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[Havell]

OK guys, here's my situation.

I went to a festival recently, due to all the rain we've been having recently, my shoes ended up fairly muddy. The actual mud on the shoes has come off due to general walking through puddles and it drying out and falling off and such things over time. However, the shoes are still distinctly grubby and theis isn't donig their coolness potential any good.

I'm thinking of putting them in the washing machine to clean them. I then plan to leave them in an airing cupboard to dry, since tumble drying things can actually do a lot of damage (seriously, never put a bra in a dryer (it warps)).

I'm planning on washing them at 30C for about a 10-20 minute cycle (telling the machine that it's a half-load). I'm also taking the laces out so they don't get tangled up in the machine or anything, maybe I'll find some way of washing them separately.

Any advice or alternate ways of washing shoes?

Btw, my shoes are Vans Churchills and look quite a lot like this (same colour and everything). My camera has gone walkies so I can't post pics of the actual shoes, I will if i find it though.

[_r.u.s.s.]

i have ones made exactly from same material (not the desing=S) but i dont know about the washing-mashine idea. there is a special spray for material like that, you can just go ask in local store and im sure they will know what you need

[Havell]

In a flash of inspiration I tried to clean them with baby wipes. They work brilliantly on the smooth white leather parts of the shoe, on the sides and at the toe. They're not so effective on the edges of the sole, as it's heavily textured and I can't get into the grooves where most of the dirt is. I tried using it on the green bits, and I was taking off quite a lot of mud (judging from the colour of the wipe after a bit of scrubing) but I stopped as I thought I saw a hint of green in in what I was wiping off, and taking the dye out is what I fear most in the washing process.

I'll try using a wet cloth on the sides of the sole. That should work.

EDIT: Ah ha, I was just googling around I found a piece of advice suggesting that I wrap the shoes in towels to prevent damage and set the water temperature to cold in order to protect the dyes.

The wet cloth worked quite well on the edges of the sole, btw, but not realy well (still not white) and the tongue of the shoe is a big mass of fabric and foam impregnated with mud, I don't think that any sort of scrubbing will sort that out. It's time to bite the bullet I guess.

[_r.u.s.s.]

the spray :P

[chumloofah]

Pretty sure the washing machine's the way forward.
Friend of mine machine washed his vans after a wade up a stream...
Good as new!

[Lulu_Jane]

I agree, just make sure they dry properly before you wear them again otherwise they'll end up smelling to high heaven

[STFM]

dont use the spin cycle though as you can damage the machine

[airsoftsnake]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(STFM @ Aug 13 2007, 12:20 AM) [snapback]304369[/snapback]</div>

dont use the spin cycle though as you can damage the machine
[/b]

I think it's more of a question of breaking your washing machine than your shoes...

I would do like someone else suggested, put them in a towel...

However, I usually wash my shoes with a pressure water gun if they are as grimmy as you suggest...

[Icewolf]

They'll be very clean no doubt but some shoes get out of shape depending on quality and durability of the shoes.
Be sure to have a shoe tree ready and put 'em in while drying them. k:

[Morrin]

You could ask from some washing service