Can you wash New Balance shoes in the washer? New Balance says no. Its care pages in the US, the UK and Ireland advise against putting any of its shoes in a washing machine or a dryer, because many of the materials it uses shouldn't be fully submerged or exposed to heat. Clean them by hand with a soft brush and a mild, dye-free detergent instead, then let them air dry for a day.
The same answer covers the 574, the 327, the 990, the 9060, running models like the 1080, 860 and Minimus, gym pairs and kids' pairs. New Balance's guidance is written for all of its shoes and makes no exceptions by model. SneakerSalt is not affiliated with New Balance.
What New Balance says, and why
The position turns up in three places: the US care FAQ, the UK and Irish product-care pages, and the support centre, which says a washing-machine cycle isn't recommended. The reason New Balance gives is about the materials. One pair can combine suede, mesh, nylon or leather on top, a foam midsole such as ENCAP or ABZORB, and a rubber outsole, and many of those shouldn't be soaked through or heated. A wash cycle soaks the whole shoe for the best part of an hour, and a warm one heats it as well.
The dryer is ruled out on the same pages. A New Balance UK running guide goes a step further: no dryer and no radiator. Our guide to shoes in the dryer explains what that heat does.
New Balance's support pages add one detail: a machine can weaken materials and wear holes in mesh. Other sources fill in the rest. The American Cleaning Institute says most shoe makers discourage machine washing because detergent and agitation can harm many leathers and the adhesives that hold a shoe together. Scott Sports says water temperature and detergent weaken the bond between sole and upper. And Nike's suede guide points out that suede absorbs water, so washing can set stains into it instead of lifting them.
Which parts of a New Balance suffer most
| Part | Where you find it | What a wash cycle risks |
|---|---|---|
| Suede | 574, 327, 9060; pigskin suede on the 990v7 | Soaks up water, dries patchy and hard, loses its nap |
| Smooth leather | Some 574 colourways, kids' 574 Core Lace | Loses the oils that keep it supple, dries stiff |
| Foam midsole | ENCAP or ABZORB, depending on the model | Holds water for days; heat can warp it |
| The join between upper and sole | Every pair | Softened adhesive, which may only show as peeling weeks later |
| Mesh | Most running and lifestyle models | Copes better than suede, but New Balance says a machine can wear holes in it |
Suede is the one people regret. Even our general washing machine guide, which lets canvas through on a cold cycle, says no to suede. Our guide to machine washing suede goes into why.
What to do instead
New Balance's own routine is short and uses things most people already own:
- Brush off loose dirt with a light-bristled brush. New Balance says an old toothbrush works.
- Mix a little mild dish or laundry detergent, one without dyes, into water.
- Try it on a spot that won't show.
- Scrub the mesh gently, then wipe it down with a damp cloth.
- Air dry for 24 hours. Stuffing the shoes with paper while they dry is common advice and helps them keep their shape.
Suede and leather are the exceptions. New Balance says to use a suede or leather cleaner on them rather than detergent, and it sells its own suede cleaning system. The usual order on suede is a dry brush and an eraser for marks before anything wet touches it. Our New Balance guide takes each material in turn, the grey suede-and-mesh pairs especially.
We make a foam that fits this approach. SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam has no dyes, no bleach and no solvents, and it comes off with a dry cloth, so nothing gets submerged. It's rated excellent on mesh, foam midsoles and rubber outsoles, and good, blot only, on suede. White smooth leather is excellent; on coloured leather, test an inside panel first. Nylon, which the 327 and some other models use, isn't on our tested list, so use New Balance's brush-and-detergent method on it. The brush and cloth come in the box.
Already put your New Balance in the washing machine?
It happens. The wash is done, so what you can still control is how they dry.
- Take them out as soon as the cycle ends. Pull the insoles and laces and lay those flat on their own.
- Keep them out of the dryer. New Balance rules it out, and heat also sets any stain the wash didn't lift; Texas A&M's stain guide is clear on that.
- Press the water out of the upper with a towel. Don't wring or twist the shoe.
- Stuff them. Plain white paper towels are the safer choice in pale pairs, because the American Cleaning Institute warns that newsprint ink can transfer. Replace the paper each time it's soaked.
- Dry at room temperature. No radiator, no direct sun. A midsole that soaked right through takes far longer than New Balance's 24 hours for a hand-cleaned pair, so give it days if it needs them.
- Brush the suede once it's completely dry. A soft brush in one direction lifts the flattened nap.
- Watch the joins for a few weeks. Check where the midsole meets the upper at the toe and heel.
A sole that has started to lift is a repair job; no cleaner fixes it, ours included. Brushing can lift a flattened nap once the suede is dry; it can't undo everything a wash does to it.
If you're set on the machine anyway
We won't give wash settings for a shoe whose maker says no. The general case, which sneakers cope with a drum and which don't, is in our washing machine guide. One thing worth knowing first: we found no source that has tested whether a mesh laundry bag protects a shoe. It keeps the pair from banging around the drum. Nobody has shown it prevents the damage New Balance is worried about.
Questions people actually ask
How do I know if my shoes are machine washable?
Read the care label and the maker's care page. If neither says machine washable, assume it isn't. A few brands do sell washable lines and say so plainly on the product page; New Balance isn't one of them.
Does Dawn dish soap clean white New Balance sneakers?
On mesh, a little mild dish soap in water fits New Balance's own advice, as long as it's free of dyes, which is what New Balance asks for. Keep it off the suede and leather, where New Balance says to use a proper suede or leather cleaner.
Is it better to wash tennis shoes in the washer or the dishwasher?
Neither, for New Balance. We found no shoe maker that recommends a dishwasher, and it combines the heat and detergent makers already object to in a washer.
Can baking soda clean shoes?
It's mostly an odour trick: sprinkle it inside a dry pair, leave it a day, shake it out. As a paste it's used on white rubber. Keep the powder away from suede, where it lodges in the nap and has to be brushed out.
For the next time they're dirty, skip the drum: SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam, $24, free shipping, a brush and a cloth in the box, and your money back if it doesn't clean your New Balance.
