To clean Salomon shoes, knock the dried mud out of the lugs, go over the upper and sole with a soft wet brush and clean water, take the insoles out and rinse them, and dry everything at room temperature away from radiators and sun. Clearing the lugs is common practice; the rest is Salomon's own routine, meant for after each use. The washing machine isn't part of it: Salomon's care page says shoes should never go in one.
SneakerSalt is not affiliated with Salomon. Salomon's site blocked our research tools, so its advice is paraphrased here rather than quoted.
Salomon's routine, and where its guides disagree
- Remove dirt and mud after each use with a soft wet brush and clean water.
- Take the insoles out and rinse them.
- Dry at room temperature in a ventilated room, away from radiators, sun and strong heat. Newspaper inside speeds it up.
- On GORE-TEX shoes, restore the waterproofing afterwards with a spray or an applicator.
Soap is where Salomon disagrees with itself. Its running-shoe guide says no washing powder or soap at all; its gravel-running guide allows mild soap. GORE, whose membrane sits in the waterproof models, says a small amount of liquid detergent. So start with the brush and plain water, which all three include. You only need to choose a side if the brush and water leave grime behind.
What an XT-6 or Speedcross is made of
| Part | XT-6 | Speedcross 6 | Our foam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper | TPU film and mesh, textile lining | Anti-debris mesh and ripstop | Mesh: Excellent. TPU film and ripstop: untested |
| Laces | Quicklace with a lace pocket | Quicklace | Coated laces (GORE-TEX XT-6): untested |
| Midsole | EnergyCell | EnergyCell+ | Excellent |
| Outsole | Contagrip, which Salomon calls a patented rubber compound | Mud Contagrip with 5 mm lugs | Excellent |
The standard XT-6 isn't waterproof. The XT-6 GORE-TEX adds a GORE-TEX ePE membrane, a closed mesh and coated Quicklace, and the Speedcross also comes in GORE-TEX versions. Other models: check the upper on the label before you start.
How to clean Salomon trail and hiking shoes after a hike
- Clear the lugs. Knock the dried mud out of the outsole before anything wet happens. On a Speedcross, with lugs 5 mm deep, a stick or an old toothbrush gets into the gaps.
- Insoles out, laces loose. Rinse the insoles, as Salomon says, and let them dry on their own. Open the lace pocket and slacken the Quicklace so the tongue falls open and air gets in.
- Wet brush, clean water. A soft brush dipped in clean water over the upper, midsole and outsole. Go gently on the mesh.
- Whatever the water left. On a non-GORE-TEX pair, this is where we'd bring in our foam: two pumps on a mesh panel, ten seconds, a dry cloth. The same on the EnergyCell midsole and the Contagrip rubber, with a firmer wipe on the rubber. Keep it off the TPU film and the ripstop, which aren't on our tested list; the wet brush does those.
- Dry slowly. Newspaper inside, a ventilated room, nowhere near a radiator or a sunny window. Change the paper once it's damp.
To be clear, the foam is our method, not Salomon's, whose running guide says no soap at all. SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam is rated Excellent on mesh and on rubber and foam soles, needs no rinse, and comes with a brush and a cloth. For a really filthy pair, two short rounds with a dry spell between beat one long, wet session; our muddy shoes guide goes through it.
GORE-TEX Salomons
On a waterproof pair the membrane is the part you're protecting, and GORE's footwear page is specific. "Brush off loose dirt with a sponge or brush." "Then use lukewarm water with a small amount of liquid detergent." "Don't use bleach." "We don't recommend using stain removers - only liquid detergents." "Dry naturally at moderate temperatures." "Avoid direct heat." It adds that "Convection-style boot dryers work well". Once water stops beading on the surface, re-proof with a water-based spray, and no "waterproofing waxes or greases". Salomon says the same about restoring the waterproofing.
Neither Salomon nor GORE says anything about foam cleaners, and we make no claim about what ours does to a membrane or a water-repellent finish. On GORE-TEX pairs, follow GORE's method above and then the spray. Our foam doesn't waterproof anything.
Boots, walking shoes and white XT-6s
For Salomon boots and walking shoes, read the upper on the label first. Mesh and synthetic pairs clean as above. If yours are leather, GORE's footwear page says "For leather shoes, check manufacturer's instructions", so the product page for your pair is the guide. On white XT-6s, the mesh is the part our foam is rated for; the TPU film around it gets the wet brush.
Washing machine and dryer
Salomon says its shoes should never go in a washing machine, and GORE's line is "Don't wash in the washing machine." Salomon's shoe pages don't mention a tumble dryer; they say room temperature, away from radiators. The machine-dryer settings you may find on Salomon's site are for GORE-TEX clothing, not shoes. A running vest is clothing too, so its sewn-in care label is the one to follow.
Questions people actually ask
Why do my Salomons stink?
Start with Salomon's own habit: insoles out and rinsed after a dirty outing. Then dry everything fully before the next wear, air the pair, rotate shoes, and leave a little baking soda in dry shoes for a day before shaking it out. Our foam cleans the grime that holds smell; it doesn't deodorise. More in our insoles and odour guide.
Can I use Dawn dish soap to clean my Salomons?
Salomon's guides split on it: the running guide says no soap, the gravel guide allows mild soap. If you use it, a drop in water, brushed on and brushed off with clean water. On GORE-TEX pairs, GORE's small amount of liquid detergent is the safer reading.
Is it better to wash Salomons by hand or in the washer?
For Salomons, by hand. Salomon and GORE both rule the machine out, and the hand routine takes a few minutes plus drying time.
For the mesh and soles of a non-GORE-TEX pair after the wet brush: SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam, $24, free shipping, brush and cloth in the box, and a refund within 30 days if it doesn't clean your Salomons.
