Your trainers have gone grey, the insides smell sour, and half the internet says the washing machine is fine while the other half says it will ruin them. Both are partly right. It depends on the material, the cycle you pick and, above all, what happens next. Most of the damage is done during drying, not in the drum.
Here is what is safe, what is not, and how to get your trainers clean and actually fresh again.
Which trainers can go in the washing machine?
- ✅ Mesh, knit and canvas uppers: usually fine on a cold, short cycle.
- ✅ Synthetic uppers and faux leather: fine, as long as the sole is firmly attached.
- ❌ Real leather, nubuck and suede: never. They dry out, stiffen and discolour.
- ❌ Any pair with a sole that is starting to peel away: water and tumbling will finish the job.
- ❌ Cushioned running shoes and air or gel units: check the manufacturer's guidance first.
If you are not sure, wash them by hand. Lukewarm water, a drop of liquid detergent and a soft brush gets you close to a machine wash with none of the risk.
Looking for the wider picture on footwear in the drum? See shoes in the washing machine.
Step by step
- Remove the laces and insoles. Laces can go in a mesh bag with the shoes. Insoles should not: the drum flattens the cushioning and warps the shape. Wipe them with a damp cloth and air them separately.
- Knock off the loose dirt. Mud and grit belong nowhere near your pump. Brush the outsole dry, grooves included.
- Put the trainers in a laundry bag or pillowcase. It protects the machine and stops the shoes hammering against the glass.
- Add two or three towels. They cushion the load and keep the drum balanced.
- Choose a cold, short cycle. 30°C or colder, delicates or a sports programme, spin no higher than 600 rpm.
- Use a small amount of liquid detergent. Powder leaves white residue in the fabric. Skip fabric conditioner, which coats the fibres and traps moisture.
- No bleach. It turns white midsoles yellow over time rather than whiter.
Never use the tumble dryer
This is where trainers die. Heat plus tumbling breaks the bond between sole and upper, shrinks the foam midsole and pulls the shoe out of shape. A pair that has been through the dryer a few times starts to feel loose and rattly.
The opposite extreme is no better. A radiator or direct sunshine dries the outside far faster than the inside, so leather and textile harden and the shoe curls.
What trainers actually need is plenty of moving air at a mild temperature, working from the inside out.
Drying trainers properly
- Stuff them with paper. Newspaper or kitchen roll pulls moisture out and holds the shape. Swap it after a few hours, or it becomes a damp sponge itself.
- Stand them at an angle, opening upwards, somewhere with air movement rather than in a closed cupboard.
- Add airflow. An ordinary fan on its lowest setting makes a big difference.
- Or use a shoe dryer. It pushes air at roughly body temperature through the shoe, including the heel and toe box where air never normally reaches. That turns a two-day wait into about an hour.
If you want to know what to look for in one, read the complete guide to shoe dryers or the piece on electric shoe dryers and what they cost to run.
A word of caution on dryers advertised with uv lamps. Ordinary led lights do nothing to odour or micro-organisms, and genuine uv-c light does not belong in a device you open and close at home. Airflow with an ozone cycle is the safer choice.
Clean is not the same as fresh
A wash deals with the outside. The smell lives in the lining and the insole, where sweat has soaked in. As soon as those warm up and get damp again, the smell is back. That is why freshly washed trainers can turn sour after two days of wear.
Two things fix it properly:
- Keep them dry. Bacteria and fungi need moisture. Let trainers dry out fully after sport or rain before you wear them again, and rotate between two pairs.
- Treat the inside. A shoe dryer with an ozone cycle, such as the Shoefresh Opod, moves air through the shoe and tackles the bacteria and fungi behind the smell. The Opod is €129 (black €139) and the Opod Detect with its moisture sensor is €179. A refurbished Opod starts at €119.95, and the Opod Mini for travel is €79. On a tighter budget, the ShoeDry Airo sits around €50 and uses ionisation, but it has no programmes, no heel drying and no automatic start.
A shoe deodoriser such as Shoefresh Perfume (€24.95) freshens things up between wears, but it is a top-up rather than a solution. More on that in the guide to smelly shoes.
By material
| Material | Machine wash | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Mesh and knit | Yes, cold and short | Laundry bag, minimal liquid detergent |
| Canvas | Yes | Pre-treat stains with a soft brush |
| Synthetic leather | Yes, gently | Wipe dry straight away, dry slowly |
| Real leather | No | Damp cloth, then conditioner or polish |
| Nubuck and suede | No | Dry suede brush and an eraser, no water |
| Cushioned running shoes | Only if the brand allows it | Hand washing keeps the midsole intact |
Getting white midsoles white again
The machine does very little for rubber. Mix water with a little bicarbonate of soda into a paste, work it into the sole with an old toothbrush, leave it for ten minutes and wipe it off. Yellowing caused by drying white trainers in the sun is usually permanent, so dry them in the shade.
Frequently asked questions
Can you wash trainers in the washing machine? Mesh, knit, canvas and synthetic pairs usually can, on a cold short cycle in a laundry bag at no more than 600 rpm. Leather, nubuck, suede and shoes with a lifting sole cannot.
What cycle should I use to wash trainers? Delicates or a sports programme at 30°C or colder, short duration, low spin. Liquid detergent, no fabric conditioner.
Can trainers go in the tumble dryer? No. Heat and tumbling loosen the glued seams and shrink the cushioning. Dry them with airflow at room temperature or in a shoe dryer.
How long do washed trainers take to dry? One to two days in open air with paper inside, depending on the material and the room. Around an hour in a shoe dryer.
Should I wash the insoles too? Not in the machine. Wipe them with a damp cloth and a little detergent and air them separately so the cushioning and shape survive.
Why do my trainers still smell after washing? Because the sweat is in the lining and insole, and the odour returns as soon as they get warm and damp. Dry them completely and treat the inside, for example with a shoe dryer that runs an ozone cycle.
Wash smart, dry slowly, keep the inside dry. Your trainers will look better for longer and smell like it too. Ready for a fresh start!