How to Wash Shoes in the Washing Machine (Without Damage)

There comes a moment when your favorite sneakers stop smelling like “athletic ambition” and start smelling like “forgotten gym bag.”
When a quick wipe-down won’t cut it, tossing your shoes in the washing machine starts to sound very tempting.

The good news: you can wash many types of shoes in the washing machine without destroying them or your washer.
The not-so-good news: if you skip a few important steps, you can end up with warped soles, unglued insoles, sad floppy sneakers,
or a washer that sounds like it’s full of bricks.

This guide walks you through exactly how to wash shoes in the washing machine safely, what types of shoes can handle it,
how to protect both the shoes and the drum, and how to dry them so they come out clean, fresh, and still wearable.

Before You Toss Your Shoes in the Washer

1. Check the care label and the material

Step one is not “press start.” It’s “read the tiny tag you usually ignore.”
Many athletic and casual shoes have care guidelines on the tongue label or box. If the brand specifically says
“do not machine wash”, believe themespecially for performance running shoes, leather, or specialty materials.

As a general rule, the best candidates for a washing machine are:

• Canvas sneakers
• Cotton or polyester fabric shoes
• Basic mesh or knit athletic shoes without special coatings
• Kids’ fabric sneakers and school shoes (if labeled safe)

Shoes you should not machine wash include:

• Leather or faux leather shoes and boots
• Suede or nubuck shoes
• Dress shoes, heels, loafers, or anything glued in delicate ways
• Shoes with gel, air, or specialty cushioning that heat and agitation could damage

2. When you should skip the washing machine

Even if the shoes are technically washable, skip the washer if:

• They’re covered in thick, wet mud (pre-clean them first).
• They have sharp metal cleats or hardware that could damage the drum.
• The soles are already separating or cracked (the cycle will make it worse).

In those cases, a good old-fashioned hand wash is safer for both your shoes and your appliance.

3. Gather the right supplies

Before you start, grab:

• 1–2 mesh laundry bags or old pillowcases with ties
• Liquid laundry detergent (mild and bleach-free)
• Old towels you don’t mind using to balance the load
• A soft brush or old toothbrush for pre-cleaning
• Paper towels or newspaper for drying and reshaping

These small extras are what turn “I hope this works” into “wow, these look brand new.”

Step-by-Step: How to Wash Shoes in the Washing Machine Safely

Step 1: Remove laces and insoles

Take the shoelaces out and pull out any removable insoles or inserts.

• Laces: Put them in a small mesh bag or pillowcase so they don’t wrap around the agitator or get tangled.
• Insoles: Usually best washed by hand with mild soap and water, then air-dried separately.
  Machine washing can cause them to warp or break down faster.

This step also lets water and detergent reach more of the shoe’s interior for a deeper clean.

Step 2: Pre-clean dirt and stains

You don’t want to turn your washer into a mini mudslide. Hold the shoes over a trash can or sink and:

• Knock the soles together to loosen dried mud and gravel.
• Use a soft brush or old toothbrush to remove dirt from grooves and treads.
• Wipe the uppers with a damp cloth if they’re visibly dusty or muddy.

Pre-cleaning is not just about vanitytoo much loose debris can scratch the washer drum or get stuck in the drain filter.

Step 3: Load shoes in a mesh bag and add towels

Place each pair of shoes in a mesh laundry bag or pillowcase and tie or zip it closed.
This keeps the shoes from slamming directly against the drum and helps prevent scuffs and noise.

Then, add a few old bath towels to the load:

• The towels cushion the shoes and the drum.
• They help balance the washer so it doesn’t bang around during the spin.
• They improve cleaning because the extra items help create friction and movement.

Just don’t overload the washer. Two pairs of sneakers plus a few towels are usually plenty for a standard machine.

Step 4: Choose the gentlest settings

When it comes to washing shoes, your mantra is “cold and gentle.”

• Cycle: Delicate or gentle cycle is ideal.
• Water temperature: Cold water helps protect glue, prevent shrinking, and keep colors from bleeding.
• Spin speed: Low or medium spin is safer than high spin, which can be too rough on the structure.

High heat and aggressive agitation are what damage shoes. Cold water and a slow spin might take a little longer to dry afterward,
but they dramatically reduce the risk of warped soles and separated layers.

Step 5: Use the right detergent (and not too much)

Stick with a liquid laundry detergent. Powder detergents can leave grainy residue in seams or mesh and may not fully dissolve in a small load.

• Use about half of what you’d normally use for a full load of clothes.
• Avoid bleach unless the shoes are pure white and bleach-safe (and even then, go light).
• Skip fabric softenerit can leave a filmy coating and affect breathability.

