How to properly wash Vans shoes: in the washing machine and by hand

The history of Vans dates back to the sixties. It was then that the brand's first store opened in California. The brand's target audience was skateboarders and representatives of various subcultures of that time.

The first iconic model was sneakers No. 44, made of canvas fabric with a thick white sole. The recognizable strip appeared a little later, in the seventies.

To date, the brand produces regular collections of clothing, shoes and accessories. Sneakers and slip-ons, collectively called “Vans,” are especially popular.

The range of Vans includes textile, leather and models with suede inserts. Sneakers have a wide range of colors. Depending on the finishing material, there are different methods for removing dirt from Vans: from machine washing to dry cleaning.

Washing rules

When starting to combat dirt on sneakers, you need to take into account several rules:

• products with leather and suede inserts cannot be washed;
• before washing, remove the laces and insoles and wash them separately;
• the sole must be cleaned of dust and dirt;
• be sure to study the tag on the product;
• all detergents are pre-tested in an inconspicuous area;
• Despite the quality of the pigment used by the brand, it is better to wash bright colored Vans by hand;
• Models with metal and other decorative elements cannot be machine washed.

Rules for washing sneakers
By following these recommendations, you can restore your vans to their original attractiveness and cleanliness, without the risk of damaging your shoes.

Machine washable sports shoes

Nothing bad will happen to your favorite sneakers if you strictly adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Load a bag of sneakers into the drum. You can wash two or three pairs of shoes at the same time, but they should all be in different bags and match in color . Otherwise, after washing, the result may be the most unexpected. Insoles and laces are placed separately if you are too lazy to wash them by hand.
2. Then you need to select a washing mode. If your unit does not have a “shoe washing” mode, then you should choose a delicate mode without spinning. If the machine starts to wring out the sneakers, they will simply smash it or throw it over, hitting the walls of the drum with great force at high speed. The optimal water temperature is 40 degrees.
3. All that remains is to pour the washing powder into the tray. Ideally use liquid detergent. But if this is the case at home, you will need very little powder - about 40 g. When washing white shoes, you can add a little extra bleach like Vanish.

If you are washing only one pair of shoes, users recommend putting additional things in the drum that you don’t mind - old chair covers, towels, etc. Then the machine won’t break down, and the sneakers will wash better.

Handwash

By choosing this cleaning method, you can be sure that the colors and shape of the product will be preserved. Bright prints and stripes require careful cleaning. Leather models also require hand washing only.

You can wash vans made of textiles by following the following algorithm:

• Before washing, remove the laces and remove the insoles;
• remove all dirt and foreign objects from the surface and sole;
• pour warm water into a container and add a little detergent;
• Place the sneakers completely in the container for fifteen minutes;
• Clean the fabric part and sole with a soft brush;
• wash the laces separately and clean the insole;
• rinse everything with plenty of cool water.

ARTICLE FOR YOU
How to properly wash sandals: in a washing machine and by hand

Handwash

It is important to remember that the water temperature for washing vans should not exceed thirty degrees.

Leather models are less resistant to water treatments, so the washing method is slightly different:

• remove the laces and remove the insoles;
• clean the product from dirt;
• Use a well-wrung sponge to remove dirt from the leather part;
• clean the sole with a brush;
• wipe the leather surface with a dry cotton cloth;
• wash the laces and clean the insoles.

In case of significant contamination, you can use a weak solution of laundry soap. Insoles and laces are washed using a soap solution.

Preparing shoes for washing

Proper preparation of sports shoes for washing not only removes stains, but also prevents the appearance of new traces of dirt. If you put sneakers with stuck pieces of earth and other debris into the washing machine, you should not expect a positive result. Dirt from shoes will dissolve in water and penetrate into the fibers. To clean such products, more aggressive substances will be required.

To wash shoes in a machine (or by hand), you need to clean them first. If there is stuck dirt on the sole, it must be removed. To do this, you can use a stiff brush. Another way is to wash the soles by holding the shoes under running water. With good pressure from the tap, dirt will quickly be washed out, even if the sneakers have a patterned tread.

Regardless of whether the sneakers will be washed in a machine or by hand, the insoles must be pulled out of the shoes. They need individual cleaning. If you ignore this recommendation, then when using an automatic machine you should expect that they will not be washed. Another reason why you shouldn’t put insoles in a drum is the risk of them becoming deformed.

It is advisable to also pull the laces out of the shoes, but after that they can be put in the washing machine together with the sneakers. When they are very dirty, it is better to wash them by hand.

Washing in a washing machine

Textile models can withstand machine washing if you follow certain recommendations:

• remove all removable parts, laces and insoles;
• thoroughly clean your shoes from dirt;
• place vans in a laundry bag;
• select the washing mode for sports shoes or delicate washing;
• the temperature should not exceed thirty degrees;
• Additional rinsing is required;
• laces and insoles can be washed along with the sneakers;
• Do not spin or machine dry.

How to wash sneakers in a machine
Following this algorithm, washing your favorite pair of Vans will take place without any unpleasant consequences for the shoes.

