The answer to how to wash leather sneakers is that you don't wash them so much as wipe them: brush off the loose dirt, clean the upper with a little foam or a mild soapy cloth, wipe it dry, and let the pair air dry at room temperature. That works for leather trainers, gym shoes and everyday pairs alike. Keep them out of the washing machine and the dryer.
Why leather sneakers stay out of the machine
Nike's line is simple: it doesn't recommend washing shoes in a washing machine, and it says dryer heat can deform them. The American Cleaning Institute adds that detergent and agitation may damage many leathers and the adhesives that hold a shoe together. People do it anyway, and some pairs come out looking fine, but damage to leather or glue can't be undone and there's no telling in advance which result you'll get. A hand clean takes about five minutes. Our washing machine guide covers the full argument.
How to wash leather sneakers by hand
- Laces and insoles out. Both get cleaned separately, and with them out you can reach the tongue and the eyelets.
- Dry brush the whole shoe. Outsole, midsole, then upper, with a soft brush. Most of what makes a pair look dirty is loose dust and grit.
- Clean the leather. Either two pumps of foam per panel, left ten seconds, or a cloth dipped in warm water with a small amount of mild detergent or dish soap and wrung out until it barely drips.
- Wipe gently. Straight strokes, turning the cloth to a clean section as it picks up dirt. Nike warns against scrubbing leather too hard, because that damages it.
- Take the residue off. With foam, a dry cloth does it. With soapy water, go over the leather once more with a cloth dampened in plain water, then blot dry with a microfibre towel.
- Do the midsole. Foam, ten seconds, wipe. If the midsole is painted, blot it instead of rubbing so the paint stays put.
- Air dry. Stuff the shoes with paper and leave them at room temperature, away from radiators and direct sun. Nike says many shoes take at least eight hours to dry fully after a wet clean.
The foam route is quicker because there's nothing to rinse and very little to dry. SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam is rated excellent on white leather and on rubber midsoles, and it comes with a brush and a cloth for steps two to five. Shoe makers don't all agree on soap and water: ASICS, for instance, says soap and water can discolour leather and recommends products made for it. Whichever route you take, try it first on a hidden spot such as the inside of the heel.
Black, brown, beige and other coloured leather
Coloured leather cleans the same way, with one extra step: test an inside panel first and let it dry before you look. Our foam contains no bleach or solvents, and it hasn't lifted dye on anything we've tested, but a test costs a minute and a ruined pair costs a pair.
- Black leather trainers show dust and dried soap residue easily, so the residue step matters most on them.
- Brown, tan, camel and beige show water marks if one patch gets much wetter than the rest. Clean whole panels evenly.
- Two-tone pairs should be wiped from the lighter panel towards the darker one, never the other way.
- Cream and white get the full method in our white leather sneakers guide.
How to clean the inside of leather trainers
Most of the smell and most of the grime inside a leather sneaker lives in the insole. Take it out and clean it the same way you cleaned the upper, then let it dry completely before it goes back. If the smell survives a clean, Nike's advice is to replace the insole.
For the lining itself, a light mist of equal parts white vinegar and water, then a full air dry, is the usual wet option. If you'd rather not wet the inside at all, put two teaspoons of baking soda and two of cornflour in each shoe overnight and shake it out in the morning. Theinsoles and odour guide has more.
Leather shoes that got wet
If a pair got soaked, don't clean it yet. Blot the outside, pull out the insoles, stuff the shoes with paper and swap the paper when it's damp. Let them dry at room temperature, however long that takes; heat speeds it up but is hard on both the leather and the glue. Once they are dry, clean them as above. Rotating between two pairs means neither goes on wet.
When the rules change
- Fake or synthetic leather. It falls under the patent and vinyl row of our table, rated excellent; test an inside panel first. Check the care label too; for many synthetic uppers a damp cloth is all the maker asks for.
- Suede or nubuck panels. These get a light pump and a blot, never a wipe. See the suede and nubuck guide.
- Leather deck and boat shoes. Some makers say not to wash their leather with water at all; Sperry is one. Follow that and use a leather cleaner and lotion instead.
- Designer pairs. Check the care card that came in the box. Some designer makers say never to use soap or water on their leather.
Questions people actually ask
Is it safe to use a Magic Eraser on leather shoes?
Sources disagree. Nike suggests a damp one on white leather; the American Cleaning Institute says to avoid melamine on leather because it can dull or strip the finish. We'd keep it off the upper: on coated sneaker leather it tends to leave a dull patch that picks up dirt faster. It's fine on the rubber sole.
What household items can I use to clean leather shoes?
A few drops of mild dish soap in warm water covers most dirt. For white leather, Nike also suggests micellar water, or a mix of one tablespoon of baking soda, two of white vinegar and a cup of water; baking soda is mildly abrasive, so wipe that on gently and never scrub. Skip bleach, acetone and anything gritty.
How do I remove a bad odour from leather shoes?
Dry them out fully between wears, don't wear the same pair two days running, clean or replace the insoles, and use baking soda overnight. A cleaner on the outside only removes the grime that holds smell; it doesn't deal with the smell inside.
Skip the bucket next time: SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam cleans a leather pair in about a minute, costs $24 with free shipping, and comes with a 30-day money-back promise.
