Can You Put New Balance Shoes in the Washing Machine? (It Depends…)
New Balance shoes are famous for their classic design, comfort and sturdiness. Sometimes your shoes get sweaty, and the dirt gets clogged in their soles treads and the mesh. At this stage, it’s a good idea to clean them.
So, can you put new balance shoes in the washing machine? The answer is both Yes and No. It depends on the model of New Balance shoes which you would like to wash. Most New Balance are high-tech trainers with leather or suede overlays and have support structures inside the wall as in New Balance 990 or 515. So, you should use suede or leather cleaner to remove the dirt and crinkles from such models of New Balance shoes. When your New Balance shoes smell stinky, use a mild liquid detergent with water and a damp cloth or a nylon brush to clean them.
Also Read: Do New Balance Run Big or Small
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Can I Put New Balance 1080 Running Shoes in Washing Machine?
You can take the risk of putting New Balance 1080 shoes in the washing machine as they are 100% textile mesh and don’t have leather or suede overlays. Furthermore, they don’t have any structural system inside the walls that can be damaged due to tossing up in a machine. So, you can wash such New Balance shoes with a similar design.
However, make sure that your washing machine has a cold setting and no spin option. I would highly recommend that you dry them by letting them air dry. Don’t put them in the dryer as it would peel away the material of EVA midsole, and outer soles would get a deep gouge.
Can You Put New Balance Shoes in the Dryer?
No, you should not put any model of New Balance shoes or any other sneakers in the dryer. The spinning motion of dryer will squeeze and mess up the soles of your shoes. Furthermore, the heat of the dryer would cause the material to warp and change the shape of your New Balance athletic shoes.
Why Should You Not Put New Balance Shoes in the Washing Machine?
Putting the pair of the running shoes like New Balance in the washing machine is inappropriate for both shoes and washing machine.
The washing machine can damage the rubber soles and the foam midsole of New Balance shoes with too much agitation. The detergent solution can seep into the midsole, causing it to deteriorate and losing its cushioning. In addition, the washing machine will bounce them up and down. This will cause the midsole foam to lose its strength and springiness due to repeated forces inside the washer.
Furthermore, New Balance shoes have some support structure systems embedded in the midfoot. Putting them in the washing machine will ruin the support structure inside the walls by tossing them at high speed.
What is the Suggested Cleaning Method to Wash New Balance Shoes?
If you don’t want to risk your New Balance shoe life by putting them in a washing machine, and they are drenched in mud, you can follow these steps to wash your New Balance shoes and make them new.
- Take out the laces and insoles (luckily, insoles of New Balance shoes are removable)
- Put laces and insoles in a pillow cover, having a mesh surface.
- Wash them with cold water and mild detergent in the washing machine
- Let laces and insole dry in the sunlight.
- To wash New Balance shoes, make a solution of a liquid washer or a mild detergent and cold water in a bucket.
- Put your shoes in the solution, and clean them gently with a soft, bristle brush.
- After that, stuff the newspaper inside New Balance shoes, and place them in a dry place. The newspaper will absorb all the moisture from the shoes, avoid any show odor and help them to dry out quickly.
Pro Tip: You can also use a magic eraser to clean the hard parts of your shoes. It works well on the outsole most of the time to remove stubborn stains.
Recommended Products to Clean New Balance Shoes
After asking several wearers of New Balance shoes in my social circle, here are the recommended products that people usually use to clean them.
