A good pair of durable, comfy throwing shoes can be expensive, and if you use them as much as you can, they will probably get dirty quickly.
When it comes to keeping your throwing shoes looking good, you should always wash them properly. But it can be a pain to wash them, and it’s important to keep them in good shape, so you can keep using them. That is why you need to know how to wash throwing shoes.
Before I tell you how to wash your throwing shoes, it’s important to know why they smell.
Why Do Our Throwing Shoes Smell?
A few things could be making your shoes smell funky, but the most obvious is that you’ve worn them a lot. If you don’t give your shoes enough time to dry out, they’ll start to smell bad from the sweat on your feet. Try to switch between a few pairs so that your favorites can get enough air.
Shoes can also smell if you don’t wear socks (which help absorb sweat), have a fungus-like athlete’s foot, or don’t have enough airflow. If you’ve noticed that your shoes often smell bad, the materials they’re made of could be to blame. Some materials, like leather, don’t let your feet breathe and can trap sweat that makes your feet smell.
How To Wash Throwing Shoes
If your throwing shoes are washer friendly and you want to know how to wash them, then follow the steps below. There are two steps you can wash your throwing shoes:
- In the washing machine.
- With the help of your hand.
How to Wash Your Throwing Shoes in The Washing Machine
Step 1: Check The Material
It is important to check the shoe material and manufacturer’s instructions before you wash your throwing shoes. If your throwing shoes are made of vinyl, suede, or real leather, it’s not safe to put them in the washer. Washer friendly shoes are made with canvas, pleather (fake leather), rubber, plastic, and knit.
Step 2: Removing laces or insoles
If you don’t want your shoelaces to get tangled, take them off and put them in a separate bag or pillowcase before putting them in the washer. But you should wash your insoles by hand. Take them out and wash them in a mixture of warm water and detergent to get rid of stains and smells. Let them fully dry out in the air before putting them back where they belong. You can also use Sof Sole Instant Cleaner Foaming Stain Remover to clean your insole.
Step 3: If needed, Clean Your Shoes Beforehand
If your shoelaces and insoles are very dirty, give them a good wash before you go. You can scrub away the extra dirt and grime with detergent and a soft brush. Footwearguru will recommend you to use the Swash by Whirlpool, Liquid Laundry Detergent. You will love the concept of the easy squeeze feature, which is the primary reason why you will buy it (in addition to the Whirlpool name).
Step 4: Shoes in a mesh bag
The last thing you want is for your shoes to tumble all over in the washing machine. Putting your kicks in a bag helps keep them from getting damaged and lets you clean them safely with other items of clothing. In that case you can use Gogooda Mesh Laundry Bags.
Step 5: Make Sure Your Washer is Set to Delicate, Cold Water
Hot water could change the shape of your shoes and make the colors fade. So, the best way to wash your shoes is with cold water and a slow spin speed or no spin at all. This keeps your shoes from getting scratched up in the washing machine and gives them a better wash all around.
Step 6: Dry Them By Air
If you don’t have a dryer rack, you shouldn’t use a dryer because the heat and tumbling can damage or warp your shoes. Footwear suggests “wrapping your shoes in old towels” and setting your dryer to “delicate or air fluff” if you need to dry quickly. This makes them dry faster and keeps them from getting hurt. Please keep in mind that your shoes may take longer than 24 hours to dry. To speed up the drying process, put a piece of cloth or a few paper towels in your throwing shoes to soak up any extra water.
How To wash Your Throwing Shoes By Hand
Not sure if you should put your expensive shoes in the washing machine? There is also an easy way to wash them by hand. Put some laundry detergent and warm water in your sink, and then soak your shoes. Reddit users say that using a toothbrush can help get rid of any built-up dirt. Then, when they look really clean, put them outside to dry in the air.
At the same time, there are different ways to clean different materials. For example, suede footwear should have as little moisture as feasible. The easiest way to clean these types, according to Hyam, is using a suede brush ($7) or an eraser. The brush’s bristles are designed to remove dirt, wet spots, and scuff marks without altering the shoe’s natural form.
“To remove a stain with the suede brush, gently brush the suede in different directions until the stain is gone,” says Hyam. “Once it looks the way you want, brush all the suede back in the same direction to keep the nap of the material.”
How To Wash Throwing Shoes- FAQS
In most cases, throwing shoes can be washed in a washing machine. Canvas, pleather (fake leather), rubber, plastic, knit are all machine washable.
You can use dishwashing soap, warm water, an old toothbrush, and paper towels. Also, You can use a dry paper towel to wipe the fabric down to get rid of any loose dirt on the surface.
If you’re wondering if you can clean your white shoes, the answer is yes, and baking soda is your secret weapon.
It’s up to you. However, Footwearguru will not recommend it to you. It can damage your valuable shoes.
Last Words
If you know how to wash your throwing shoes the right way, you can keep each pair for a long time. If you clean and take care of your shoes regularly, you won’t have to buy a new pair every year or every season. As a result, they will be ready to go when you are there.