Can On Cloud shoes be washed in a washing machine? On's own answer is no. The company says it never recommends putting running shoes in the washing machine or the tumble dryer, because heat and detergent together can damage the seams and the bonding that hold the shoe together. Wash them by hand instead, and air dry them at room temperature.
That answer covers the Cloud 5, the Cloud 6, the Cloudmonster and the rest of the running line, since On's statement is about running shoes in general rather than one model. SneakerSalt is not affiliated with On or with any other brand named on this page.
What On says, word for word
The quote comes from On's article on washing running shoes, attributed to Adam Godfrey: "We never recommend putting dirty running shoes in the washing machine – or the tumble dryer."
The reason he gives is specific. "The combination of sustained heat and detergent exposure can damage seams, shoe bondings and the overall integrity" of the shoe. For drying, On adds: "Avoid direct heat sources like radiators to dry your shoes", because heat can make the materials "warp or lose shape".
Notice what On is not worried about. It does not say water ruins the mesh; its own hand method uses a basin of warm water. The problem is sustained warmth and detergent working on the glue lines and stitching.
Why the drum is hard on this particular shoe
An On Cloud is several parts held together. On lists the Cloud 6 family as a polyester engineered mesh upper, a Helion superfoam midsole with CloudTec, and rubber outsole pods or grip. Each join between those layers is a seam or a bond, which is exactly what On names as the weak point.
- The bonds. Upper to midsole, midsole to the rubber pods. Other makers say the same thing in different words: Scott Sports says temperature and laundry detergent damage the bond between sole and upper.
- The spin. Brooks warns that a washer's spin cycle can degrade the material of a running shoe, and rules out even the hand-wash setting.
- The heat. A warm wash followed by a tumble dry is the "sustained heat" On describes. Even a cold wash tends to end with someone reaching for the dryer.
A pair can come out of one wash looking fine. That says little, because the damage On describes is to seams and bondings, which you do not see on the day.
What other shoe makers say about the washer
People ask about On partly because some knit shoes really are sold as machine washable. The makers do not agree, and it helps to see where On sits.
| Maker | Washing machine? | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| On | No | Never the washer, never the tumble dryer. |
| Brooks | No | "Do not, we repeat, do not machine wash or dry your shoes", hand-wash setting included. |
| ASICS | No | "Do not use a washing machine or dryer." An ASICS UK tips page from 2020 says a cold cycle "will probably not do too much harm". |
| Hoka | No | Its FAQ rules out the machine. Its care guide has a last-resort spin-cycle tip for drying a pair fast. |
| Allbirds | Yes | Cold, gentle cycle, in a delicates bag or pillowcase, no dryer. |
| Rothy's | Yes, most styles | Cold, delicate cycle, mild detergent, air dry. |
The two that say yes publish a washer method for their own shoes. On publishes none for its running shoes, so the honest reading is the plain one: not in the machine.
Does a mesh bag or a cold cycle make it safe?
No source we know of has tested whether a laundry bag protects a shoe's glue. Allbirds uses a bag for its own washable pairs, but that is a maker approving its own shoes, not proof that a bag makes any shoe safe. A cold, gentle cycle takes away the heat but still leaves the detergent exposure and the tumbling. On makes no exception for either. The same goes for the waterproof Clouds: nothing we have seen from On carves them out, though the label is worth a look.
Already washed them? Do this now
- Take the insoles out. They hold water. Stand them up separately to dry.
- Do not put them in the dryer. On rules it out, and a hot drum is the second half of the problem.
- Stuff them with paper. It holds the shape and pulls moisture out. Swap it when it gets soggy.
- Room temperature, good airflow. Not on a radiator, not in front of a heater. Nike puts air drying at eight hours or more for many shoes, so leave them overnight at the very least.
- Check the joins once dry. Look along the edge where the upper meets the midsole and around the pods. If anything has lifted, stop washing that pair in the machine before it gets worse.
How to wash On Clouds by hand instead
On's own method is the alternative, and it needs no machine: laces and insoles out, a basin of warm water with a mild detergent for the upper, nothing abrasive on the fabric, a baking soda and water paste for dirty outsoles, then air dry stuffed with paper. Our mesh and knit guide covers the technique for the upper fabric.
For the everyday kind of dirty, you can skip the basin. A no-rinse foam such as SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam goes on the mesh and the foam midsole: two pumps over the dirty area, ten seconds, then a dry cloth. Mesh is rated Excellent on our tested list, and on a foam midsole it lifts surface grime. No water goes into the shoe, so there is nothing to dry. The rubber pods take it too, since rubber is rated Excellent; brush the grit out of the gaps first, or use On's baking soda paste there.
For the broader question of sneakers and washers, our washing machine guide has the full picture.
Questions people actually ask
Can I throw my Nike running shoes in the washer?
Nike's own answer is that it "does not recommend washing shoes in the washing machine". Laces are its one exception: a gentle cycle in a mesh bag, then air dry.
Is it better to wash shoes by hand or in the washer?
For On, Brooks, ASICS and Hoka, by hand, because that is what each of them says. For shoes their maker sells as washable, such as most Rothy's and Allbirds, follow the maker's washer method.
Is Dawn dish soap good for cleaning On Clouds?
A small amount in warm water does the job of the mild detergent in On's method. Too much can discolour a shoe, which Nike warns about, so keep the mix weak.
How do I clean trail running shoes?
Let the mud dry completely, brush it off, and pick the tread clear, then clean the upper as above. Brushing wet mud just spreads it.
Skip the drum and the two-day dry: SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam, $24, brush and cloth in the box, free shipping, and a refund if it doesn't clean your On Clouds.
