Is it O.K. to wash your shoes in the washing machine?

Question

I went with my dad to his friends house last weekend, and there was a lot of mud. Now my shoes are covered with mud, I was thinking of washing them in the washer, but i'm afraid that the washer might get broken, or that my shoes will get messed up.

Answer 1

Hopefully they are tennis shoes correct?

I have had lots of luck washing tennis shoes!!  Wash them alone, open the tongue of the shoes open wide with the laces loose. Wash them in hot water and detergent. Let them dry in the sun, or I put mine on the fireplace hearth. It should take approximately 8 to 10 hours for them to dry naturally. They should come out great! Good luck.

If you are talking about leather shoes...use a wet cloth with a mild dish detergent. There is also special oils/polishes you can buy from a shoe repair business that will clean and re-soften leather.  

Answer 2

The washer will be okay. Just be careful if you have insoles in your shoes- they can be drawn out by the washing machine, and they never sit properly in shoes again once they have been out. They tend to slide and shift.

Answer 3

only if their sneakers and preferably not leather.  don't put them in the dryer though; they'll shrink, set them in the sun

Answer 4

brush off the mud first