How to Wash Stinky Running Shoes

Sometimes my running shoes get stinky and gross.   This can happen either because I have ducked into the woods to pee (and missed).  Eww, I know.

Or, because I got them really wet with sweat or lake water during a race.    That was the case after a recent race, White Lake Olympic Triathlon.  I was so hot after crossing the finish line that I jogged right into the lake with my running shoes still on my feet.

I hung my favorite Saucony Kinvara 5 running shoes up on my car after the race to dry out:

However, even after hanging them to try, they still reaked badly.   So when I got back home, I carefully washed them in my washing machine.  Here’s how:

Step 1: remove the liners from the shoes.

Step 2: put  each shoe and liner into it’s own mesh bag.

Step 3: put these two mesh bags into a third larger mesh bag (not pictured.  This triple bagging helps protect shoes from the agitator action of the machine).

Step 4: Put into washing machine.

• Use Warm water
• Use Delicate cycle.
• Use Tide Sport detergent (my preference)
• Fill machine half full (medium load). More water is more gentle to the shoes.

Step 5:  Remove from Washing Machine when done, and then lay out to air dry near a fan or vent.

This works like a charm!

DO NOT PUT INTO DRYER – THIS WILL RUIN THEM!!!