We have machines that assist us in every task, making it easy. People are now so dependent on gadgets and machines that manual activities have reduced drastically. There are washing machines that eliminate the efforts of manual washing. Many people ask if they can put shoes in the washing machine. Well, yes, you can dump your shoes in a washing machine and effortlessly clean them. Keep reading to know which materials are safe to wash in a washing machine, the steps of washing your shoe in a washing machine, and much more.
Shoes that you can wash in a washing machine:
You can wash your shoes in a washing machine; however, not all materials are safe to wash in a washing machine. While some shoes are compatible with machine washing, many other types of footwear are not. In that case, you must manually wash them or take extra care. Shoes made of polyester, nylon, canvas, and cotton can be washed in a washing machine. All these materials are durable and don’t get damaged by detergent and spins of the washing machine. Avoid wasting shoes made of leather, suede, rubber, and vinyl in a washing machine. Besides, if your shoes are made of silk or other delicate material such as embroidery, sequins, feature beading, or other embellishments, you must not make the mistake of putting them in your washer. Machine washing can damage those shoes very quickly. Always check the shoe’s care instructions for washing recommendations before washing them.
A step-by-step guide to wash your shoes in a washing machine:
Washing shoes in a washing machine can help you save your efforts, time, and energy, and it requires little preparation. Following, we broke down the entire shoe-washing process in steps to guide you better:
Step1: Remove the laces and insoles and wash them
To start with:
- Prepare your shoes by removing the laces and insoles from them.
- Wash them in a mesh garment bag that’s securely closed to stop the laces from tangling or wrapping around any part of the drum. You can also scrub the laces manually.
- Wash the insoles with your hands or do as the shoe care instruct.
- Avoid machine washing the insoles as it could leave them soggy, taking days to dry.
Step2: Clean the shoes with a brush
Before putting your shoes in the machine, use a soft brush, toothbrush, or toothpicks to remove the mud or debris from your shoes as much as possible. Afterwards, you can apply the shoe cleaner with the help of a rag or soft brush.
Step3: Place the shoes and prepare the load
Once your shoes are free from mud and dirt, your shoes are ready to go inside the machine. Put them in a garment bag made of mesh. It will restrict them from unusually tumbling all over inside your washing machine. Dump the bag into the washing machine. You must also balance the load by adding a few old clothes or towels.
Step4: Wash the shoes
You must select a delicate and cold water cycle in your washing machine that comes with either a slow or no-spin alternative. Put liquid detergent or laundry pods to wash your shoes. Please avoid using powder detergent as they often don’t dissolve properly and are stuck in the shoes. Shut the lid of the machine and switch it on.
Step5: Drying the shoes
After the wash cycle, you can take out your shoes and laces and allow them to dry naturally. You can also use clean rags and paper towels to absorb the extra moisture and maintain their shape. Place your shoes under sunlight, which will speed up the drying process. Once your shoes are dry, place your insoles and assemble your shoes back.
Conclusion:
To conclude, you can wash your shoes easily in the washing machine. However, as discussed previously, all shoes are ideal for a machine wash. Some materials are washing machine safely while some are not. If your footwear is made of polyester, cotton, nylon, and canvas, you can relax and dump them in a washing machine. However, you must take care of the steps mentioned above if you don’t want to cause any damage to your shoes. Besides, you can always follow the brand’s shoe care instructions if you are still in doubt.
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