To clean running shoes, brush the dry dirt off, take out the laces and insoles, clean the mesh or knit upper by hand with mild soap and water or a no-rinse foam, wipe the foam midsole, brush the rubber outsole, and let them air dry at room temperature with paper inside. Leave the washing machine and the dryer out of it unless your shoe's maker says otherwise. Most running brands say no.
The same goes for trainers, if that is what you call them. ASICS, Brooks and Nike are quoted below because they publish the clearest instructions; SneakerSalt is not affiliated with any shoe brand named here.
What a running shoe is made of
A running shoe is four parts, and the method follows from them.
- Upper: mesh or knit. Light, breathable and open, which means dirt settles between the fibres rather than on top.
- Midsole: foam, usually an EVA-type foam rather than rubber. It is the cushioning, and it shows scuffs and grey lines.
- Outsole: rubber, with a tread that holds grit, gravel and dried mud.
- Insoles: removable, and the part that soaks up sweat.
The upper, midsole and outsole are joined with adhesive. ASICS notes that heat sources and clothes dryers can make shoes lose their shape or damage those adhesives, which is why nearly every rule below is about keeping heat and soaking away from the joins.
What the shoe makers say
The big running brands broadly agree on the hand method and disagree only on detail.
- ASICS: start with dry shoes and brush the outsole, rinsing the treads if needed. Take out the laces, liners and insoles. Scrub the uppers with soap and water and rinse. Wash the insoles separately. Dry them in a ventilated, low-humidity spot, stuffed with newspaper or near a fan.
- Brooks (its Australian blog): brush the soles, take the laces out, clean the uppers with a damp cloth or brush, rinse with warm water, clean the insoles separately and stuff the shoes with newspaper.
- Nike: dry at room temperature, which for many shoes takes at least 8 hours.
On washing machines they part ways, and it is worth knowing where your brand sits. Brooks: "do not, we repeat, do not machine wash or dry your shoes", hand-wash setting included. ASICS says no washer or dryer, though one 2020 ASICS UK page says a cold cycle "will probably not do too much harm". On and Hoka also say no, although Hoka's care guide includes a last-resort spin-cycle tip for drying. Allbirds and Rothy's, which make knit shoes, do give machine instructions for their own pairs. Follow the maker of the shoe you own.
How to clean running shoes by hand, step by step
- Wait for mud to dry. Then knock the shoes together outside and brush the outsole. Dry mud flakes off; wet mud smears into the mesh.
- Strip them. Laces out, insoles out, and any removable liner.
- Make a weak soapy mix. A few drops of mild detergent or dish soap in a bowl of water. Nike warns that a high concentration of dish soap can discolour shoes, so less is better.
- Clean the upper with a soft brush or cloth. Dip, tap off the excess, and work in short strokes. On knit, follow the direction of the knit. The tongue and the toe box are usually the worst.
- Take the soap back out. Wipe with a clean damp cloth, or rinse the upper briefly as ASICS and Brooks do. Do not submerge the shoe.
- Wipe the midsole with the soapy cloth, then a clean one. Blot painted or printed sections rather than scrubbing them.
- Finish the outsole. A firmer brush is fine on the rubber, and only there.
- Blot and stuff. Press a dry towel over the upper, then fill the shoes with paper.
- Air dry. Room temperature, airflow, no radiator, no dryer. Nike's figure for many shoes is at least 8 hours, so plan on overnight.
The quick version, for most weeks
A full wash is for when the pair is properly filthy. The rest of the time, a running shoe needs its upper and midsole wiped, and that does not need a bowl. A no-rinse foam does it: two pumps across the dirty area, a ten-second wait while it lifts the grime, then a wipe with anything dry. SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam is rated Excellent on mesh and knit, and on a foam midsole it lifts surface grime. Nothing soaks into the shoe, so it is ready to run in once wiped. The box comes with a brush and a cloth.
