How to clean sneakers by hand (and when the washer is OK)

Step by step: how to clean sneakers by hand

1. 1

   Take out the laces and insoles

   Unlace the shoes fully and pull out removable insoles. Both clean better on their own, and the shoes dry much faster without them. Knock the soles together outside to shake out gravel and dried mud.

2. 2

   Dry brush the outsole, midsole and upper

   Use a dry brush to clear loose dirt from the tread, the midsole and the upper, in that order. A wooden skewer or toothpick lifts stones out of deep tread. Removing grit first keeps you from scrubbing it into the fabric.

3. 3

   Mix a mild cleaning solution

   Stir a teaspoon or two of dish soap or mild detergent into a bowl of warm water. Dip the brush in and shake off the excess. You want suds on the shoe, not water soaking through to the inside.

4. 4

   Wash the laces

   Drop the laces into the soapy water, rub them between your hands, and leave them to soak while you clean the shoes. Rinse and lay them flat or hang them to dry.

5. 5

   Scrub the soles

   Scrub the outsole and midsole with the medium brush and the soapy water. Rubber can take firm pressure. Wipe the dirty foam off with a cloth as you go so you can see what is left.

6. 6

   Clean the uppers gently

   Switch to the soft brush for the uppers and work in small circles on leather and canvas, or along the weave on mesh and knit. Blot with a dry cloth to pull out dirty water rather than rubbing it around.

7. 7

   Freshen the insoles

   Scrub fabric insoles with the same soapy water and a brush, then press out the moisture with a towel. For odor, sprinkle baking soda on the dry insoles and inside the shoes, leave it overnight, and shake it out.

8. 8

   Air dry without heat

   Stuff the shoes with crumpled newspaper or paper towels and set them in a dry, airy spot out of direct sun. Swap the paper when it gets damp. Expect 8 to 12 hours before they are dry enough to wear.

How to clean shoes by material

Most sneakers mix materials, so clean each part the way its material needs. Nike’s shoe cleaning guide uses warm water with dish soap or detergent for most shoes, a cleaning eraser or conditioner for leather, a suede brush and white vinegar for suede, and soft brushing along the weave for knit.

To clean mesh shoes, such as most running and tennis shoes, keep the brush soft and the water cool, and blot often, because mesh lets water straight through to the lining. For pairs that are mostly white, see how to clean white shoes; for suede, see how to clean suede shoes.

Can you wash sneakers in the washing machine?

Only if the maker says so. Nike does not recommend washing its shoes in the machine, since tumbling can damage materials and the shoe’s shape, and heat from the dryer can deform them. Some brands design for it: Allbirds’ care page says most of its shoes can go in on a gentle, cold cycle.

If your label allows machine washing, do it this way:

• Remove the laces and insoles, and brush off excess dirt first.
• Put the shoes in a mesh delicates bag or a pillowcase, with a couple of towels to balance the load.
• Use cold water, a gentle cycle and a small amount of mild detergent. No bleach and no fabric softener.
• Air dry. Never put shoes in the dryer.

Leather, suede, shoes with glued-on trim, and anything with lights or electronics should always be cleaned by hand.

How to dry sneakers fast without damage

Paper inside and moving air outside. Nike’s drying guide suggests stuffing shoes with crumpled newspaper, swapping it as it gets damp, and keeping them indoors away from direct sunlight, which takes about 12 hours. A fan cuts that to a few hours.

Keep shoes away from clothes dryers, radiators, ovens and long blasts from a hair dryer. Nike notes that high heat can damage the glue that holds athletic shoes together, which is how soles start to separate.

How to get the smell out of sneakers

Clean and dry the insoles first, then deodorize with baking soda overnight. Odor comes from sweat and bacteria in the lining and insole, so washing the outside alone will not fix it.

Nike’s deodorizing guide describes sprinkling baking soda inside and out, misting with diluted white vinegar, and waiting 12 hours before wiping. For sturdy materials it also suggests a disinfectant spray left wet for 3 to 5 minutes. Rotate pairs so each one dries out fully between wears, and replace insoles that stay smelly after washing.

Mistakes to avoid

• Cleaning with the laces in, which leaves dirt trapped under the tongue and eyelets.
• Soaking the whole shoe, which takes a day or more to dry and can loosen glue.
• Putting sneakers in the clothes dryer or on a heater to speed things up.
• Using the same stiff brush on mesh uppers that you used on the tread.
• Machine washing leather or suede sneakers.
• Putting shoes back on while the insoles are still damp, which brings the smell back.