Shoes can get pretty dirty over time. If you use them for athletic purposes, then you sweat into the fabrics regularly. Even just for leisure activities, you expose your shoes to sundry places—many unclean (i.e. public bathrooms).

Most front-loading washing machines can handle shoes just fine. That said, you should only wash cotton, canvas or nylon sneakers—leather or suede will be destroyed. Before throwing your shoes into the wash, though, you need to prepare them.

Brush Off Loose Dirt

Your shoes will receive a more thorough clean if you first brush off dirt from the soles and sides. Doing so can also prevent staining.

Unlace the Shoes and Take Out Their Soles

Before placing your shoes into the machine, remove their laces. You can still wash them but insert them first into a small mesh bag. This prevents the laces from wrapping around the gears and causing damage to the machine.

Fabric soles can also go into the mesh bag, but you should refrain from cleaning plastics. Hand wash such soles instead or replace them as needed.

Toss in Some Heavy Linens or Towels

To stop the shoes from banging around the machine, add heavy fabrics to the load as a buffer. If the machine has different cycle settings, look for the gentlest one as this will limit the amount of thrashing about in the machine.

Refrain from Placing Shoes in the Dryer

While you can run your shoes through the washing machine, it’s best not to put them in the dryer. Simply, the heat can deform the shoe and make it uncomfortable afterward.