Shoe Cleaning Mistakes: What Ten Sources Say to Avoid

Shoe Cleaning Mistakes: Ten Sources Compared

We read ten sources: Apartment Therapy (quoting Jess Farinha and Lina DaSilva), GoodtoKnow (quoting Will Lankston of Jeeves of Belgravia), Advnture via Yahoo Life (quoting On, Nike, Hoka, Inov-8, Saucony and Vivobarefoot), Reshoevn8r (two pages), W24 (quoting Sneaker LAB’s Cody Felix), VICE (quoting Elevate Your Sole), Harry Rosen (quoting Jason Markk and Kevin Eisenberg), Gear Patrol and the Jason Markk FAQ. The same handful of mistakes come up again and again. Where they disagree, we say so.

Several of these sources sell shoe care products, so their warnings about “wrong products” often point to their own range. None publishes lab tests. We have not tested any of these methods.

Mistake 1: Machine Washing the Wrong Shoes

This is the most disputed mistake. The sources fall into three camps:

General advice: the sources that allow it all add conditions (cold, gentle, a bag, no dryer), and the ones that refuse all cite glue and shape. For a full walkthrough, see our guide to washing shoes in a washing machine.

Mistake 2: Dish Soap, Bleach and Other Wrong Cleaners

Dish soap. Reshoevn8r says dish soap and toothpaste can damage uppers and fade colour. Sneaker LAB’s Cody Felix (via W24) says dish soap can yellow white shoes. Gear Patrol says its chemicals are unpredictable on shoes. Inov-8 (via Advnture) says to skip soap and rinse under cold running water. On the other side, Hoka suggests dye-free detergent or dish soap, and Nike’s method for laces uses dish soap.

Bleach. Apartment Therapy says it can discolour or damage fabric. W24 says avoid bleach, peroxide and other harsh chemicals. VICE (Elevate Your Sole) says harsh chemicals can leave whites yellowed. Harry Rosen quotes Kevin Eisenberg that bleach weakens laces. Nike (via Advnture) brightens white laces in a diluted bleach solution inside a mesh bag.

Toothpaste. Reshoevn8r says it can damage uppers. VICE suggests non-gel white toothpaste on rubber soles, scrubbed lightly and wiped clean. General advice: keep it to soles, away from fabric.

Household cleaners. Harry Rosen says a dedicated cleaner keeps luxury materials intact. Reshoevn8r says to use a dedicated sneaker cleaning solution. General advice: both sell cleaners, so treat that as the brand view, but the warning about unpredictable chemicals on dyed and treated materials is repeated by Gear Patrol, which quotes no outside source.

Oils. VICE says a tiny drop of olive oil can restore leather shine if buffed well and not overused, and lists too much oil on leather as a mistake. Reshoevn8r uses mink oil to bring back suede colour after brushing the nap with a brass brush.

Mistake 3: Drying With Heat

Drying advice is more consistent than washing advice:

• No dryer: Apartment Therapy, GoodtoKnow, W24, Reshoevn8r and Advnture’s On expert all say so. GoodtoKnow adds that heat can warp shoes, weaken glue and shrink them.
• No radiators or fires: Inov-8 says to keep shoes away from radiators, fireplaces and hot summer sun. VICE says to keep suede away from direct heat, which can leave it stiff.
• Air dry in a ventilated spot: Apartment Therapy says out of direct sunlight. Gear Patrol says air dry on a dry towel for at least 24 hours.
• Stuff with newspaper: Hoka and Inov-8 do. Gear Patrol stuffs with towels.

One outlier: Reshoevn8r says to dry all parts evenly, for example in the sun or with fans, so panels do not end up different shades. Apartment Therapy and Inov-8 say to avoid direct sun. General advice: fans and shade are the safe common ground.

