after running under the rain for 30 minutes my white sneakers had a foul stench. I tried disinfectant and washing them with soap and water and lots of rubbing and sunlight to dry.
While that got rid of most of the smell, my white sneakers are now brownish, specially around the shoelaces.
I’ve never washed sneakers in the washing machine. Am I going to ruin them?
Remove insoles, place in old pillow case, zip tie the pillow case shut, put on a daily short wash probably about an hour at 30 degrees, small amount of detergent and white vinegar in the fabric softener tray, dry in sun or on radiator. Never fails.
definitely don’t use heat if there are any leather components
use mesh laundry bags, otherwise the laces are going to get all tied up with each other. it would honestly probably be best to take the laces out and put them in their own laundry bag. put the insoles in separate mesh laundry bags as well, the shoe is going to change shape during this process and you’re going to fuck up any foam insole.
wash on cold, with a little soap. you can put a quarter cup of white vinegar in the fabric softener tray, that should help with odor. if your machine has a hand wash setting or a delicates setting, go ahead and use it.
there’s really no need to dry them in the dryer, you definitely do not want to put the insoles in the dryer. you can put the shoes in there with no or low heat if you want, and add like a cloth bag of baking soda to the dryer with it. you could just dump a little baking soda in the shoes before putting them in the dryer, but putting them in a cloth bag give some more even, controlled application. if you’re using any heat, I wouldn’t give it more than 20 minutes. you’ll also have to prop something up against the dryer door because they will smack into it and force it open. definitely don’t use heat if there are any leather components
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I bought a mesh sneaker bag from Amazon that is designed to keep them safe in the wash and it seems to do the trick each time. Just be sure to take out in the insole before washing.
No, your sneakers are most likely to be okay but I wouldn’t be so sure about the washing machine. I’m also unsure it would be effective in removing the brown stains.
My recommendation would be let them soak for a day in water with a bit of laundy powder + laundry enzime solution ( Vanish, Sard or whatever brand is sold in your corner of the world). Remove the laces and the inside of the soles if they’re a separate part. Then the next day gently brush the stained areas.
Don’t use much heat, that will destroy them. Just throw them in at 30C and add a cup of white vinegar. It keeps the smell away even if they get wet again. Dry them quickly when finished.
Have been doing this for years, no problems so far.
Have you checked the maker’s site?
I damaged a few insoles, so maybe take care of them separatly.
I think general advice is to remove insoles and shoelaces. Choose a program that keeps spinning to a minimum. And put something else in so they don’t spin around like crazy. And dry them slowly, stuffed with old newspapers.
I occasionally wash them. I also put in a few dirty rags or something. Seems fine, but I haven’t done it frequently.
As a stinky feet-haver, I opt to buy a couple pairs of the same cheap shoes and toss them once the smell starts. There’s just no going back, in my experience.
That seems incredibly wasteful, have you tried like baking soda or something?
I should have clarified that the ones I get are about $15 a pair and last me 6 months. But yes, I’ve tried everything, baking soda, vinegar, freezing them, washing and drying - even if it works initially the smell comes back within days.
I think they meant wasteful for the environment, not your budget
If I could go barefoot 100% of the time I would. I really don’t know what else I can do.
Do you wear cotton (or another natural fiber) socks? Polyester tends to make smells linger a lot more because it doesn’t wick moisture properly.
I’m really not sure what material they are (dozens of randoms pairs), but I’ll keep this in mind next time I need socks. Thank you
Have you tried leather shoes?
The ones I’ve had in the past were even worse, made my feet sweat a lot. These days I usually wear slip on shoes, they’re more breathable and seem to dry out better overnight. That or just sandals.
How about foot powder? Ever since I first tried it, I’ve never worn socks and shoes without putting on foot powder first ever again. It really helps with sweat and odor.
