In a world where comfort is the new fashion, slides can easily steal the top-tier position for favorite footwear. It’s soft, breathable, unisex, and doesn’t pinch to wear.
The dilemma arises when it comes to the procedure of its cleaning. Is it as easy to clean as it is to wear? Can you just toss the slides in a washer and forget about it? Let’s find out.
Can you put slides in the washer?
You can certainly put slides in the washer depending on the material. Slides are materialistically made of rubber and washable in a washer. But you can’t really toss the pairs and forget about it. You must separate the soles, set the correct configuration, and be careful about the instructions.
Slides that are made of leather or suede are sensitive to water and are not recommended for washers in case of cleaning.
You must always put the slides in a mesh laundry bag and make sure they are properly sealed. Your remissness may ruin your slides and the washer.
Different brands use different materials for their slides. Let’s find out your favorite brands can be put in the washer or not.
Yeezy slides:
Sadly, Yeezy slides are made with foam material. Foam and water are not particularly the best pair. So, putting them in the washer is not the best option for your expensive slides.
However, if you run out of time and choice, and you must put it in the washer, insert the slides in a garment bag separately and run them in cold water only.
Nike slides:
Nike slides are not as sensitive as Yeezy and can be put in the washer. However, reasonable discretion is mandatory here too.
You must separate the laces, and soles to hand wash them. For extra caution put the slides in a lingerie bag. Set the washer on delicate mode and select cold water only.
Adidas slides:
You must check the material the slides are built in. if Adidas used a knit fabric, hand wash is ideal. For other materials, you can take the help of the washer. For Adidas slides, warm water is ideal.
For the best result, wash them twice in gentle cycle mode. Use half the amount of detergent that you use for regular cloth wash. The excessive corrosive powder may discolor the slides.
UGG slides:
UGG slides are known for their fluffy, comfortable exterior. But that wooly texture is not waterproof so it can’t be run through the water.
The materials used in UGG slides are either sheepskin or lather which are not ideal for water-washing. Even when you purchase the product, you can see in the manual how strictly they prohibit throwing the pairs in the washer.
Gucci slides:
The good news is Gucci slides are simply made of rubber. Rubber is the easiest material to clean and yes, it is washer safe. The settings must the on delicate mode. Since the design and coloring are sensitive, it is wise to run cold water.
Kappa slides:
Kappa slides are made of nylon and they are durable and fashionable. It can be easily put into the washing machine.
You can add half a cup of vinegar to detach that unflattering odor from the slides. Make sure to select the hand wash mode is selected while washing.
Is it safe?
In general, how safe it is to put in the washer depends on the material the slides are made of. Rubber, leather, plastic, nylon, and foam are some common materials for slides.
If the product is made from rubber, plastic, or nylon, you can safely wash them in a washer and save yourself from some trouble. When it is formed in foam, it is not advisable to toss them in the washer.
The most crucial safety issue rises in leather or suede slides. You can, in no way, put them in the washer. Leather and wool are genuinely not waterproof materials and not safe for washers and slides.
The slides may damage the drum. For this, you should put the slides in a washing bag or pillowcase. So, depending on the product material you can easily identify whether the slides are safe for the washer and the slides themselves.
Will putting shoes in the washing machine break it?
It is highly unlikely to cause damage to the machine by putting slides in them for washing. Washers are nowadays very durable and turbulence tolerant. To avoid tumbling inside the drum, the slides must be put inside a laundry or lingerie bag.
You can easily DIY a bag using an old t-shirt. For extra caution, you can stuff some old clothes and towels inside the bag so the edgy part doesn’t hit the drum and damage it.
For the safety of the washer, do not use the spin mode while cleaning the slides. It will cause unnecessary turbulence and tumbling. Also, before putting the slides inside, dust the slides to remove the extra dirt, mud, and stones, if any.
Those may clog the machine pipes and wreck the washer. And, remove laces, metal spikes, or anything that has a chance to get stuck in the washer.
10 reasons why you should not put slides in the washer.
While opting for a washer for the slides cleaning is the easier option, you should not make this a habit. Here’s why_
Lose glue:
Regular washing can lose the glue off the slides. The top part may come off easily without the requisite glue.
Loosen elasticity:
Excess water loosens the elasticity of the slides. It may cause misshaping of the pairs.
Fragile materials will ruin:
Materials like leather, suede, and wool are sensitive and not waterproof. Washing them in a washer is saying the slides goodbye.
Damaged washer:
Slides are usually very hard, rigid, and unbendable. The tumble can damage the wash drum without precaution. Old model machines are not durable enough to take such a load.
Power Consuming:
One round of washing takes a lot of time and is also power consuming. It’s not like you can throw the slides with the rest of your laundry. You can save water, time, and energy easily if you hand wash them.
Discolor:
Slides usually come with printed patterns and designs. Too much water and detergent can discolor the designs.
Will not always remove odor:
The washing machine doesn’t always guarantee the removal of odor and smell. Most of the time the pungent smell is not removed by the washer.
Will not remove stains:
A washer also doesn’t remove any stubborn stains on the sliders. Those can only be removed by hand washing.
Extra arrangements:
You need to procure extra materials like a mesh laundry bag, liquid detergent, and pillowcases. It is really not worth so much trouble.
Extra hassle:
Removing and again inserting the shoelaces or metal spikes seems like an extra, unnecessary task.
How do I clean my slides?
You may wonder whether there is any easier way to clean the slides. Follow how I clean my favorite pairs to learn the effortless cleaning.
When the slides are made of rubber or plastic material:
- Rinse the slides in water to remove the excess dirt and mud.
- Next, I fill a tub big enough to fit the slides with lukewarm water. Then, add a teeny-tiny amount of dishwashing soap. You can also add vinegar to remove any odor.
- I let the slides soak upside down for at least 20-30 minutes.
- By removing the slides from the soapy water, I then rinse them again to dust off the slippery soap.
- Give them a good shake to remove the extra water and leave them to dry for 4-5 minutes.
- With a help of a microfiber cloth, I gently rub the surface and wash off the excess water.
- Lastly, I use a colorless shoe shiner to add some spark to my slides.
When the slides are made of leather or suede material:
- Firstly, I dampen a cotton cloth or rug.
- Then, add a few drops of dishwashing soap and lather them until the cloth becomes bubbly and I can feel them between my fingers.
- Now, I spread the cloth over the leather slides without rubbing it too hard.
- I gently clean the surface in a circular motion to get access to all spots.
- After that, I dampen another cloth, without any soap, to clean the soapy texture.
- With a microfiber wash towel, I clean the excess, remaining moisture. I always ensure that my leather slides are dried completely.
- After washing, I recondition the leather. It helps me to keep the material fresh and durable.
Final Thoughts:
Slides can be put in the washer when cleansing is needed. Since slides don’t really require much attention and care, you should really not go for the easier way and opt for the hand wash method. You should require the help of a washer only in emergency and urgency, not out of habit.