Mistake 4: Scrubbing and Skipping the Brush

Scrubbing too hard. Nike’s Emily Shiffer says to avoid rubbing the material because it can wear down shoe fabric. Reshoevn8r says to match the brush to the part: soft for uppers, medium for midsoles, stiff for outsoles. Jason Markk’s FAQ says to use its softer hog-bristle brush on delicate materials such as suede, nubuck and nylon.

Skipping the dry brush. Gear Patrol says skipping dry debris removal lets grit scratch the shoe while you scrub. Harry Rosen says skipping the brush step gives a less thorough clean. Reshoevn8r says brushing first stops dirt being pushed deeper once liquid is added.

Waiting too long. Inov-8 (via Advnture) says to wash shoes as soon as possible after a run. GoodtoKnow says to clean shoes soon after they get dirty.

Mistakes by Material

Suede and nubuck. Gear Patrol says to keep the upper dry, clean only the soles with solution and brush stains with a suede brush. VICE says to blot rather than soak, and to dry naturally. Reshoevn8r says oversaturating a nubuck toe box made the material bleed, and suggests only about two squirts of concentrated cleaner in a bowl of water, a shoe tree inside and a repellent applied to the toe first. Jason Markk says not to clean dyed suede because it is likely to bleed on contact with water, and to test in an inconspicuous area first. Gear Patrol warns against shoe whitener on suede. See our nubuck guide.

Leather. W24 says leather needs a leather care product afterwards to nourish and protect it. VICE says to wipe with a damp cloth and diluted mild soap, then apply conditioner to prevent cracking. See our leather shoe guide and conditioning guide.

Patent leather. Jason Markk says not to use its Repel on sealed or polished leathers such as patent. If applied by accident, wipe it off before it dries.

Heels and flip-flops. Apartment Therapy says they may be better hand-washed, along with shoes with delicate embellishments.

White shoes. The mistakes named are dish soap, bleach and peroxide (W24), harsh chemicals (VICE) and whitener on suede (Gear Patrol). Gear Patrol suggests an overnight detergent soak of about eight hours for dingy whites. See our white shoes guide.

What People Skip: Laces, Protection, Odour and the Label

Four things people leave out, per the sources:

• Laces, insoles and the inside. Reshoevn8r says to clean the laces, interior and outsole too. Apartment Therapy says to remove laces and insoles and wash them separately. VICE says to remove laces and soak them in warm soapy water. See our shoelace guide.
• Protecting new shoes. W24 says to spray a protector before wearing. Harry Rosen says to apply a spray protector before the first wear, after each cleaning and once per season, and quotes Kevin Eisenberg that protection lasts “6-8 months.” Jason Markk says to let its Repel cure at least 24 hours.
• Odour. Harry Rosen suggests socks and a scented dryer sheet overnight. VICE suggests baking soda overnight, dry tea bags or freezing the shoes overnight in a sealed bag.
• The care label. Gear Patrol lists ignoring brand care instructions as a mistake.

Where the Sources Disagree

Machine washing. Apartment Therapy, Gear Patrol and Reshoevn8r allow it with conditions. GoodtoKnow, W24, VICE and On refuse. General advice: follow the maker’s label, and hand wash anything leather, suede, glued or embellished.

Dish soap. Reshoevn8r, W24, Gear Patrol and Inov-8 warn against it. Hoka and Nike use it. General advice: it is a mild option for laces and plain fabric, and a poor one for white leather and suede.

Bleach. Apartment Therapy, W24, VICE and Harry Rosen warn. Nike uses a dilute solution on white laces only. General advice: if at all, keep it to white laces, in a bag, and short.

Sun. Reshoevn8r says sun or fans. Apartment Therapy and Inov-8 say avoid direct sun. General advice: shade and a fan.

Toothpaste. Reshoevn8r warns. VICE uses it on soles. General advice: soles only.

Questions About Shoe Cleaning Mistakes, Answered

“Is it OK to put sneakers in the washing machine?”

It depends on the source and the shoe. Apartment Therapy and Gear Patrol allow it with a cold gentle cycle and a bag, unless the brand says no. GoodtoKnow, W24 and VICE advise against it because of glue and shape. Never for performance shoes (Gear Patrol, On).

