Sneakers - the choice of people leading an active lifestyle. Dirt, slush, puddles on the roads, sand and just dust - these shoes often take on such “blows”. How to restore her presentable appearance, if an ordinary wet sponge does not always help? In what mode to wash sneakers? Which detergent to choose? And are all athletic shoes able to withstand such a shoe?
Are running shoes machine washable?
First you need to find out what a modern sports shoe is. As a rule, this is a foam or rubber sole and a leather or fabric component, which are connected with glue, some models are stitched. Thus, the following risks appear: the shoe is deformed or parts of it are unstuck. What to do? Here you should clearly understand in which mode it is better to wash your sneakers, and for this you need to find out what exactly your pair is made of.
Note! Most manufacturers of sports shoes do not recommend using an automatic machine to clean their products. Moreover, not every washing machine is designed for this. And if on the shoe tag and in the instructions for the home unit you did not find information that would allow such events to be held - all responsibility for the final result lies only with you.
What sneakers can be washed automatically
So, in order to determine what mode to wash sneakers in the washing machine, we find out how this or that material will behave.
- Synthetic leather shoes have a relatively light texture. It stretches much less than genuine leather, but it tends to wear out quickly.
- Sneakers made of nylon or polyester thread, or simply "mesh", are very light and provide excellent air exchange. Such material practically does not stretch.
- Sports shoes made of textiles are also very light, allowing the skin to “breathe”, but at the same time it passes moisture and retains heat very poorly.
Most often, synthetic and textile models have to be washed. At the same time, it is desirable to sort the latter by color, otherwise they may fade. White shoes are always cleaned separately, and here it will be important not only what mode to put on the sneakers to wash, but also what tool you will use. In this embodiment, it is worth giving preference to a powder with bleach.
Which sneakers are better not to be washed automatically
These include models made of genuine leather. They can not only deform strongly, but also negatively react to detergents. For this reason, leather sneakers are best wiped with a damp sponge.
For suede shoes, the washing mode is not provided in the washing machine. Moreover, shoes made of this material are better not to wet at all. For their cleaning, modern industry has developed and produced special tools that perfectly cope with pollution and do not spoil the material.
In addition, in no case should you wash the decorated sneakers: with rhinestones, stones, glass elements, etc. They can come off and clog the drain. Poor quality shoes and damaged pairs are prohibited. If the sole is not stitched and at the same time is very poorly glued, then it can simply come off. The same situation is with torn shoes, foam rubber is already “peeping out” from under the upper material.
Choosing which mode to wash your sneakers for a start, make sure that they are completely intact and well stitched. And think carefully before sending items from nubuck or suede to the machine.
Preparing shoes for washing
First you need to pre-process. Take out the laces and insoles if they are removable. Soak them in a small container and add a little powder. Leave on for a few minutes, then brush with a shoe. You will spend no more than ten minutes on this.
We turn to the shoes themselves. Before choosing which machine mode to wash your sneakers in and send them to the drum, get rid of adhering dirt. To do this, hold the shoes under a stream of warm water and treat it with an old toothbrush. Particular attention should be paid to the sole, having carefully washed out small pebbles and sand from it. Rinse the steam again under the tap - this will remove any residual dirt.
In the future, you can wash the laces and insoles with a pair of shoes, although it is better to clean them separately. So the insoles will definitely not lose their original shape, and the laces will not clog into the holes in the drum.
How to wash sports shoes
Do you think that now is the time to decide in which mode you can wash your sneakers? Take your time, you still need to take care of security. So that the shoes do not deform, it is advisable to place them in a special mesh bag. These are usually sold in hardware stores. If you could not find the bag, put the sneakers in a pillowcase or load a couple of towels, rags or an old jacket with them. Such a neighborhood will reduce vibration, due to which the blades and ribs of the drum will remain intact, and the unit will not fail.
Do not forget that the rags and towels that you send to the wash with sneakers should not fade. Otherwise, textile materials will change color, and your shoes will become unusable.
In addition, one or two pairs of sneakers can be washed at a time. No more! Otherwise, they simply will not be removed, and the machine may deteriorate.
Detergent
The right choice of detergent is just as important as the way you wash your sneakers. Many people prefer to use ordinary washing powder. However, this is not entirely correct, since it is poorly rinsed. It is better to give preference to a gel or any other liquid medium. In addition, according to reviews, they do not leave stains. If the contaminants are strong, add a water softener.
If you are dealing with white shoes, then it is advisable to add a little stain remover during washing. In this case, pay attention to the fact that the product does not contain chlorine in its composition. Many also note that white shoes wash well with ordinary laundry soap.
Remember that some models may have a water-repellent coating, and therefore you cannot wash such sneakers in the washing machine. Whatever mode you choose, moisture will completely destroy this protective coating. Also, keep in mind that adding conditioners and rinse aid is highly undesirable. These funds may leave stains.
Mode selection
In general, as evidenced by the reviews, it is easy to wash the sneakers in the washing machine. Which mode is better for them to choose? Many modern units have a special program for washing shoes. It should be used.
