Can I wash my running shoes?

Triathlon Forum
1

Sorry if this topic has been beaten to death. I want to wash my dirty but fairly new Asics Kayanos and don’t know if they’ll get destroyed. I’d rather not experiment with $100 shoes!

2

Lots of people do it - it will probably do more damage to your washing machine than your shoes. Use cold water and very little detergent. Skip the dryer (stuff them with newspaper to wick out the moisture).

3

Thank you very much !

4

I used to machine wash my Kayanos as per the instructions above, but the upper did tend to shrink a very small amount. This didn’t effect the fit, but did cause a little puckering/pulling where the top breathable section on top of the toe joined to the bit below it. On one occasion the lining slightly changed shape too, but this shoe had done quite a few kms and was possibly beginning to break down anyway.

I’m going to try hand washing with my latest pair when the time comes.

I’ve only ever washed my older ‘semiretired’ pairs, not my primary training pair, and certainly not a pair I was intending to use for an event.

5

I wear Kayanos as well and wash them every three or four weeks. My Kayanos are worn out in about ten weeks so a couple trips through the washing machine doesn’t seem to adversely effect them. Also, if I don’t do this during the summer they get loaded down with salt and eventually smell… Be careful if you use your home washing machine. Ours has a plastic center agitator and I broke a piece off of it when the washer was new. I take them to the laundromat and use their machines. Their top loading machines have a metal center agitator. Here’s what I do:

  1. Remove laces and wash them separately in the sink.

  2. Remove the insole

  3. Clean any mud or dried dirt of the shoes with a brush and garden hose.

  4. Wash shoes and insoles in the washer with cold water and soap.

  5. Let shoes, laces, and insoles air dry separately.

Hope I don’t sound too domesticated… JohnL

6

This stuff makes me laugh. With the time and money spent on washing/figuring out how to wash the shoes, you could buy another pair!

Eric

7

This stuff makes me laugh. With the time and money spent on washing/figuring out how to wash the shoes, you could buy another pair!

Eric
Not sure how much it costs to use a washing machine where you live, but ASICs gell kayanos are 150 euros here in Milano - at curretn exchange rates thats close to $200 per pair… anything to prolong the usable life of these things is a good idea if you ask me…

8

tongue in cheek man, tongue in cheek.

Eric