“Can dish soap ruin white sneakers?”

Sneaker LAB’s Cody Felix (via W24) says it can yellow them. Reshoevn8r says it can fade colour on uppers.

“Is it bad to use bleach on shoes?”

Apartment Therapy, W24 and VICE say avoid it on the shoe. Nike uses a diluted solution on white laces in a mesh bag.

“Can I put shoes in the dryer?”

No source says yes. Heat can warp shoes, weaken glue and shrink them (GoodtoKnow).

“Why did my suede bleed?”

Jason Markk says dyed suede is likely to bleed on contact with water. Reshoevn8r saw a nubuck toe box bleed after being oversaturated.

“How soon should I clean dirty shoes?”

As soon as you can (Inov-8, GoodtoKnow).

“Do new shoes need protection before wearing?”

W24 and Harry Rosen both say to spray a protector before the first wear.

“Should I stuff shoes with newspaper?”

Hoka and Inov-8 do, to speed drying. Gear Patrol uses towels.

The Mistakes Checklist

• Machine washing leather, suede or glued shoes. Apartment Therapy, GoodtoKnow, W24 and VICE warn.
• Hot water. Apartment Therapy (Farinha) and others warn it can warp shoes or melt glue.
• The tumble dryer. Every source that covers drying warns.
• Bleach and harsh chemicals. Apartment Therapy, W24 and VICE warn.
• Dish soap on white shoes. W24 warns it can yellow them.
• Soaking suede and nubuck. VICE, Gear Patrol, Jason Markk and Reshoevn8r warn.
• Scrubbing fabric hard. Nike warns it wears the fabric.
• Skipping the dry brush. Gear Patrol and Harry Rosen warn.
• Heat and direct sun when drying. Inov-8 and Apartment Therapy warn.
• Ignoring the care label. Gear Patrol warns.

Shoe Care Helpers

A dedicated shoe cleaner kit, a suede kit and a mesh wash bag cover the fixes the sources describe. These are listed on Amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the biggest shoe cleaning mistake?

Machine washing shoes that should be hand cleaned. GoodtoKnow, W24 and VICE warn it can damage glue and shape.

Is it bad to put shoes in the dryer?

Yes. Heat can warp shoes, weaken glue and shrink them (GoodtoKnow, Apartment Therapy, W24).

Can dish soap ruin white shoes?

Sneaker LAB’s Cody Felix says dish soap can yellow white shoes (W24).

Is bleach safe for shoes?

Apartment Therapy, W24 and VICE say avoid it on the shoe. Nike uses a dilute solution on white laces only.

Why should you not soak suede?

Jason Markk says dyed suede is likely to bleed on contact with water, and VICE says to blot rather than soak.

Can you use hot water to clean shoes?

Farinha says hot water can warp shoes or melt the glue (Apartment Therapy).

Should you protect new shoes?

W24 and Harry Rosen both say to spray a protector before the first wear.

What is the safest way to clean most shoes?

Dry brush first, then hand clean with a soft brush, mild soap and cool or warm water, and air dry away from heat.

The Short Version

Check the label, brush first, use mild cleaners and cool water, keep suede nearly dry, and let shoes air dry away from heat and direct sun.

Keep Reading

Sources

• Apartment Therapy: The right way to wash shoes in the washing machine
• GoodtoKnow: Washing machine trainers experts
• Yahoo Life (Advnture): Are you accidentally ruining your running shoes?
• Reshoevn8r: 5 common mistakes when cleaning sneakers
• Reshoevn8r: Cleaning nubuck and suede mistake
• W24: 5 white sneaker cleaning myths
• VICE: How to clean white trainers without ruining them
• Harry Rosen: Expert advice for taking care of your sneakers
• Gear Patrol: The ultimate guide to cleaning your sneakers
• Jason Markk: FAQ