45 replies to this topic

[bonechina]

My trainers tend to get very dirty as I do a lot of running on dirt trails. I don’t like to see my shoes covered in dirt to the point where they turn from white to muddy brown all over.

My washing routine is this: I remove the laces and the inner sockliner, dump the shoes together with some old towels / bed sheets (to “cushion” the ride) into the washing machine, add minimal quantity of detergent and wash the shoes on a gentle cold wash cycle. I also spin the shoes semi-dry (*not* in the dryer with heat though) at 800 rpm (the default setting for the clothes is 1100 rpm).

So far the shoes have come out squeaky clean with no perceptible deterioration / deformation. Is there any risk of damaging the shoes (the cushioning in particular) if I do this routine, maybe once in three months?

[Gronk]

I do it probably every 300kms or so. No harm done I reckon.

[Beki]

I'd heard this wasn't such a good thing to do - who knows? May be an old wives tale

Last year after the GTR I soaked mine in a bucket of napisan for a couple of days, rinsed them under the tap and then left them to dry - they came up looking like new even with all the clay and mud that had got right through them

[Terrigal Todd]

I never washed my runners, they are usualy ready for the bin in 3-4 months anyhow but here's a quote from the ASICS web page... Might be a bit of marketing so people buy new shoes instead of washing them?

Q: How do I care for my ASICS® footwear?
A: ASICS suggests cleaning your ASICS® athletic shoes with an athletic shoe cleaner and soft cloth/brush, or surface clean using cold water and a mild detergent. Avoid storing your ASICS® athletic shoes in an extremely hot environment or under extreme sunlight. It is important to note that you should not use a washing machine or dryer to clean your ASICS® athletic shoes. These cleaning and care instructions are aimed at giving you the best possible life of your ASICS® footwear.

Edited by Terrigal Todd, 05 February 2007 - 08:56 PM.

[laotze]

I've done it regularly for years, and it does no appreciable harm to the shoes. In fact I think cleaning out the sweaty salts etc is good for them. My ASICS shoes last a long time and wear out the soles before the tops disintegrate.

But lately my washing machine has been playing up on the spin cycle. I don't know if I can blame the shoes, but it might be an idea to toss a ouple of old towels in with the shoes so they don't bang around too much on the spin cycle.

I keep two or three pairs of different models (1110s, 2110s, DS trainers) on the go at once, and get probably 18 months average out of each pair. I run 50-70 kilometres a week, a lot off road. and I like my shoes to look nice.

Edited by awiseman, 05 February 2007 - 09:55 PM.

[Screaming Knees]

The washing machine gets my vote of confidence. The liners are removed and the lot just gets chucked in the machine with the regular wash.

[billsy]

Yeah I don't think the washing machine will harm them....i've done it numerous times without a problem. I too like my shoes to look reasonably clean!

[fem_physique]

My washing machine has a 'sports shoes' cycle

SPORTS SHOES
A warm/cold, medium low, traditional agitation wash, with a light wash action which includes
a 15 minute soak in the middle of the agitate, a double deep rinse and a fast spin to freshen up
sports shoes.

Tried it with my daughters shoes after she did a cross courntry run with school last year (in the mud). Worked resonabley well, but she still wont wear them again!

[Twopennys]

I just give mine a blast with the hose after every long trail run.

Despite the ASICS claim that you shouldn't wash your shoes I would contend cleaner shoes last longer as sand a grit is very abrasive.

Cheers, 2P

[chilliman]

As Beki mentions above, can’t go wrong with the Napisan soak in a bucket overnight. Great for any muddy running gear !
Rinse off, drain, pack shoes with newspaper to hold shape, replace newspaper after 2 hours and they should be like new again within 24hrs.
The more frequently you replace the newspaper the quicker they will dry. Importantly let them dry in the shade and away from a direct heat source otherwise they will shrink and crack.

[Rudolf]

shoes in the washingmachine should be safe, If You make sure, You take them of Your feet first.

[chilliman]

Rudolf, on Feb 6 2007, 12:02 PM, said:

shoes in the washingmachine should be safe, If You make sure, You take them of Your feet first.

That's assuming your machine has One of these labels.

[pastyboy]

Quote

Is it Safe?

I usually put them through the washing machine about once a month.
The Washing machine has a shoe cycle.

It's probably unsafe not washing them. They tend to reek a fair bit in summer.

[RMC]

Twopennys, on Feb 6 2007, 08:39 AM, said:

I just give mine a blast with the hose after every long trail run.

Same here, hose and air dry outside.