If the shoes smell especially funky, you can pre-soak them in a mix of cool water and a little detergent or oxygen-based cleaner before washing.

Step 6: Start the wash and check the results

Close the door, double-check that you selected cold, gentle settings, and start the wash.
When the cycle finishes, inspect the shoes:

• If they still look soapy, run a quick rinse and spin cycle (again on gentle).
• If stains remain, treat those spots by hand rather than running them through another full wash right away.

Once they’re clean, it’s time for the most important part of keeping them undamaged: drying them the right way.

How to Dry Machine-Washed Shoes Without Ruining Them

Air-dry, don’t fry

The fastest way to ruin a good pair of shoes is to toss them straight into a hot dryer. High heat can:

• Warp soles and midsoles
• Soften or melt glue
• Cause shrinkage or wrinkling in fabrics
• Crack or harden plastic elements

Instead, air-dry your shoes:

• Blot excess water with a towel.
• Stuff the shoes loosely with newspaper or paper towels to help them hold their shape and absorb moisture.
• Place them in a well-ventilated area away from direct heat or intense sunlight.
• Point a fan at them if you want to speed things up.

Most shoes will take anywhere from overnight up to 24 hours to fully dry, depending on the material and humidity level.
Don’t rush this stepputting feet into damp shoes invites odors and bacteria to move back in.

What about the dryer on low heat?

Some people do use a dryer with no-heat or low-heat settings and a mesh bag (or by hanging shoes from the door) to speed things up.
If the manufacturer says it’s okay and the shoes are basic canvas or synthetic sneakers, it can work.
But if your goal is “without damage,” air-drying is the safest long-term habit.

Special Cases: Different Shoe Materials

Canvas and basic fabric sneakers

Canvas and cotton sneakers are the most washer-friendly. They usually handle:

• Cold water
• Gentle cycles
• Air-drying with stuffing

If they’re white, you can use a detergent designed for whites or a small amount of oxygen-based booster (not straight chlorine bleach)
to brighten them. Sunlight can help whiten a bit too, but don’t bake them under intense heat for hours.

Running shoes and trainers

Many people do machine-wash running shoes, but it’s slightly riskier. Cushioning foams and glued components can break down faster
with repeated washing and heat. If you decide to wash them:

• Limit machine washes to occasional deep cleanings, not weekly routine care.
• Always use cold water and gentle cycles.
• Always air-drynever use a hot dryer for performance shoes.

For serious runners, hand-cleaning with a brush and mild soap between machine washes is a good compromise.

White sneakers

White canvas or synthetic sneakers often respond well to a careful machine wash, especially when pretreated:

• Pre-treat stains with a mild stain remover or a paste of baking soda and water.
• Wash in cold water with a gentle detergent.
• Air-dry and, if needed, touch up scuffs with a white sneaker touch-up product or magic eraser.

For white leather sneakers, skip the washer and use a gentle leather cleaner instead.

Kids’ shoes

Kids are very gifted at making shoes filthy. The upside is that many kids’ sneakers are designed with easy cleaning in mind.

• Check the labelmany will specifically say if machine washing is allowed.
• Use a mesh bag and towels just as you would for adult shoes.
• Air-dry them thoroughly before your kid takes off running again.

Shoes you should never machine wash

If you love them, don’t wash these in a machine:

• Leather dress shoes or boots
• Suede or nubuck anything
• High heels, loafers, or structured fashion shoes
• Any shoe with a “dry clean only” or “hand wash only” instruction

These materials need gentle hand cleaning, specialized cleaners, or professional care.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Washing Shoes in the Washer

• Using hot water: This is the fast-track to warped soles and separated layers.
• Skipping the mesh bag: Bare shoes banging around can damage both the shoes and the drum.
• Using too much detergent: Extra soap does not mean extra cleanjust extra residue.
• Overloading the washer: Shoes need space to move and rinse properly.
• Tossing wet shoes straight into a hot dryer: Think “crispy, warped sneakers” instead of “fresh and bouncy.”

How Often Should You Wash Shoes in the Washing Machine?

Shoes pick up a lot more than duststudies show they can track bacteria into your home from sidewalks, restrooms,
public transit, and gyms. For shoes you wear often:

• Fabric or canvas sneakers you wear daily: every few weeks, or when they start to smell or look obviously dirty.
• Running shoes: only as needed, and preferably not after every muddy runspot clean between washes.
• Kids’ school shoes: monthly or as soon as they smell like a locker room.

