You’ve put your foot to pavement, your hot and sweaty, you look down and your Nike’s look worse than you did after three months of lockdown, sitting and eating all day. Whether you’re running on a track, in a park, your local area, or even at the gym, one thing is certain those Nike will get dirty.
In this article we will be giving you simple steps to how you can hand wash or machine wash your favorite Nike Sneakers, ready for your next run or stroll.
Why do you need to wash your Nike’s
First thing first, no one wants to look scruffy. Even running shoes can double up as everyday sneakers, but nobody should be walking around with trainers, caked in mud and dirt. While some will argue looks are not important, and I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. However, the nature of running shoes, means they are specifically engineered to provide you with benefits that are not found in your usual sneakers. The cushion and breathable design in your Nike’s will go to waste if the whole trainer is left covered in mud for months.
How to machine wash my Nike shoes
Washing your Nike is not a case of just throwing them into the washing machine. I mean you can do this, but this will wear out your trainers. After a few washes, the colors will run, the laces and insoles will start to deteriorate. Remember we are bringing new life into your Nike, not trying to kill them.
- Remove your Nike shoes from your feet (Obvious but we have to say it).
- Remove insoles and laces (we will wash these separately).
- Hit the shoes together on the sole, to remove any loose dirt.
- Use a soft brush, to get rid of excess dirt and scuffs (we don’t want mud in our washing machine)
- Put laces and insoles into a pillowcase, for protection and washing.
- Put Nikes inside the washing machine.
- Place towels around the sneakers (helps balance the load and protect from hitting the side of the drum).
- Use liquid detergent to wash your running shoes (Powder can stick and cause muck and grime).
- Set to a delicate cycle, cold water, and give it an extra rinse cycle when finished (removes excess soap).
- Take your shoes out the washing machine to dry
- To keep the shape place a cotton towel inside the shoes, where your feet would be.
- Please let your Nike’s dry naturally and out of the sun
- Dryers and hairdryers are not to be used to dry your shoes. They will make the material shrink.
- Similarly, the sun might seem best, but it will drain the colors and can make them lose their shape.
- Enjoy your fresh newly washed Nike
How to hand wash your Nike Shoes
Hand washing your Nike trainers takes a similar route to machine washing, it’s just your the machine this time. Some people like to hand wash to ensure their sneakers do not get ruined, banging against the drum. Some people and I count myself as one, like to give it the personal touch. I like to ensure my sneakers are squeaky clean and cleaned thoroughly.
- Remove your Nike shoes from your feet (Obvious but we have to say it…again).
- Remove insoles and laces, these should be washed in a pillowcase in the washing machine.
- Bang the soles of the shoes to remove any loose and excessive dirt
- Remove remaining loose dirt with a soft toothbrush (not only excellent for cleaning your teeth).
- Mix warm (not hot) with mild liquid detergent and gently wipe any stains away.
- Remove any excess soap with a warmly soaked washcloth.
- A toothbrush and some elbow grease, is the best instrument to maintain, the often white sole of your sneaker.
- Leave to dry at room temperature, out of sunlight, and with a towel inside the shoe, to protect the shape
Summary
Washing your sneakers is a process often thought of as difficult and time-consuming. I hope the simple guide above, demonstrates how easy and quick it can be. Take back your trainers from dirt and get that out of the box, fresh creps feeling back.
If taking care of your sneakers are a top priority, why not check this article, where we discuss how to keeping creases out of your trainers, by Clicking Here