How to wash slippers depends on what they are made of, and the care label is the only reliable guide: some fabric and fleece slippers can go in the machine, others are hand wash only, and sheepskin is hand wash only. Whatever the type, use cool water, skip the tumble dryer, and let them air dry completely before you put your feet back in.
Read the label before anything else
Brand tells you less than you'd think, because some models are machine washable and some are hand wash only, so go by the pair rather than the name. We haven't verified the care pages of Bombas, Dearfoam, L.L.Bean, Isotoner or Oofos, so we won't pass on their instructions second-hand. SneakerSalt is not affiliated with any of the brands named here.
The label sewn inside the slipper, or the care section of the product page, is what to follow. Look for three things: whether it says machine washable at all, the water temperature, and how to dry. If the label has worn off, go by material, using the table below.
How to clean slippers, by type
| Type | Washing machine? | How to clean |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric, fleece or knit upper | Only if the label says so | Hand wash in cool water with mild detergent, or the label's cycle. Air dry. |
| Sheepskin (wool inside, suede-finished skin outside) | No | Hand wash by the maker's method. Cleaner never goes straight onto the sheepskin. |
| Suede outside, fleece or faux fur inside | No | Dry brush, then a light, blotted clean of the suede. Lining by the label. |
| Felt, wool or faux fur | By the label | Follow the label. No heat. |
| Fleece-lined Crocs | Gentle cycle allowed by Crocs | Mild soap and a damp rag. Air dry only. |
| All-rubber or plastic bathroom slippers | Check the label | Soapy water and a soft sponge, rinse, air dry. |
| Smooth leather | No | Dry brush, damp cloth, then a conditioner, after a patch test. |
Most fabric and fleece slippers share one thing: a textile upper on a foam footbed and a glued sole. ASICS warns that heat damages the glue in shoes, which is one reason every type above air dries.
How to wash fabric and fleece slippers by hand
This is the safe default for house slippers with a fabric upper, whether or not the label allows the machine.
- Shake them out and brush them. A dry brush takes off dust, crumbs and pet hair before any water goes near them.
- Take out the insoles if they come out, and wash them separately.
- Mix a little mild detergent into lukewarm or cool water. Never hot. A small bowl is plenty.
- Clean the outside with a soft brush or cloth dipped in the mix. On knit, work in the direction of the knit.
- Clean the inside with a damp rag, mild soap only, the way Crocs suggests for its fleece linings. Keep the footbed from getting soaked; the less water gets into foam and glue, the better.
- Wipe off the soap with a clean cloth dampened in plain water.
- Blot them dry with a towel or microfibre cloth. Press, don't rub.
- Air dry at room temperature, stuffed with paper towels to hold the shape. Nike's figure for shoes is at least 8 hours, and a thick footbed takes longer.
For the outside of canvas or knit slippers that are grubby rather than filthy, a quicker route is foam: two pumps, ten seconds, wipe with a dry cloth. SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam is rated excellent on canvas and on mesh and knit, and it comes with a brush and a cloth. It hasn't been tested on fleece, felt, terry, wool pile or faux fur, so keep it off those.
When the label says machine washable
Then the maker has made that call, and you follow its settings exactly. A few habits help whatever the label says:
- Cold and gentle. Allbirds, for its machine-washable shoes, uses a cold wool or delicate cycle, a small amount of mild detergent and no fabric softener.
- A pillowcase or laundry bag keeps them from banging round the drum. No source we found shows that a bag makes washing safe for shoes that shouldn't be washed, so it is no substitute for the label.
- Insoles out first, washed separately.
- No tumble dryer. Crocs says all its styles should be air dried only, even the ones it lets go on a gentle cycle. Air dry for at least a day.
We can't promise that a memory foam footbed comes out of a machine the same as it went in. If yours is precious, hand wash it anyway. Our washing machine guide explains what a cycle does to footwear.
Sheepskin and suede slippers: hand only
Sheepskin slippers are twin-face: wool pile inside, suede-finished skin outside. UGG's care instructions for its own sheepskin say hand wash only, never a washing machine, and the method goes like this:
- Dampen the whole slipper with clean, cold water. All of it, so it dries evenly; wetting only part of it can leave visible water lines.
- Dilute the cleaner half and half with water and apply it with a wet sponge, never directly onto the sheepskin.
- Scrub gently. UGG warns the surface can be damaged by aggressive scrubbing.
- Rinse in cold water and stuff lightly with paper towels.
- Let them dry naturally, out of direct heat and sunlight.
- Once dry, brush in one direction with a very soft suede or nubuck brush.
That is one maker's method for its own sheepskin. For another brand's sheepskin or shearling, follow that brand's label.
For suede slippers with a fleece or faux fur lining, clean the outside the suede way: brush when dry, then a thin, even layer of foam over each panel, ten seconds, and blot rather than rub. Our rating on suede is "good, blot only". The suede and nubuck guide covers the technique.
Ballet slippers
Check what your ballet slippers are made of first, because canvas, leather and satin each need something different. Canvas takes the fabric method above. Leather gets a damp cloth wipe rather than a wash. Satin is the awkward one: makers such as Casadei say to keep it away from water altogether. If you clean satin anyway, Cleanipedia's method is to brush off the dirt, blot with a cloth dampened in cold water, dab on a little hand-washing liquid, pat with clean cold water, and dab dry without rubbing, which can cause water streaks. Our foam hasn't been tested on satin.
The inside, and the smell
- Baking soda. Sprinkle it into dry slippers, leave it a day or more, shake it out.
- Insoles. If they come out, clean them the same way as the outside and let them dry completely before they go back. If the smell keeps coming back, Nike's advice for shoes is to replace the insoles.
- Rest. The NHS says to let shoes dry out before wearing them again and not to wear the same pair two days in a row. Slippers worn every evening never get a day off, which may be part of why they smell.
Our foam cleans the surface grime that holds smell on the outside of a slipper. It isn't a deodoriser, and linings aren't on our tested list. More in the insoles and odour guide.
How often should house slippers be washed?
None of the care guides we read set a schedule. A reasonable rule is to clean them whenever they look grubby or start to smell, give the inside a dry baking soda freshen in between, and let them dry out overnight after a damp day.
Questions people actually ask
Can you wash slippers with rubber bottoms?
The upper, yes, by the label. Rubber-soled slippers are usually glued, and heat damages glue, so keep the water cool, keep them out of the dryer, and give the sole a brush and a wipe rather than a soak.
How do I clean dirty plastic slippers?
For all-rubber or plastic bathroom slippers, borrow Havaianas' routine for its rubber flip-flops: soak in soapy water, scrub with a soft, non-abrasive sponge, rinse and air dry. No bleach and nothing abrasive.
How do I make my slippers fluffy again?
Let them dry completely, then brush the pile gently with a clean, soft brush. It lifts flattened fleece a little. Pile that has been crushed for years won't come back to new.
Can you put slippers in the dryer?
No. Dryer heat can deform shoes and weaken the glue that holds the sole on. Stuff them with paper and let them air dry at room temperature.
For the canvas, knit and suede ones, the outside takes a minute: SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam, $24, free shipping, brush and cloth in the box, and you keep the bottle if it doesn't clean them.