In between full washes, keep shoes fresh by:

• Letting them air out fully between wears instead of shoving them into a dark closet.
• Using deodorizing sprays, baking soda, or odor-absorbing inserts.
• Always wearing socks with closed shoes to reduce sweat buildup.

Real-Life Lessons: Extra Experiences and Tips for Washing Shoes in the Machine

Washing shoes in the machine sounds simple until you hear the first “thunk-thunk-thunk” from the laundry room
and sprint over to make sure your washer is still in one piece. Over time, people figure out little tricks that make
the process smoother, quieter, and more effective. Consider this the “lived experience” part of the guidethe things
you only learn after you’ve sacrificed a few questionable pairs.

Lesson 1: Noise usually means something is unprotected or unbalanced

If your washer suddenly sounds like a rock tumbler, it’s nearly always one of two issues:

• A shoe escaped its mesh bag or pillowcase.
• You didn’t add enough towels to cushion and balance the load.

The fix is simple: pause the cycle, rescue the runaway shoe, and toss in one or two more towels.
After you’ve done this once, you’ll never skip the towels againthey quiet the cycle and help cleaning.

Lesson 2: Yellowing and weird marks are usually fixable

White sneakers sometimes come out of the washer with faint yellowish stains or watermarks.
This often happens when:

• Detergent wasn’t fully rinsed out.
• They dried too slowly in a very humid room.
• They were exposed to strong sunlight unevenly.

If this happens, don’t panic. A second cold rinse cycle (no extra detergent) followed by drying in a less humid,
shaded, but well-ventilated area often fixes the problem. For stubborn marks, a little baking soda paste or a
mild whitening cleaner can brighten them up.

Lesson 3: Odor control starts before things get bad

Once shoes smell truly awful, it can take more than one wash to get them back to “socially acceptable.”
A better approach is to prevent that level of funk in the first place:

• Rotate between at least two pairs of everyday shoes so each pair has time to air out.
• Remove insoles after especially sweaty workouts and let them dry separately.
• Keep a small container of baking soda or charcoal shoe inserts handy for overnight deodorizing.

When you finally do run them through the washer, they’ll come out smelling fresh in one go instead of needing emergency backup plans.

Lesson 4: Machine washing can extend the life of budget shoesbut not always premium ones

For inexpensive canvas sneakers or basic casual shoes, machine washing can actually extend their usable life.
Instead of tossing them when they look tired, a careful wash and air-dry can make them look and feel surprisingly new.

For higher-end running shoes or premium sneakers, though, think of the washing machine as a “sometimes” tool.
Repeated soaks and spins can gradually break down cushioning foams and adhesives. In those cases,
reserve machine washing for truly dirty situationslike a mud race or a spilland stick to spot cleaning the rest of the time.

Lesson 5: A little prep saves a lot of regret

The biggest difference between shoes that survive the washer and shoes that don’t usually comes down to preparation:

• Taking 5 minutes to remove laces and insoles.
• Brushing off mud instead of letting it swirl around the drum.
• Using a mesh bag and towels instead of tossing shoes in alone.
• Choosing cold, gentle cycles instead of rushing with “normal” or hot settings.

None of these steps are complicated, but skipping them is where most shoe-washing horror stories begin.

Lesson 6: Drying is slow…but worth it

Air-drying shoes requires patience, and yes, sometimes you’ll be tempted to speed things up with a hot dryer or a heater.
But if you’ve ever pulled out a pair of shoes that suddenly feel stiffer, tighter, or oddly shaped,
you already know why that’s a bad idea.

A smarter compromise is using a fan, a dehumidifier, or placing shoes in a warmbut not hotroom.
Stuff them with newspaper, rotate the paper once or twice as it gets damp, and let time do the rest.
The shoes will last longer, feel more comfortable, and you won’t have to buy replacements as often.

Once you’ve gone through this process a couple of times, washing shoes in the washing machine stops being scary
and becomes just another part of your cleaning routinelike washing towels or bedding.
With the right prep, gentle settings, and smart drying, your shoes can look and smell fresh without sacrificing comfort or structure.

Conclusion: Clean Shoes, Happy Feet, Safe Washer

Washing shoes in the washing machine doesn’t have to be a gamble.
By choosing the right shoes, using mesh bags and towels, sticking with cold, gentle cycles,
and air-drying patiently, you can get rid of dirt and odor without wrecking your footwear or your washer.

Think of this process as giving your shoes a spa daynot a spin in a cement mixer.
Do it right, and your favorite sneakers, kids’ school shoes, and everyday canvas pairs will come out clean, fresh,
and ready for many more miles.