in advance, but unfortunately, that's not always the case. It's not true that, for example, athletic shoes can be washed, but leather shoes can't. Athletic shoes can also easily be damaged during washing, so Before you throw your shoes in the washing machine, examine them!

Check the manufacturer's washing instructions for your specific shoes. Shoe companies often include information labels on their shoes or publish care instructions on their websites.
Be sure to examine the material your shoes are made of. For example, canvas sneakers will definitely survive machine washing, while leather or suede shoes will die in the washing machine.
If the shoe parts are glued together, machine washing can damage them. In general, glued shoes don't do well soaking in warm water, so if you find glued seams or glued elements, avoid machine washing.
If your shoes have leatherette inserts, keep in mind that the appearance of these inserts may be damaged, so either take measures to protect them or avoid machine washing.

Important! Do not wash winter or mid-season fur-lined shoes. The faux fur will come out and severely damage the shoes.

Preparation

washing shoes in a machine If you decide to wash a dirty pair of shoes in the washing machine, do not thoughtlessly throw them into the drum and start the washing program. This could end badly not only for the shoes themselves, but also for the washing machine itself. And it's not a matter of whether or not a particular shoe can be washed, but rather a matter of the proper approach to preparing for the process.

Before washing, protect your shoes from excessive mechanical impact from the rotating drum, which can damage the soles, toes, and other parts. At the same time, protect the drum and door of the washing machine from impacts from hard soles. There have been cases where shoes have created an imbalance in the drum during washing. How can these problems be resolved simultaneously? It's simple: place the pair of shoes in a laundry bag and then place them in the washing machine drum.

Before washing shoes in the washing machine, clean the soles of any large dirt, remove laces, buckles, and any other detachable hard objects. Also, remove the insoles. Then, place the shoes in a laundry bag, insert it into the machine, and run the wash cycle.

Please note: If you don't have a laundry bag, you can use an old pillowcase.

Washing and drying: the order of actions

When deciding how to wash shoes in a washing machine, you need to choose the right detergent, as it will be difficult to remove dirt in warm water. Experts strongly advise against using regular dry laundry detergent. Poorly dissolved powder granules often leave colored stains or white marks on shoes that are difficult to remove, so it's better to use a liquid detergent.

You shouldn't experiment with liquid soap or hair shampoo. These products are not suitable for washing machines and may cause damage. It's better to use a special liquid detergent for washing colored items in a washing machine. It will work better in this case. You can read more about liquid and powder detergents for automatic washing machines in this article. How to choose washing powder.

Once you have decided on the right shoe cleaning product, experts recommend the following steps.

Remove any dirty laundry from the drum, as shoes should be washed separately from other items. In addition, Only one pair of shoes should be placed in the drum.
Pour your chosen detergent into the powder compartment.
Place the laundry bag containing the prepared shoes into the washing machine drum.
Select a washing program: temperature not higher than 30 ⁰C, revolutions no more than 600, turn off the “spin” and “drying” functions.
We wait until the washing program ends and remove the shoes from the machine drum.
We stuff the shoes with white paper so that they don’t lose their original shape during drying, and then put them in a warm place to dry.

Please note! When drying shoes, avoid strong heat sources and direct sunlight. Drying too quickly will definitely distort the shoes and ruin their appearance.

What to do if the dirt has not been washed off?

shoe cleaning Machine washing didn't work? Are the stains still there? Then you'll have to tackle them the old-fashioned way: by hand. Unfortunately, machine washing isn't a panacea for stubborn stains. Experts recommend treating all stubborn stains by hand before loading the shoes into the washing machine to ensure they come out during the wash. However, stubborn stains often only become apparent after the shoes have been through the wringer.

Typically, after washing in warm water, stubborn stains become even more set and become much more difficult to remove. But there's nothing we can do, let's try. There are several surefire ways to remove various stubborn stains from shoes.

Machine oil stains can be removed with dishwashing liquid. Apply the solution to the stain, let the shoes sit for 24 hours, and then wash them in the washing machine.
Ammonia and laundry soap will help remove grass stains from shoes. Mix a tablespoon of ammonia with 200 ml of warm water and rub the stain thoroughly with this mixture. Then, treat the grass stains with a bar of laundry soap and then throw the shoes in the washing machine.
Turpentine can remove soot stains from shoes. Apply a small amount of turpentine mixed with water to the stains, rub them lightly with a cloth, and then wash the shoes as usual.
White spirit is effective at removing paint stains from shoes. Dampen a cloth with it and thoroughly wipe the shoes until the paint stains are removed.

Important! Washing shoes repeatedly is a major challenge for them, so try to identify and treat any stubborn stains beforehand.

To summarize, not all shoes can be washed in a washing machine, so before you decide to do so, you should thoroughly check everything. You should also inspect the shoes for stubborn stains, as these stains will likely set in rather than come off in the machine drum, so they should be treated beforehand.