How to wash Converse sneakers

If there are several shoes of this model, and pairs of different colors, they need to be washed separately. Clean in a machine or by hand. Branded sneakers are made of high-quality material, they do not give a fit and do not change color. Products are sold in the manufacturer's box with care instructions. It is advisable to study them before starting work. If this is not possible, you can wash it according to the general rules.

How to wash Converse in the washing machine

It is necessary to wash colored Converse with a special gel; a prerequisite is that the composition does not contain chlorine; such bleach is not used. To prevent white laces from fading, they are not placed in the machine together with sneakers. Can be cleaned by hand or added to white laundry.

Do not wash colored and black Converse together.

Advice! To get the best result, before washing your sneakers in the machine, it is recommended to soak them in warm water for 15 minutes.

Sequence of work:

1. After preliminary preparation, the product is placed in a special bag, zipped up and placed in the machine.

   
   For each pair of shoes take a separate cover

2. To prevent sneakers from hitting the drum, they add things that are identical in color.
3. Set the “Delicate wash” mode, maximum temperature – +300C.
4. Add gel according to color and conditioner.

If there are problem spots on the surface, remove them with a brush or sponge before soaking.

How to wash Converse sneakers by hand

It is more difficult to wash Converse by hand; they resort to this method only when necessary, when there is a high degree of wear or there are torn areas and parts.

Manual cleaning sequence:

1. Remove soil particles from the surface and get rid of difficult stains.
2. If you use a liquid detergent, the powder will be difficult to remove when rinsing.
3. Take out the insoles and remove the laces.
4. Dilute a warm foam solution and apply to the surface and interior. Leave for 20 minutes.
5. You can immerse Converse in soapy warm (+300C) water for the same time.
6. Use a brush to thoroughly clean the surface of the insoles on both sides and wash the laces.
7. Then carefully remove dirt from the shoes themselves.

You can wash your sneakers with a regular toothbrush or the hard side of a dish sponge, but without pressing.

If the water is very dirty, replace it with clean water, add a product, and repeat the procedure. Rinse shoes under running cold water. You can't twist it. Leave the steam in the container or bath until the liquid drains, then hang it out to dry.

Detergents

For machine cleaning, a gel for colored or white laundry is quite suitable, depending on the color of the shoes. It is not recommended to use washing powders, due to the appearance of white stains from not completely rinsed off.

Manual cleaning involves a wider selection of cleaning products.

The following means can be used:

• concentrate or gel for washing clothes;
• liquid or bar laundry soap;
• dishwashing detergents;
• liquid soap.

Washing gel
For manual cleaning, you can use brushes of varying degrees of hardness and sponges.

Hand wash

The first step is to decide on a cleaning product. Regular washing powder (mix half a cup with two glasses of warm water), dishwashing detergent, glass cleaner or hair shampoo will do. If possible, purchase a special composition that is used to wash sneakers. Dissolve your chosen cleaning solution in a bowl of warm water. Stock up on another bowl and pour clean water into it - we will rinse the cloth in it. We wet a cloth in a soapy solution and wipe the surface of the Vans, rubbing gently. Rinse the rag in water and re-wet it with the cleaning solution, wiping the cloth until it is clean.

We wipe the inside of the shoes in the same way. Then take an old toothbrush and remove particles of dust and dirt from the rubber sole. The brush should be moistened with soapy water and the dirty areas should be thoroughly scrubbed. The toothbrush can be replaced with a small regular clothes brush or a hard washcloth. There is no need to wash lightly soiled shoes: just take a damp cloth and walk over the surface. Once you've finished cleaning as usual, take a clean, damp cloth and remove any remaining dirt and soapy water. Make sure there are no dirty marks left, then send the product to dry, after filling the space inside with crumpled newspapers.

Whitening

Over time, the white sole and upper material may turn yellow. Such a nuisance significantly affects the appearance of the Vans. But there are plenty of whitening options to quickly and easily return the whiteness to your favorite sneakers. Before you start directly combating yellowness, your shoes need to be prepared. Namely, remove all dirt, traces of dust and stains.

1. The most popular method of whitening sports shoes is to treat the surface with toothpaste. The product has a good visible effect and is gentle on fabric. This way you can clean both the sole and the upper material.
2. A paste of washing powder and table vinegar, in proportions of one to one. It is rubbed into the product using a brush. After a few minutes, the resulting foam is washed off with plenty of water.
3. Laundry soap has a good whitening effect. Using a medium-hard brush, intensively treat yellowed sneakers. Residues of soap and dirt are washed off with running water.
4. To remove the yellowness and gray “washed out” effect, you can use chalk. It must be ground into flour and applied to the yellowed areas. After two hours, the shoes must be washed.
5. The canvas fabric from which vans are made can easily withstand exposure to bleach. It is applied according to the instructions.
6. Leather sneakers can be bleached with a paste of talcum powder and water. It is rubbed in a circular motion into the yellowed areas. After drying, the remaining talc should be removed with a soft brush.

ARTICLE FOR YOU

How to properly wash and bleach sneakers: in the washing machine and by hand

Laundry soap for washing

The use of aggressive bleaching agents is not suitable for leather products. Chlorine-based bleaches should be tested on inconspicuous areas.

