If your running shoes are drenched, you might be wondering can running shoes go in the dryer? Here are some drying tips to save your shoes from destruction.
Drying running shoes can be tricky if they’ve been out in the rain. They can take quite a while to dry on their own, so can running shoes go in the dryer? The short answer is no.
You don’t want to put running shoes in the dryer because it can damage the adhesives holding your shoe together and its overall shape. You want to keep your shoes away from intense heat sources, including the sun. But don’t despair; below, I’ll show you a few ways to dry running shoes that will allow you to keep them in tip-top condition.
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Drying Running Shoes Using Newspaper
One easy way to dry the outside of wet running shoes is by using newspaper. The newspaper quickly soaks up moisture. Plus, it’s easy to work it into the toe area where towels have difficulty reaching.
Step 1: Clean Your Shoes
First, ensure your running shoes are cleaned thoroughly. If they are dirty, you’ll need to ensure they are clean before drying them. You can use a solution made with warm water and a mild detergent and wash the outside. Then, gently scrub all debris off with a dry brush.
Step 2: Remove The Insoles & Laces
Take out the insoles. Use the same solution to wash your insoles. After the fourth step, you can air dry them or place them under a fan to dry faster or use a microfiber cloth. Loosening or removing the laces will help your running shoes breathe.
Step 3: Spritz The Shoes With A Cleaning Solution
Using a solution made with a 1:1 ratio of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle, lightly spritz the inside and outside of your running shoes. Do the same with your insoles.
Step 4: Add The Newspaper
Stuff your running shoes with newspaper. While crumpling up the newspaper, try to avoid using areas with a lot of ink; this can leave marks on your shoes. Make sure you stuff your shoe fully, up to the toe area.
Step 5: Wrap Up The Shoes
Wrap the outside of your running shoes in a sheet or towel. Using soft and absorbent material, wrap the outside portion of your running shoes. High-quality micro-fiber clothes used for drying car windows work very well for this purpose.
Step 6: Place In A Dry Area
Place your running shoes in a dry area. Store your running shoes indoors, but avoid direct sunlight. Please keep them in a well-ventilated and dry area, not somewhere like a closet or cabinet, but like an open shelf. You can also put them in front of a fan or air vent to speed up drying.
Step 7: Change The Newspaper (Optional)
If your running shoes are very wet, you might have to change out the newspaper a couple of times. Keep an eye on them and check the newspaper’s wetness level. Take out the wet newspaper and add fresh dry newspaper as often as needed until the insides of your shoes are completely dry.
Step 8: Wait
Be patient. This process can take up to 12 hours. Your time can shorten depending on how often you remember to change out the newspaper.
Drying Running Shoes Using A Fan
A quicker way to dry running shoes without the risk of damaging the materials is by hooking them to the grill of a table or floor fan that’s bigger than the entire length of your running shoes. You can use an old wire hanger’s hook and cut it off using a wire cutter to make your hook.
Step 1: Clean Your Shoes & Remove Insoles
First, clean your shoes, removing any debris. Remove your insoles and wash them. Open up or remove your laces. You might also find our explainer on can you run in the rain helpful.
Step 2: Spray With Cleaning Solution
Use your solution of white vinegar and water to spritz the insoles, the inside and outside of your running shoes.
Step 3: Prepare The Fan
Place a towel underneath your fan. Cut about eight inches of wire from the hanger using a wire cutter. Then bend each hook into the shape of an “S.” You might also be wondering, are Nike trainers waterproof?
Hook the end of each wire into the grill of the fan and the other end into the shoe. The hook should touch the top of your shoes with the open end facing the fan.
Step 4: Turn On The Fan
Run your fan for a few hours or until both your insoles and the insides of your running shoes are completely dry. Another way you can dry faster is by placing your running shoes near an air vent or refrigerator vent so long as the air is not too hot. Just be sure to properly open them up so you can get good airflow inside each shoe.
If You Must Use The Dryer To Dry Running Shoes
Emergencies happen, and you may not have the time to dry running shoes properly. Under these circumstances, if you must use a clothes dryer or a hair dryer, do so at the lowest heat setting. You can also use the dryer door to suspend your shoes or tie the shoe laces together and put your running shoes into a mesh bag before placing them inside the dryer.
