Cleaning the outside of a pair of shoes is second nature. The inside, where the moisture, the sweat and the smell actually are, almost never gets touched. That is where things go wrong: after a bout of athlete's foot, after a second hand purchase, or simply after a wet winter.
Here is the approach we would use, material by material. One thing up front: making footwear sterile at home is not realistic and is not the point. What matters is removing the dirt and the moisture, so the inside stops being a comfortable place for anything to live.
Step 1: take it apart
- š Take the laces out and put them through the wash.
- š Remove the insoles. This is the single most important step, because the foam holds most of the moisture.
- š Knock out loose grit and vacuum the inside with a narrow nozzle if needed.
Step 2: clean by material
| Material | Method | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Textile and mesh trainers | Lukewarm water with a little mild detergent, soft brush, wipe out with a cloth | Do not soak |
| Leather | Damp cloth with a touch of soap, buff dry afterwards | Do not let water soak in |
| Suede and nubuck | Brush dry, spot treat with a suede rubber at most | Never wet it |
| Work and safety boots | Take the lining and insole out where possible | Steel toe caps slow the drying right down |
| Football boots and sports shoes | Clean soon after use, get the grass and clay out | Never leave them in the sun |
Step 3: wash the insoles
Standard foam or textile insoles can be hand washed in a lukewarm soapy solution. Squeeze them out in a towel and dry them flat, never on a radiator, because the foam distorts. Orthotic insoles should only be washed the way your podiatrist tells you. If the insoles are worn out, or the smell returns as soon as they dry, a new set is the cheapest fix there is.
Step 4: the step that decides everything, drying
Cleaning without proper drying is half a job, because you have just made the shoe wetter than it was. In open air that takes a day or two, and there is a fair chance the lining smells musty before it is dry.
- ā Not on a radiator, not with a hairdryer on full heat, and not in a tumble dryer: heat attacks glued seams and leather.
- ā Not in direct sun, which fades and hardens materials.
- ā At room temperature with the insoles out and the shoe opened up.
- ā Or in a shoe dryer, which takes around an hour.
A Shoefresh Opod (ā¬129) blows air at body temperature through the shoe and adds ozone, which tackles odour and dirt in the lining. The Opod Detect (ā¬179) measures when the shoe is actually dry and stops by itself, and the Opod Mini (ā¬79) suits smaller sizes. If you want drying only, without ozone, the ShoeDry Airo is a cheaper timer-based option.
We would skip dryers built around a UV lamp. UV only reaches the surfaces the light falls on directly, which inside a shoe is a fraction of the area, and on badly made devices UV is a real risk to eyes and skin.
Special cases
Second hand shoes
For a pair from Vinted or a charity shop: replace the laces, replace the insoles, clean the lining and then dry the shoes thoroughly. In practice that is enough to start with a clean slate.
After athlete's foot
Treat your feet the way your pharmacist or GP advises, and at the same time deal with the shoes you wore most during that period. Then keep rotating and drying them. More on that in athlete's foot and your shoes.
Mould spots on leather after damp storage
A green or white bloom on leather that has been in a cellar or a sealed box: wipe it off with a slightly damp cloth, let it air outside, then store it dry and ventilated. Never keep leather in a plastic bag.
What not to do
- ā Bleach or harsh disinfectants inside the shoe. They attack glue, textile and leather, and the smell lingers.
- ā Pouring boiling water into a shoe.
- ā Using half a can of deodorising spray instead of cleaning. Spray is a temporary layer on top of a dry shoe, not a replacement for one. See our guide to shoe sprays and deodorisers.
How often?
For everyday shoes: a proper clean with the insoles out about once a month, and drying them regularly. For sports shoes: dry them after every wet or sweaty session, and clean them monthly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I disinfect shoes in the washing machine? Some textile trainers can take a cold, short cycle in a laundry bag. Leather, suede, work boots and heavily glued shoes cannot. See shoes in the washing machine.
Does vinegar work? Vinegar neutralises some odour but does not really clean, and it leaves a smell of its own. Mild soapy water plus proper drying works better.
Does the freezer help? It makes odour less noticeable for a while, but the shoe comes out damp and still needs drying.
Is ozone safe for my shoes? Inside a closed appliance at the dose it is designed for, yes, and we have used it on all common materials for years. What you should not do is point a room ozone generator at your footwear.
Do I need new insoles after athlete's foot? Not strictly, but it is the cheapest way to start clean, especially if the insoles are already flat or worn.