Guide: How to best wash your shoes in the washing machine

If you’ve ever had a pair of dirty Jordan 1s or Nike Dunks (and who hasn’t), you’ve probably wondered if there’s an easier alternative to hand-washing them.

To your great delight, we can confirm that there is. Namely, washing your shoes in the washing machine.

Although many might think you shouldn’t use the washing machine for such items, you actually can. However, it’s important to emphasize that it’s at your own risk. Not all shoes will respond well to it.

Therefore, in this blog post, we will guide you on how to best wash your shoes in the washing machine.

Can you wash your shoes in the washing machine?

Yes, you can - with caution. Unfortunately, not all shoes can withstand a trip in the washing machine. The best advice is always to check the care instructions in the box or on the shoe, or alternatively on the brand's website.

But often, you can certainly wash your shoes in the washing machine.

Can you wash running shoes in the washing machine?

Generally, you can also wash your running shoes in the washing machine. But as with regular shoes, it’s important that you check the care instructions and follow the tips we have below.

Can I wash my Nike shoes in the washing machine?

Nike themselves recommend not washing their shoes in the washing machine. So if you have a pair of Nike Air Force or Jordan 1 High, you’ll need to hand wash them to be on the safe side. You can try washing them in the washing machine with the precautions we describe, but it’s at your own risk.

How to wash your shoes in the washing machine

Here’s a guide on how to easily and quickly get your shoes clean again with a trip in the washing machine.

• Read the instructions. As mentioned, not all shoes can withstand a trip in the washing machine. Therefore, you should always check if your shoes can handle it.
• Prepare the shoes. Before putting them in the machine, you should remove the laces and get rid of the worst dirt. A washing machine is not used to handling large amounts of dirt. Therefore, you should remove this before putting the shoes in the washing machine.
• Protect the shoes. To best protect your shoes, you should put them in a laundry bag to ensure they don’t get caught in the drum. Alternatively, you can wash them with a few towels, which prevents the shoes from being thrown around in the drum. This will also spare your ears, as it can be quite noisy if the shoes are the only object in the washing machine.
• Wash at the right temperature. Never wash at more than 30 degrees Celsius. If you do, you risk the color of the shoes fading. You can use detergent, but we recommend using a little less than usual.

Let the shoes dry outside or in the living room. It’s important that you don’t put your shoes in the dryer; instead, let them air dry. If the shoes are exposed to the heat of a dryer, you risk the glue in the shoes melting.

What should you be aware of?

Of course, there are a few things you should be aware of before just throwing your Yeezys or other fancy sneakers in the washing machine. As mentioned above, it’s incredibly important to check what the manufacturer says about putting the shoes in the washing machine.

As a rule of thumb, avoid washing shoes made of animal materials (like leather) in the washing machine. Similarly, it’s not a good idea to put satin or silk shoes in the washing machine.

You should also always be aware that when you choose to put a shoe in the washing machine, it wears more than a manual wash would. Therefore, it can shorten the lifespan of the shoes, which is definitely worth considering when deciding whether to wash by hand or in the washing machine.