To clean ASICS, brush off the dry dirt, take out the laces and insoles, and clean the upper with a shoe cleaner and a soft cloth or brush, or with cold water and a mild detergent. Don't soak them, and dry them at room temperature away from radiators and direct sun. ASICS says plainly: "Do not use a washing machine or dryer to clean your ASICS shoes."
The steps below cover the running shoes (GEL-Nimbus, GEL-Kayano, Novablast) and the retro lifestyle pairs (GEL-1130, GEL-Kayano 14, GEL-Lyte III and V), which need one extra check. SneakerSalt is not affiliated with ASICS.
What ASICS says, and where its pages disagree
ASICS has published several care pages over the years, and they do not all agree. Here is what each says, so you can see the full picture rather than whichever one you happened to land on.
| Question | ASICS says | But elsewhere |
|---|---|---|
| Washing machine? | No washer, no dryer (Canada FAQ). | A 2020 UK tips page says "a cold cycle will probably not do too much harm". |
| How wet? | "Surface clean using cold water and a mild detergent" (Canada FAQ). "Soaking your shoes in water can damage the fabric and adhesives" (UK guide, 2021). | The US running blog says to scrub the uppers with soap and water and rinse. |
| Insoles? | Soapy water, but don't soak them (UK guide). | The US blog suggests a 3-hour soak in vinegar and water for strong odour. |
| Leather and suede? | "Soap and water can damage or discolour these materials"; use products made for the material. | No conflict. |
| Dryer and heat? | "Never put your shoes in the dryer." Keep them away from radiators and direct sun. | No conflict. |
Where the pages differ, the gentler instruction is the safe one to follow: no machine, no soaking, as little water as gets the job done.
How to clean ASICS running shoes
A GEL-Nimbus 26 is an engineered knit upper on an FF BLAST PLUS ECO foam midsole with PureGEL, an ASICSGRIP rubber outsole and an OrthoLite sockliner. Other models vary, so check the label on a Novablast or Kayano before assuming the same.
- Start dry. ASICS's own first step is to brush the outsole while the shoe is dry. Knock out grit and pick stones from the tread.
- Laces, liners and insoles out. Each gets cleaned on its own.
- Clean the knit. A soft brush or cloth with a shoe cleaner, or dampened with cold water and a little mild detergent. Light strokes along the knit, not circles.
- Wipe off what you loosened with a clean, barely damp cloth. Don't hold the shoe under a running tap; ASICS's own warning about soaking covers the adhesives as well as the fabric.
- Midsole. Wipe the FF BLAST edge with the same cloth or a foam cleaner. If your pair has a visible GEL window, wipe around it rather than scrubbing it.
- Outsole. Brush it again now the upper is done, and rinse the tread if it still needs it, which ASICS allows.
- Dry. Stuff with paper, then leave them somewhere ventilated and low in humidity, or near a fan.
GEL-1130, GEL-Kayano 14 and GEL-Lyte pairs
The retro lifestyle models are where people get caught out. Before you start, check the label or product page for what the overlays are made of. The mesh base takes the running-shoe method above. Synthetic leather overlays fall under the patent and vinyl row of our foam's tested list, rated Excellent; test an inside panel first, or give them ASICS's cold water and mild detergent on a cloth.
If any panel is suede, nubuck or leather, follow ASICS's warning: soap and water can damage or discolour those materials, so use a product made for them and keep the water away. On suede and nubuck that means a dry brush first, then a cleaner applied lightly and blotted rather than scrubbed. Do the mesh and the leather or suede as two separate jobs, and cover the suede with a folded cloth while you work on the mesh next to it.
Where our foam fits
ASICS's first suggestion is "a shoe cleaner and a soft cloth/brush", which is exactly the format of SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam: a pump foam, with a brush and a cloth in the box. Two pumps across the dirty area, ten seconds, then wipe dry. It is rated Excellent on knit, mesh and the rubber outsole, and on an FF BLAST or similar foam midsole it lifts surface grime. It uses no rinse, so the no-soaking rule takes care of itself.
The limits, plainly: we haven't tested it on GEL inserts, so keep it to the foam around them. On suede and nubuck overlays our rating is Good, blot only, not Excellent. On coloured leather, test an inside panel first; it has no bleach or solvents and has not lifted dye on anything we've tried.
Insoles and smell
Start with the gentle version: scrub the OrthoLite insole with soapy water without soaking it, press it dry in a towel, and let it air dry before it goes back. If the smell survives that, ASICS's US blog gives the stronger fix: equal parts white vinegar and water with a few drops of tea tree oil, three hours, rinsed and dried overnight. Bear in mind that the UK guide warns against soaking, so it is a last step, not the first. Our insoles and odour guide covers the rest.
Drying, and one paper warning
ASICS's line on the dryer is that shoes "are not designed to withstand this type of heat", and another ASICS page says excessive heat will damage the glue and make shoes come apart. So: no tumble dryer, no radiator, no sunny windowsill.
ASICS suggests stuffing them with newspaper. The American Cleaning Institute suggests white paper towels instead, because newsprint ink can transfer. On a white or pale pair, use the paper towels.
Questions people actually ask
How do I clean ASICS Novablast 5?
Check the label, then follow the running-shoe steps above: dry brush, laces and insoles out, a soft cloth on the upper, wipe the foam midsole, air dry. No machine.
Can I just throw my running shoes in the washing machine?
Not ASICS, by its own FAQ. Brooks, On and Hoka say no too. A few knit brands, such as Allbirds, publish a machine method for their own shoes; follow the maker, not the brand next door. Our washing machine guide explains why most sneakers are better off without it.
Can I use Dawn dish soap to clean ASICS?
A few drops in cold water qualifies as the "mild detergent" ASICS mentions. Keep it weak, and keep it off suede, nubuck and leather panels.
Is it okay to wash white sneakers in the washing machine?
It depends entirely on what the maker says. For white ASICS, no. Hand clean them and dry them out of the sun.
A shoe cleaner, a soft brush and a cloth, the format ASICS describes, in one box: SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam, $24, free shipping, cloth included, and if it doesn't clean your ASICS, keep the bottle and take the refund.
