To clean Balenciaga Runners, wipe the dust off with a soft dry cloth, clean the mesh with a light foam, wipe the nylon with a cloth and mild soap, and leave the factory-made wear exactly where it is. Then air dry them, stuffed with tissue, away from heat. The Track, the Speed sock shoe and the Triple S follow the same plan, adjusted for their uppers.
SneakerSalt is not affiliated with Balenciaga. We couldn't read Balenciaga's own site while researching this, so the care details here come from retailer listings, which usually copy the label sewn into the shoe. If your label says something different, the label wins.
Four trainers, four uppers
From retailer listings. Compositions vary by colourway, so read the label in your pair.
| Model | Upper | Sole | Our foam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runner | Mesh and nylon, no leather (one listing: 65% polyurethane, 35% polyester) | Rubber; some listings add TPU, EVA and polyurethane | Mesh and rubber: Excellent. Nylon and TPU: untested |
| Track | Mesh and nylon (one listing: 75% polyurethane, 21% polyester, 4% nylon), mesh lining | 100% rubber | Mesh and sole: Excellent. Nylon: untested |
| Speed | Knit sock: 91% polyester and 9% elastane, or 80% polyamide and 20% elastane on clear-sole pairs | 100% rubber | Knit and sole: Excellent |
| Triple S | Faux leather and mesh (one listing: 60% polyurethane, 28% polyester, 12% nylon) | Stacked; clear-sole versions exist | Faux leather: Excellent after an inside-panel test. Mesh: Excellent |
Dirt or design? Sorting a Runner's marks
The Runner is sold already looking worn. In 2021 Hypebeast reported that it "comes with a worn-out effect regardless of the colorway", and that on the white pair the effect "adds discoloration to the toe box, sole unit, and sporadically on the upper". Reviews also describe glue marks and frayed edges that are part of the design.
So before anything wet touches a Runner, sort the marks:
| Part of the design: leave it | Yours: clean it |
|---|---|
| Shading on the toe box and sole of a white pair | Mud, dust and splashes sitting on the surface |
| Visible glue marks | Spills, ideally wiped while still wet |
| Frayed edges | Grime in the mesh that comes up on a cloth |
When in doubt, compare your pair with the product photos for the same colourway; if the mark is in the photos, it's the finish. No cleaner takes built-in wear off, ours included.
How to clean Balenciaga Runners at home
- Dry wipe the whole shoe. A soft dry cloth, which is what the retailer labels ask for. Loose dust on mesh mostly comes off here.
- Laces out. They clean better on their own; our shoelace guide covers how.
- The mesh. Two pumps on one panel, ten seconds, then press a dry cloth on and lift. Near a frayed edge, only press and lift; don't drag a cloth or brush across loose threads.
- The nylon. Nylon isn't on our tested list, so no foam here. A cloth dampened with water and a little mild soap, then a dry cloth.
- The sole. Foam on the rubber, a soft brush, a wipe. If your listing names TPU in the sole and you can't tell which piece it is, give everything above the rubber tread the damp cloth instead.
- Air dry. Tissue inside, away from radiators and direct heat. One retailer label adds: let them dry in fresh air.
On the mesh and the rubber we'd use SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam, rated Excellent on both, with no bleach and no rinse. It lifts dirt that sits on top. The Runner's shading isn't dirt, so it stays put, which is the point. Brush and cloth: both in the box.
Track, Speed and Triple S
Balenciaga Track
Mesh and nylon over a mesh lining, in overlapping pieces. Work one layer at a time from the top down: foam and a blot on the mesh, the damp cloth on the nylon, a soft brush tip to reach where pieces overlap. Black Tracks clean the same way. The Track LED has lights built in; we found no care details for it, so go by what came with the pair.
Speed and other sock shoes
The Speed's upper is a stretch knit, polyester or polyamide with elastane. Knit rates Excellent with our foam, but keep it light: two pumps on the dirty area, ten seconds, then press a dry cloth on rather than dragging at the yarn. Retailer labels for the Speed differ, one saying do not machine wash and another hand wash, so hand cleaning it is. Don't wring or stretch the sock to dry it; tissue inside holds the shape. More on knit in our mesh and knit guide.
Triple S
Faux leather and mesh on a stacked sole. Our materials table groups PU faux leather with patent and vinyl, rated Excellent, after an inside-panel test. One Triple S listing simply says do not wash, so treat it as a wipe-and-blot job, panel by panel. Brush the dirt out of the steps in the sole first. Listings don't name the sole material, so foam it only if your label says rubber; otherwise use the damp cloth.
Can you wash Balenciaga shoes in the washing machine?
Every retailer label we found that mentions machine washing says no, and none allows a tumble dryer. We couldn't read Balenciaga's own care pages, so we won't put words in its mouth, but nothing we found says yes. Hand cleaning is the route we'd take. Our washing machine guide covers what the drum does to sneakers in general.
Questions people actually ask
Do all Balenciaga Runners come dirty?
They come distressed, which isn't the same thing. The worn effect is applied whatever the colourway, so a brand-new white pair already has shading on the toe and sole. Dirt is whatever you add after that.
How do I clean my Balenciaga slides?
We didn't find care details for the slides that we trust, so go by the label or the retailer's listing. The same goes for the Arena and boots such as the Alaska or Strike.
Can I put trainers straight in the washing machine?
Not these. Many shoe makers advise against the machine, and for Balenciaga trainers every label that mentions it says no. A few knit shoes are sold as machine washable; the label tells you which.
For real dirt on mesh, knit and rubber, and none of the factory finish: SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam, $24, free shipping, brush and cloth in the box, refunded within 30 days if it doesn't clean your pair.