It works on the rubber outsole too, rated Excellent, once the grit is brushed out of the tread. Where it is not the right tool: anything that is damage rather than dirt, such as a scraped midsole or a knit worn fuzzy. More on the upper fabric is in our mesh and knit guide.
Can running shoes be washed in a machine?
Only if the maker says so. For most running brands the answer is no, for the reasons Brooks and ASICS give: the spin cycle can degrade the material, and heat goes for the glue. A mesh laundry bag is often suggested as the fix, but we know of no test showing a bag protects a shoe's bonds. Our washing machine guide has the longer answer.
Drying without damage
- No dryer. Nike says dryer heat can deform shoes and damage knit. ASICS and Brooks say no as well.
- No radiator or heater. Same reason: heat and adhesives.
- Paper inside. ASICS and Brooks use newspaper. The American Cleaning Institute prefers white paper towels because newsprint ink can transfer, so use towels on light pairs.
- A fan helps. ASICS suggests drying near one.
- Sun is disputed. Some advice says sun-dry white shoes; a Texas A&M stain guide notes sunlight can yellow some white fabrics. Indoors is the safer bet.
Insoles and the inside of the shoe
The smell is in here, not on the mesh. Take the insoles out and scrub them with mild soap and water, baking soda and water, or vinegar and water. Let them dry completely before they go back; ASICS allows overnight. If the smell is strong, ASICS suggests a soak in equal parts white vinegar and water with a few drops of tea tree oil for three hours, then a rinse and an overnight dry. If odour keeps coming back, Nike's advice is to replace the insoles.
The NHS adds the habit that matters most: let shoes dry out before wearing them again, and don't wear the same pair two days running. Our insoles and odour guide goes further.
Stains runners actually get
| Stain | What works | Our foam |
|---|---|---|
| Mud | Let it dry fully, brush it off, then clean the residue. | Good, once the dry mud is brushed off. |
| Grass | On fabric, an enzyme stain remover as a pretreatment. | Partial. Soil lifts; the green behaves like a dye. |
| Dog poop | Scrape it off outdoors, pick the tread clean with a stick or old brush, then cool water and detergent. Wash your hands afterwards. | Partial, for leftover surface grime only. |
| Oil or grease | Cornstarch or talc first to absorb it, then a dilute dish soap clean. | Partial. |
| Blood | Cold water first. Hot water sets it. | Partial, on fresh surface residue. |
| Road salt | Brush off the crust, then a damp wipe. | Partial. |
One rule covers all of them: no heat until the stain is gone. Heat sets what is left.
White and light running shoes
For light shoes, Nike suggests a paste of equal parts baking soda and water on the grey patches. Keep bleach off: Nike says knit and mesh should avoid it. Yellowing that survives a thorough clean is a change in the material itself, and no cleaner, ours included, takes it back to white.
Keeping running shoes clean
- Brush off dried mud the day after a muddy run, before it works into the upper.
- Wipe the midsole while dirt is fresh. It takes seconds then and minutes later.
- Rotate two pairs if you run most days, so each dries out properly.
- Nike's rule of thumb: clean regularly to avoid tough messes later on. There is no fixed schedule; clean them when they look or smell like they need it.
Questions people actually ask
Why do trainers turn yellow?
Two reasons that look alike. Dirt sitting on the surface, which cleans off, and an ageing change in the material itself, which does not. If it survives a proper clean, it is the second.
Does a magic eraser clean running shoes?
On the midsole and outsole, yes, with light pressure after testing a small spot. It works by abrasion, so keep it off mesh and knit.
How can I clean my running shoe laces?
Take them out and wash them by hand in soapy water, or put them through a gentle cycle in a mesh bag, which Nike allows. Air dry them. Our shoelace guide covers when to just replace them.
Do I need to wash my running shoes at all?
Not on a schedule. Clean them when they are visibly dirty or start to smell, and wipe them down between washes so it never becomes a big job.
Most weeks, all a running shoe needs is a minute and a dry cloth: SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam, $24, brush and cloth in the box, free shipping, and your money back within 30 days if it doesn't clean them.
