Are you a fitness freak or just beginning your journey to get fit? Running is a very popular form of exercise and, to that end, you may have bought expensive high-end running shoes with long durability. Yet, whether you go running in your neighborhood or a nearby park, you always end up with dirty shoes despite all your precautions and care.
While the simplest solution may seem to be just throwing them into the washing machine, doing so will seriously impair the strength and life of your running shoes. The same goes for tossing them into the dryer.
In fact, as far as your running shoes or trainers are concerned, you need to avoid dunking them in water to clean them the right way.
We’ve got the perfect way to clean running shoes the right way, both inside and out, without causing any damage. It won’t take a lot of effort, either.
Contents
- Steps to Clean Your Running Shoes
- Step 1. Remove the laces and use baking soda to clean the insoles
- Step 2. Scrub the outsoles with a baking soda paste
- Step 3. Clean the fabric or mesh with a dish soap solution
- Step 4. Use a wet sponge to clean the outer surface
- Step 5. Wipe both the inside and outside with a paper towel
- Step 6. Clean the laces with liquid dish soap
- Tips
Steps to Clean Your Running Shoes

Things you’ll need:
- Baking soda – 2 tablespoons
- Liquid dish soap – 1 teaspoon
- Kitchen sponge
- Old, clean toothbrush
- Soft cloth
- Paper towels
- Water
Step 1. Remove the laces and use baking soda to clean the insoles

- First, remove the laces from your running shoes.
- For insoles that cannot be removed, lift the tongue of the shoe and sprinkle baking soda all over the insole. The baking soda will soak up all the sweat and bacteria. This is important, as accumulated sweat and bacteria will cause your shoes to stink.
- For detachable insoles, remove them to air out your shoes and clean the insoles just as you would the outsoles in Step 2.
Step 2. Scrub the outsoles with a baking soda paste

- Put about 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a bowl.
- Add just enough water to make a smooth paste for scrubbing.
- Mix it well.
- Dip a clean, old toothbrush into the baking soda paste.
- Use it to scrub and clean the rubber outsole.
- Keep dipping the toothbrush into the cleaning paste as you work your way around the shoes.
Step 3. Clean the fabric or mesh with a dish soap solution

- Put about 1 teaspoon of liquid dish soap in a bowl.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of water and mix it well.

- Use a clean, old toothbrush to brush off as much of the dirt as you can from the fabric or mesh.
- Dip a soft cloth into the cleaning solution and use it to wipe the toe area, the tongue and any other areas with mesh or fabric.
Step 4. Use a wet sponge to clean the outer surface

- Dunk a kitchen sponge in water and squeeze out the excess moisture.
- Wipe the entire outer surface of your running shoes with the wet sponge, especially the quarter panel, which has the eyelets for the laces and midsole.
- Keep wiping until all the dirt and stains are gone.
Step 5. Wipe both the inside and outside with a paper towel

- Wipe the cleaned shoes with a paper towel to soak up and absorb the moisture for faster drying.
- After wiping the outside, use a paper towel or a dry cloth to wipe up the baking soda from inside the shoes and clean the insoles completely.
- You can place your shoes out in the sun to dry. Let them dry completely before using them, or else the remaining moisture will turn your shoes into a hotbed of bacterial activity and cause them to stink.
Step 6. Clean the laces with liquid dish soap

- Once you’ve set your shoes out to dry, soak the laces in the remaining liquid dish soap solution for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Use an old, clean toothbrush to scrub and remove hardened dirt and other filth from the laces.
- Rinse them with water and air-dry to clean running shoes the right way.
- Once your shoes and laces are completely dry, put the laces back in and your shoes will look as good as new.

Tips
- This article describes how you can clean running shoes the right way. You can also learn the best way to clean your dirty canvas shoes.
- Never immerse your running shoes in water, as doing so will negatively impact their durability.
- Do not wash your shoes too often. Try to remove mud or dirt from your running shoes as soon as it gets on them.
- You can clean your leather shoes by wiping them with a piece of cloth dipped in a solution of liquid dish soap and cold water. Wipe them dry immediately after cleaning them, and keep moisture as far away from them as possible.
- As far as suede shoes are concerned, you have to use a brush specially designed for suede to keep them clean.