Essential Tips on How To Clean Trail Running Shoes

If you follow our instructions on how to clean trail running shoes, they will last longer and smell better. Trail running shoes are bound to get dirty and damp.

As long as they are properly cared for, they can last a long time. A trail running shoe's fabric will harden if it is left in mud for long periods.

There is a possibility that dirt will get into the cloth's fibers, resulting in deterioration.

The wetness might come from rain, mud, puddles, or sweat from your feet, which creates a humid environment that encourages the growth of bacteria. The result is a stinky pair of shoes, as everyone knows.

When it comes to the best trail runners or the best barefoot running shoes, you should expect to pay a lot of money.

If you follow our next advice, you'll not only maintain your shoes fresh and clean, but you'll also save money in the process.

Things You Will Need

To clean trail running shoes, you will need mild soap, a soft-bristled soft brush, and a stiff-bristled brush. However, an old toothbrush will be a perfect choice. 

How do you wash running shoes without ruining them?

1. Rinse Your Dirty Trail Shoes

Make sure to rinse your running shoes outside if they've been covered in mud or if they've been walked in poop.

Do this as soon as possible following your run, when the soil is still damp and fresh.

Be prepared for the fact that your shoes will get wet and dry considerably more slowly than clean ones or those that were only lightly soiled (maybe you ran through some puddles or streams but didn't stand in them until they were completely saturated).

2. Remove Insoles

Remove the insoles from your trail runner one at a time, starting with the heel.

After removing the insoles, brush out the shoe's insoles to eliminate any stones or dirt that may have accumulated there.

3. Loosen the Shoelaces

Taking the laces out of your running shoes allows more air and water to enter the shoe, allowing them to dry more quickly.

It also helps remove mud from the lace eyelets if they are caked in muck.

4. Leave Shoes to Dry

You can store your running shoes and insoles in a cool, dry spot. On a good day, my shaded porch is warm but out of direct sunshine; my pets aren't able to get it, and it's not in the house or where they can get to them.

Investing in a boot tray to catch moisture/dirt, so it doesn't end up all over your floor if you leave them inside to dry would be worth it.

If you're not a fan of cleaning, you can just leave them on some scrap paper or cardboard (depending on how meticulous you are).

Running shoes might take up to a couple of days to dry completely, depending on how wet they are and how warm and dry the weather is. Scrumptious newspapers can be stuffed into the shoes to dry them out.

You'll need to replace the absorbent paper frequently throughout the next day or so to get the most out of the absorbent paper.

5. Brush Off Dried Dirt

The mud and filth should easily brush off the shoes once they have dried on the exterior.

There are many ways to get rid of dried dirt, including banging each shoe against the ground or on a wall.

The upper gets cleaned with an inexpensive scouring soft brush, and the laces are moved through their eyelets to remove caked-on mud and keep them from getting caught.

If the lugs on the bottom of the running shoe are still caked with hardened mud, my preferred way to remove them is to 'clap' the soles together while holding one shoe in each hand.

Stubborn dirt can be removed with the end of a scrubbing brush if necessary.

Tips for Washing White Running Shoes

1. Clean all non-knit surfaces with soap and water

Get rid of any dirt on the leather or rubber that can be washed away first.

2. Use Tide to Go on any stains

There are a lot of Tide experts out there who know how to remove dirt and filth from clothing.

You may use the Tide to Go on your favorite white tee in the same manner you'd apply it to the knit upper of the sneaker.

3. Measure out 1/4 cup of bleach

That quantity isn't supported by much science, but it's roughly half of what we'd need for a load of bed sheets, so it seemed appropriate.

4. Set the washer to a regular warm cycle

We only wash delicate items like shirts and tees in cold water. Conversely, these are sneakers, not fine linens, and warm water is more effective at cleaning them.

5. Ignore the clanking

No matter how quiet you think your washing machine is, shoes with strong rubber bottoms tend to create more noise than soft clothing. It doesn't matter. Everything is going to be alright.

6. Air dry the sneakers overnight

Aside from dripping, they'll also have that bleached-out scent. Stuff some dry paper towels in there to speed up the process.

Special Considerations for Different Materials

In cleaning different trail running shoe materials, you should consider using the type of washing object that fits in the material.

A material made of white texture will be cleaned differently from other materials.

