Washing your shoes in the machine: the importance of sorting
Not all pairs of shoes can be washed in the washing machine.
Leather, imitation leather, suede, nubuck shoes, as well as shoes with cork or rope soles are indeed excluded.
To be sure not to make a mistake, you have to look if the shoes have labels with washing instructions.
And follow the recommendations.
The ideal candidates for machine washing are therefore canvas shoes such as tennis shoes, trainers, sneakers, such as Converse, Bensimon or other brands.
As well as ballerinas or fabric moccasins.
Machine washing removes encrusted stains and restores the shine of new to this type of shoe.
Brush the shoes before going through the washing machine
In order not to have muddy laundry water and therefore a disappointing result, it is important to brush the shoes before putting them in the washing machine.
With a brush (or a dry cloth), remove the earth, small pebbles, leaves and other dirt stuck to the soles and the fabric.
This also avoids damaging the washing machine by clogging it with a stone or a pile of dirt.
Once the bulk of the dirt has been removed, the shoes can be placed in the washing machine.
Read alsoSneakers, canvas sneakers... How to clean white shoes?
Remove laces and insoles from shoes before washing
Before washing canvas shoes in the machine, it is important to think about removing orthopedic insoles or other insoles.
As well as the laces.
The laces can be placed in a laundry net in the drum to be cleaned.
Wrap the shoes in laundry for machine washing
If the washing machine contains only one or two pairs of shoes, not only the washing will not be very economical in water and energy, but the shock of the shoes against the drum can damage the machine.
To solve this double problem, it is enough to wash the shoes by wrapping them in bath towels or in linen.
This avoids shocks and makes the washing cycle profitable.
You must also be careful when washing white canvas trainers and tennis shoes: do not mix colored laundry with these shoes, otherwise the laundry may discolor on the white.
It is therefore important to choose shoes and linen in the same tones.
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Choosing the right program for machine washing shoes
As with washing clothes in the washing machine, it is important to choose the right program for shoes.
There is indeed no question of washing the shoes at 90°C, at the risk of seeing them shrink, harden, deform, and the soles come off.
For machine-washed shoes, some washing machine brands offer special shoe programs.
If the washing machine does not have one, it is recommended to use a program at 30°C or a cold wash, for delicate laundry.
It is also advisable to opt for a low spin, between 400 and 600 revolutions / minute, then let the shoes dry in the open air.
Drying shoes in the dryer is indeed to be avoided, both to preserve the canvas of the shoe and its rubber or plastic sole.
It is recommended to place them to dry in a dry and ventilated place, neither in direct sunlight nor on a radiator.
And to wait until the drying is complete before putting the laces back on and wearing them again.