How to choose the water temperature for washing sneakers

You can wash your sneakers using special powders. There is a large selection of them on store shelves. If you clean white sneakers made of natural or synthetic material, you can add various bleaches. For washing black, green and other shades, there is a powder specifically for colored fabrics.

We must not forget that it is very important to choose the appropriate temperature, since high temperatures can harm and ruin your shoes. You only need to set the delicate mode and no more than 40 degrees, and it’s best if it’s 30.

Cloth sneakers are considered the most comfortable to use. They can be cleaned either manually or using a washing machine. It is necessary to remove all dirt and dust from the sole and from the surface. Insoles and laces need to be removed from the shoes and it is best to wash them by hand. Next, place the sneakers in a special bag that has ties. This is necessary so that they are not damaged during washing.

Set the delicate mode and set the temperature to no more than 40 degrees. Add powder and start washing. The best option would be to set the mode without spin, as there is a risk that the sneakers may be damaged. After all, rag shoes dry very quickly.

Don't forget to inspect your shoes for poor quality seams. If the shoes are of poor quality, then most likely you should refrain from washing them or wash them less often. The sneakers may simply tear or fall apart.

Synthetic shoes are cleaned according to a special procedure. First you need to soak it with powder in warm water. This treatment should only be carried out if the sneakers are made of high-quality synthetic material. If the shoes are very dirty, the washing machine will not be able to wash them completely. Before washing, you will need to brush off any dirt.

The most important thing is that after cleaning there are no soap stains or stains left. Therefore, you need to pay attention to ensuring that the washing machine rinses more. On white shoes this may not be noticeable, but on colored shoes, after it dries everything will become visible.

All people should definitely know how to wash suede and leather sneakers. Before you start cleaning, there are a few rules to learn. In order to clean dirt from shoes, you need to purchase special dust removal brushes. After going outside, you should always dry your sneakers; this is done to avoid any unpleasant odors. After all, it will be very difficult to remove them.

If after cleaning the sneakers in the washing machine and the smell remains, then you need to use various deodorants. If you need to wash suede or leather shoes, you need to add only certain powders and rinse well. This is done to avoid divorces. You need to take the insoles and laces separately and wash them with soap.

Dry cleaning

Products with suede inserts can only be cleaned using the dry method. Suede material is quite capricious; from excess moisture it can become shiny and “bald”. Therefore, sneakers trimmed with suede are cleaned with a special double-sided brush.

First, dirt is removed with the hard side, then the pile is combed with the rubber part. Heavy dirt is removed with special cleaning foam.

In the absence of special cosmetics, you can clean a suede product using available absorbent products. These include potato starch, talc or baby powder. The product is sprinkled on the area that needs deep cleansing. After an hour, the residue is removed with a brush.

Cleaning sneakers with a brush

Removing stains

Hand and machine washing cope with a standard set of traces of dust and dirt.

In order to remove complex and stubborn stains, you need to use more intense detergents and solutions:

• coffee and tea stains will be cleaned by a mixture of salt and glycerin;
• greasy stains can be removed with a paste of baby powder and water;
• traces of grass are well removed by lemon juice and ammonia;
• Suede can be cleaned with a cotton swab dipped in gasoline;
• a universal remedy would be laundry soap;
• Industrial stain removers are applicable to textile models.

Before using one of the products, be sure to check it in an inconspicuous area.

Drying

Drying vanes while maintaining their shape is quite simple.

To do this, you need to carefully consider the following tips:

• do not dry products on radiators and radiators;
• do not leave to dry in the open sun;
• to maintain the shape, light paper is stuffed inside;
• all metal parts are wiped dry immediately after washing;
• Do not try to shorten the drying time with a hot air stream using a hair dryer.

How to dry Vans
There are several ways to speed up the process:

• frequent change of paper inside vans;
• immediately after washing, excess moisture can be removed with a towel;
• a warm floor, due to uniform and gentle heating, can significantly reduce drying time;
• special electric shoe dryers;
• bags of silica gel will absorb moisture from textiles in a few hours.

Drying in a well-ventilated area will allow the shoes to dry naturally, maintain the softness of the material and not deform.

Vans sneaker material

Original sneakers are rarely delivered to stores with serious defects.

Following is noteworthy:

1. The quality of adhesion of the sole to the fabric. There should be no visible glue drips.
2. Joining the material with the sole. For a branded product it is smooth - without waves.

   
   Joining the material with the sole

3. How the sneakers are sewn. The stitching of the originals is even, the threads do not stick out.

   
   Stitching on Vans sneakers

4. Elasticity of shoes. The sole should not be too hard. The originals bend easily and do not crack.

Vans sticker and logo

A sticker is attached to real sneakers, or rather to the eyelet for the lace - a paper label, also known as a tag/label. The tag is attached using a plastic disposable holder. The label is made in the shape of a skateboard. It has the inscriptions “Off the wall” and “VANS”. The tag is red, the text is white.

Tag on VANS sneakers