Things not to do when cleaning trail running shoes

There is no need to use detergent in this situation. Your shoes will become less water-resistant if you use detergents. If you must wash your hands, use only mild soaps.

Shoes should never be washed or dried in a machine. They will be harmed and become less water-resistant as a result.

To avoid lasting stains on your shoes, avoid drying them near an open flame or a direct heat source like a fire pit.

Proper drying is the only way to achieve the best results, so make sure you soak out any excess moisture first.

Any sort of upper shoe material should not be cleaned with bleach since it can eventually weaken the exterior fabric, making the shoes less water-resistant.

What is the Best Way to Dry Your Trail Running Shoes?

After you've cleaned and sanitized your shoes, they must be appropriately dried.

Fill the trail running shoes' interiors with a balled-up newspaper to hasten the drying process. 

Keep your shoes at room temperature in a well-ventilated room; however, do not leave them in full direct sunlight or near a low heat source, such as a hot radiator.

A DWR tech spray can be used to waterproof or re-waterproof the shoe's exterior fabric.

Using an anti-odor spray or an anti-odor product inside the shoes while they are not in use can help keep the shoes smelling fresh.

Do not use any sort of washing powder or soap to clean your running shoes since these can harm the fabric and weaken the shoe's waterproofing properties.

Care instructions for your trail running shoes

Even if cleaning trail running shoes isn't difficult, you don't have to do it after every run because you don't have to.

However, cleaning your trail running shoes regularly is essential if you want to get the most out of them. So, here are four care instructions for your trail running shoes:

1. Superficial cleaning

Unless the shoes are made from Gore-Tex, the interior can be cleaned with water because dirt tends to sneak in through the mesh upper.

Always remove the insole before washing. Then use a brush and warm water to scrub away the surface debris.

2. Busy work

Some of you may be satisfied with that, but if you want to shine your shoes to the point where they look like they belong with your best three-piece suit, consider the following suggestions: Wipe the surface with a moist cloth to remove fine dirt and water.

A toothbrush is an excellent tool for adequately cleaning the tread and microscopic grooves.

3. Drying

Your running shoes must dry completely before your next outing. Stuff the inside with some kitchen paper (change every few hours) and dry them in a room-temperature location until both the inside and exterior are arid.

4. Tending to the sole

In general, synthetic materials are used in trail running shoes, so they don't require any specific maintenance. While you're at it, don't forget about the sole.

To improve traction, the lugs of the tread are often roughened up a bit. The shoes' grip frequently wears off after a few uses.

Wasn't there a way to reverse the aging process? Yes, you certainly can! All you have to do is lightly scuff the tread with some sandpaper or a wire brush.

But be careful not to remove too much material from the lugs.

This content was created by roughthread.com. If you see this on another site, it has been stolen.

Conclusion

In this post on how to clean trail running shoes, you need to clean them properly if you want to keep your trail running shoes looking like new for as long as possible.

We've shown you how to gently clean trail running shoes by demonstrating how to rinse, scrape, and dry them.

When it comes to cleaning your shoes, we've also provided some pointers on what not to do.

You can extend the life of your favorite pair of running shoes by following these simple tips.

FAQs

1. Should You Wash Your Trail Running Shoes in the Washer?

When your shoes get filthy, resist the impulse to wash them with the washer. This is a horrible idea for two reasons: First, it degrades the unique shoe adhesive.

It's also capable of shrinking your shoes, which would be a big deal if it happened. Hand-washing is no problem for trail running shoes.

Hand washing will not only keep them in shape, but it will also protect the materials from degradation.

Throwing your sneakers in the washing machine is a sure way to damage them.

2. How Often Should You Wash Trail Running Shoes?

Your feet sweat while you run. That stinks up your shoes. Trail running shoes can lose traction and become muddy when jogging in wet circumstances.

There's no need to wash your stinky shoes if they're still clean on the outside. To freshen them up, all you need to do is spray some air freshener.

Shoe inserts should be sprinkled with baking soda before being re-worn after being dried with paper towels.

3. How do you clean smelly trail shoes?

As a shoe disinfectant, vinegar is an excellent choice. To make a spray, simply combine equal amounts of white vinegar and water in a container.

When you're done wearing the shoes, spray the solution inside and let it dry. If you do this after each run, your smelly shoes will smell better.