[Rudolf]

use of water hose prohibited under the water restrictions rules

[RMC]

Rudolf, on Feb 6 2007, 01:07 PM, said:

use of water hose prohibited under the water restrictions rules

Correct Rudolf except on Wed and Sunday's for odd houses where I live, as long as I am also watering the plants. Lucky my long trail runs are on Wed and Sunday's.

from southeastwater.com.au website ..
Hand-held hoses fitted with a trigger nozzle can be used to water gardens between 6am - 8am and 8pm - 10pm. Even numbered houses can water on Saturday and Tuesday; odd numbered can water on Sunday and Wednesday. There is no watering on Monday, Thursday and Friday.

[chilliman]

And apparently in South Aus if you have kids you can put them with your running shoes under the sprinkler at anytime, as the SA government doesn't want them to feel left out compared to those with pools. Kids are being hired out to those with dying lawns

Washing with a hose would certainly use far less water than a washing machine cycle.

[Rachel49]

A sales girl in a running store could tell I had washed my runners in the washing machine because the sole had shrunk away from the shoe lining. If this is true I wander what washing your shoes in the machine does to the shape and quality of the cushioning in the sole?

[laotze]

I am trying to work out why washing shoes in a washing machine would cause the soles to shrink (and not the tops). It can't be heat, as running on hot surfaces gets the soles hot, and it can't be wet because running in water doesn't do it.

That sales person is very very observant!

But Napisan will cause the stitching to break down if soaked for long and not well rinsed out. It is quite strongly chemical, and will react with the fibres. (That is not scientific advice, I am not a scientist, at least not recognised on this planet) Nappies soaked in Napisan eventually just disintegrate. But shoes might wear out at the same rate anyway.

Edited by awiseman, 07 February 2007 - 07:50 AM.

[haggis basher]

What 'not' to do when putting shoes in washing machine, forget to change temp from hot to cold!

At end of washing cycle, I ended up with both soles seperated from uppers!

People thought it very funny, a grey headed geezer running down the streets only wearing the uppers on his feet!

I told them that I was toughening my soles, but kept the uppers on to keep my feet dry...

See Ya

[MPHinLondon]

Stop being so vain! A pair of dirty runners is a great reminder you are training well, the stinkier the runners, the more miles you are running.

I must admit I have to leave all my runners outside now and surprisingly nobody has stole them yet....

[Stu Mac]

haggis basher, on Feb 7 2007, 10:23 AM, said:

What 'not' to do when putting shoes in washing machine, forget to change temp from hot to cold!

A hot wash???? Never done that!

I wash my shoes in the laundry tub and a scrubbing brush, but only occassionally. My shoes only tend to be dusty which does really cause any problems, tend to only wash when muddy and as there is bugger mud these days, I can't remember the last time my shoes were washed.

[Action]

MPH, on Feb 7 2007, 10:32 AM, said:

Stop being so vain! A pair of dirty runners is a great reminder you are training well, the stinkier the runners, the more miles you are running.

I must admit I have to leave all my runners outside now and surprisingly nobody has stole them yet....

I think you have just explained why no-one has stolen them - phew!

Years of tossing shoes into a front load machine, cold cycle, the towels wash, and no problem at all across a variety of brands and levels of dirt.

[Colin]

I think Coaster is the only other runner I have seen in Sydney (or Aus) who doesn't wear socks.

He will attest to the need to wash your shoes more regularly or face divorce. All my brands over 30yrs have stood up to washing machines.

cheers

[chilliman]

Colin, on Feb 7 2007, 11:18 AM, said:

All my brands over 30yrs have stood up to washing machines.

My problem Colin is the opposite, the washing machines won't standup to the thick red mud encrusted shoes.

[tank girl]

I only ever use my running shoes for running, so they have no need to look good. When they get mud encrusted (e.g. GH100), I brush it off. I only machine wash my shoes when they're well and truly past their run-by date and are being converted to gardening shoes. Why? The shoe care instructions on the shoe say don't machine wash, and I know that waterlogging your shoes has been rumoured to cause more damage. And I'm too lazy to remove laces, etc. Oh yeah, plus I'm a dainty girl, so my shoes don't smell

[Running Angel]

tank girl, on Feb 7 2007, 01:12 PM, said:

I only ever use my running shoes for running, so they have no need to look good. When they get mud encrusted (e.g. GH100), I brush it off. I only machine wash my shoes when they're well and truly past their run-by date and are being converted to gardening shoes. Why? The shoe care instructions on the shoe say don't machine wash, and I know that waterlogging your shoes has been rumoured to cause more damage. And I'm too lazy to remove laces, etc. Oh yeah, plus I'm a dainty girl, so my shoes don't smell

I never machine wash mine whilst they are still runable either, as I heard that it is supposed to destroy the glue and the cushioning in the shoes

[fem_physique]

awiseman, on Feb 6 2007, 10:14 PM, said:

Nappies soaked in Napisan eventually just disintegrate.

