after running under the rain for 30 minutes my white sneakers had a foul stench. I tried disinfectant and washing them with soap and water and lots of rubbing and sunlight to dry.
While that got rid of most of the smell, my white sneakers are now brownish, specially around the shoelaces.
I’ve never washed sneakers in the washing machine. Am I going to ruin them?
As a stinky feet-haver, I opt to buy a couple pairs of the same cheap shoes and toss them once the smell starts. There’s just no going back, in my experience.
That seems incredibly wasteful, have you tried like baking soda or something?
I should have clarified that the ones I get are about $15 a pair and last me 6 months. But yes, I’ve tried everything, baking soda, vinegar, freezing them, washing and drying - even if it works initially the smell comes back within days.
No, your sneakers are most likely to be okay but I wouldn’t be so sure about the washing machine. I’m also unsure it would be effective in removing the brown stains.
My recommendation would be let them soak for a day in water with a bit of laundy powder + laundry enzime solution ( Vanish, Sard or whatever brand is sold in your corner of the world). Remove the laces and the inside of the soles if they’re a separate part. Then the next day gently brush the stained areas.
I bought a mesh sneaker bag from Amazon that is designed to keep them safe in the wash and it seems to do the trick each time. Just be sure to take out in the insole before washing.
I damaged a few insoles, so maybe take care of them separatly.
I think general advice is to remove insoles and shoelaces. Choose a program that keeps spinning to a minimum. And put something else in so they don’t spin around like crazy. And dry them slowly, stuffed with old newspapers.
I occasionally wash them. I also put in a few dirty rags or something. Seems fine, but I haven’t done it frequently.
Have you checked the maker’s site?
