How I killed my shoes with laundry detergent

Let me set the scene: It was a sunny Saturday morning, and I was feeling productive — the kind of mood where you decide to deep-clean everything you've ever owned. Clothes? Washed. Sheets? Fresh. Dishes? Sparkling. Then my eyes landed on them-my beloved sneakers. Muddy, tired, and clearly victims of my daily life choices.

“They just need a little scrub,” I told myself.

1. The Messy Beginning

Instead of looking up a proper method, I went rogue. I didn’t think too much. I just thought, “Let me toss these in the washing machine with some laundry detergent. That should clean them up.”

At first, it sounded like a great idea. It’s just soap and water, right?

2. The Washing Machine Disaster

So, I poured in the detergent, set the machine to a normal cycle, and waited.

When the machine stopped, I was excited. I opened the door and pulled my sneakers out.

And then... I froze.

3. The Aftermath

When I pulled them out the next day, my shoes had transformed — but not in a good way.

• The fabric? Brittle and faded, like they’d just returned from war.

• The soles? Warped, with weird squeaky air pockets that made every step sound like a clown horn.

• Worst of all? They smelled like soap mixed with rubber. Not a good combo.

I was in shock. I didn’t think laundry detergent could do that. But now I know—some shoes are not made for washing machines. And laundry detergent can fade the color of your shoes and mess up the fabric and glue.

4. Avoid my mistake: do this instead

4.1. Washing machine edition:

After my little laundry mishap, I decided to actually look up the right way to clean sneakers. Turns out, there’s a proper method that keeps your kicks looking fresh without ruining them. Here’s what I learned:

a. Prep the sneakers first: Before anything goes in the washer, always remove the laces and insoles. And remember to wash them separately , so the shoes get cleaned thoroughly.

b. Use a shoe laundry bag: When you’re going to machine-wash your sneakers, a shoe washer bag is a must. It protects your shoes from banging around the drum and helps them keep their shape.

c. Use laundry cubes: Instead of using a detergent, I should have gone with shoe laundry cubes. They're made for the washing machine, dissolve easily, and clean gently without damaging your shoes. These powerful cubes tackle dirt, debris, and stubborn odors, ensuring your shoes look and smell fresh.

d. Skip the dryer: After the wash, let your shoes air dry. The heat from a dryer can warp them or mess with the glue. 

4.2. Hand cleaning edition:

After I completely messed up my sneakers, I decided to do some digging into finding the best ways to clean shoes. And after that, I also realized that we don’t actually need to throw them in the washing machine every time. It’s only necessary when the shoes are really dirty and need a deep clean—especially the insoles. That’s when I started looking into other cleaning methods, and here’s what I found:

a. Get a shoe cleaning kit: Instead of just using random soap and water, a good shoe cleaning kit can seriously make a difference. You can go ahead with the SHOEGR Shoe Cleaning Kit and the cleaning solution is not harmful for the shoe material. It comes with:

• Cleaner Solution
• Microfiber Towel
• Soft Brush
• Medium Brush
• Hard Brush

It’s everything you need to properly clean and care for your shoes.

b. Take your time with the details: Remove the laces and insoles before cleaning. Scrub them separately or soak them if needed. It helps get rid of odors and prevents buildup in hard-to-reach spots. A little patience goes a long way.

c. Let them air dry: Once your shoes are clean, pat them dry with the microfiber towel and let them air dry. Don’t use a hair dryer or direct heat.

The bright side

I may have lost a pair of sneakers, but I gained a valuable lesson (and a good excuse to buy new ones). Plus, now I know that just because something can be cleaned with laundry detergent doesn’t mean it should be.

So next time you're tempted to toss your shoes into a bucket of suds, think of me.