I dont think its the Napisan......

[klakrman]

We have been washing shoes in the washing machine for about 10 years now. We always use the cold cycle, and take out the inner sole, but leave the laces in. We have not had any problems at all.

My wife is usually the adjudicator of when they need a wash, which seems to come around pretty often as far as I am concerned.

[chookrunner]

klakrman, on Feb 6 2007, 10:40 PM, said:

We have been washing shoes in the washing machine for about 10 years now.

I think they're done !

[Anne Victor]

Being a dainty girl, like Tank Girl, my shoes don't smell either. When my shoes get muddy, I wait for the mud to dry and then brush it off. If I really want to go for the clean look, I then wipe the outside with a damp sponge and Jif - they look as good as new (almost!).
AV

[Rudolf]

klakrman, on Feb 7 2007, 03:40 PM, said:

We have been washing shoes in the washing machine for about 10 years now.

agree with chookrunner, they must be clean enough by now, save the water and energy.

So now I understand the meaning of the word dainty - it is a girl whos runners do not smell.

[RITH]

Did I just read that Tankey is describing herself as "dainty"? Oh....my.....god!!!!
I must have missed that bit.

[chilliman]

RITH, on Feb 9 2007, 02:21 PM, said:

Did I just read that Tankey is describing herself as "dainty"?

Aren't Tanks driven by joysticks these days rather than brute force ?

Edited by chilliman, 09 February 2007 - 01:57 PM.

[Carina]

I don’t think so if that safe you put shoes in the washing machine. It can damage the shoes or the tub of the washing machine if you do that. I’d been try that before I put my shoes in my washing machine after the spin my shoes is totally broken then the tub of my washing machine is also broken.

[Zorba]

i think a top loader would be ok as the whole tub is filled with water, but i would have thought a front loader would be too rough as they tumble around.

[Action]

I have been chucking a pair of shoes in with most towel loads in my front loader for years. Never an issue.

[Sarge]

Action, on Jan 10 2011, 08:57 PM, said:

I have been chucking a pair of shoes in with most towel loads in my front loader for years. Never an issue.

Ditto

[WetWeek]

Best. Avatar. Ever. Sarge!

[Seano]

I thought front loaders were gentler than top loaders, hence the increased wash time, & thus would be better for washing shoes.
If you washed shoes regularly, the worry i would have is the midsole breaking down.

Reading this thread reminded me of Nike "TW Lite".
This was a really light cross trainer they had in the early 90's, not really a running shoe.
The TW stood for Total Wash.
Presumably this shoe was totally washable.
I'm not a big fan of Nikes, but these were a tremendous shoe.
I was working in a shoe store at this stage, & we sold quite a few of these through two models.
They were marketed as a washable shoe & I can't remember too many coming back as returns.

[Action]

Seano, on Jan 12 2011, 10:07 AM, said:

I thought front loaders were gentler than top loaders, hence the increased wash time, & thus would be better for washing shoes....

You are quite correct - front loaders are far gentler than top loaders.

I have put various models of Adidas (inc Adizero), Reebok, and Brooks through over the past 20 years and never an issue with any sort of breakdown of midsole or anything else! Ok, so the shoelaces come out a bit tight sometimes, but otherwise, never a drama.

[julia]

Has anyone else noticed this is a super old thread revival?

Either way, I don't trust my washing machine very much...yet alone to put my shoes in it. But I have soaked my shoes a few times in Napisan after it's been raining heaps and I've run through the college ovals...maybe it's the cut grass or the fertilizer or also the treated water that comes through the sprinklers (which are sometimes on even when it's raining!) but running through the puddles there always leaves my shoes with a rank smell - need to soak it away. My shoes have survived just fine...just used another pair while I waited for them to dry completly.

[toriejane]

I was told by a professional person not ever to wash your shoes in the washing machine, since hearing that I never have. Gee if they get dirty who cares they are for running...not dancing. If i run in the rain which has been happening alot lately, I always stuff them with newspaper to dry.

[Bellthorpe]

What is a 'professional person' in the context of washing your running shoes?

[chookrunner]

Bellthorpe, on Jan 18 2011, 07:27 PM, said:

What is a 'professional person' in the context of washing your running shoes?

A "podiatric hygenist", don't you know anything Bellthorpe ?

[Bellthorpe]

I know more now than I did a moment ago.