But if there is no special program, in what mode do you need to wash your sneakers? In such situations, you must choose a delicate or hand wash. You can also set the mode manually by selecting a short duration and a water temperature of at least 30 ° C and no more than 40 ° C.
If the temperature is too high, the shoes can become very deformed, lose their color and stick out. At low water temperatures, some contaminants simply cannot be removed.
Features of washing some types of sports shoes
There are models of sneakers that are made of several materials at once. It can be a textile base with water-repellent inserts or leather shoes with elements of genuine leather.
In general, it is better to wash such shoes manually, wiping individual elements with a dry sponge. Otherwise, the appearance of delicate inserts may change somewhat: the skin is deformed, and the moisture-repellent surface will lose its basic properties.
If there is a need to wash shoes in the washing machine, for example, when it is impossible to clean the existing dirt manually, then in this situation you should choose the same delicate mode. Please note that the water temperature does not exceed 30 ° C.
However, there is a method that helps to restore the water-repellent coating. To do this, you need to use a special tool in the form of a spray, which is sold in shoe stores. It is applied to a clean, dry surface and allowed to dry at room temperature.
If the dirt on the sneakers during normal washing could not be removed, the next time they must first be soaked for a couple of hours in warm water. In this case, you should thoroughly rub the dirty places with a gel. Then the shoes are sent to the drum of the washing unit, adding a little more detergent to the corresponding compartment.
Some materials are very difficult to get rid of bad smell. To combat it, usually use a solution of table vinegar. However, remember that expensive shoes can be ruined in this way. In such a situation, it is better to use an old toothbrush and toilet soap. Perform the procedure twice, each time thoroughly washing the sneakers under running water. Then they can be washed in the machine on a delicate mode.
Do you need a spin
When choosing which mode to wash your sneakers, remember that in some automatic machines you can adjust the speed during spinning and drying. And if your unit allows this, set the minimum value. According to reviews, with strong mechanical impact, shoes can seriously suffer.
And if the model has a solid sole, then at fast revolutions of the drum it will hit the walls, which can damage the washing machine. For this reason, spin is better not to use. Remove shoes immediately after the unit has drained all the dirty water. At the same time, rinsing can be completely abandoned. Let the machine simply wash your shoes, and you can rinse it manually, using a large bowl or simply watering it several times from the shower.
Drying sports shoes
Having decided on what mode to wash sneakers in the washing machine, do not forget that some models can be deformed not only during the main cleaning process, but also after drying. Here, the material from which the shoes are made is of great importance. To prevent unwanted effects, still wet shoes should be filled with a clean, dry cotton cloth.
Newspapers are also allowed. However, note that such a filler may leave marks on the inside of the shoe. They will be especially noticeable if your sneakers are light and made of fabric. It is much more convenient and safer to replace the newspaper with paper napkins without a pattern or with ordinary toilet paper.
Do not place wet sneakers close to the hot heater or leave them on with the battery on. In this case, you risk losing your shoes hopelessly. So it is not only severely deformed: if there is a heat source in the immediate vicinity, red spots will appear on the surface of the material, which will be very difficult to get rid of afterwards. In this case, it does not matter in which mode to wash the sneakers in the machine - the stains may not disappear even after several cleanings.
If sneakers need to be dried urgently
Having figured out what mode to wash the sneakers in and following this procedure, it remains to find out what is the best way to do it if the shoes need to be dried as quickly as possible. As mentioned above, the battery in this matter is not the best assistant. What to do? The simplest means at hand can come to the rescue.
- It’s best to dry your sneakers at room temperature. Fill the shoes with toilet paper, clean white napkins, or regular cotton cloth and place them on the windowsill. In the warm season, a couple can be taken out to the balcony. Just make sure that it is not exposed to direct sunlight, otherwise sneakers can lose shape.
- You can use a hairdryer, but you must be careful. As practice shows, some are too keen on the process, as a result of which the shoes become unusable - the top layer of material simply peels off. To avoid troubles, use cold blowing and do not keep the hair dryer too close to shoes.
- A vacuum cleaner can solve the problem much faster than a hairdryer. The effect is simpler and your sneakers remain unscathed. Just insert the handset into the shoes and wait 20-30 minutes. Repeat the procedure on the second boot.
- Salt helps dry sneakers in 2-2.5 hours. It is preheated on a baking sheet in an oven or in a pan, then poured into a bag of cloth (you can in a regular sock) and placed in shoes. When the salt has cooled, you need to check the sneakers - if they are still wet, repeat the procedure.
- Silica gel - these are small porous balls that perfectly absorb moisture. Silica gel bags are placed in sneakers and after 1-2 hours they are pulled out. This time is enough for the shoes to completely dry out from the inside.
- Another very original way is to use rice. Pour it to the bottom of the shoe box, lay the sneakers on top with the sole up. Close the lid tightly, you can optionally put a dense cloth on top, and wait a couple of hours. After the specified time, your shoes will be completely dry.
You can wash your sneakers in the washing machine, but you should not do this too often. In order for the shoes to serve you as long as possible, try to limit yourself to one or two sessions per month. After each wash, do not forget to put the drum in order: wipe it, removing all threads and debris. Finally, wash without laundry at high temperature with a small amount of citric acid.