WASHING TRAIL SHOES

My trail shoes are in a right state. They are caked in dried on mud, and a lovely muddy colour where muddy water has dried in. It was a bit wet last time I used them image

How do people clean their shoes, I was thinking about sticking them in the washing machine, but not sure if this is a good idea or not.

Any ideas?

Comments

  • Thanks KK.

    I think I'll give it a go. They are really bad, so I think it worth a try.

    Just wanted a bit of re-assurance that I wasn't completely nuts for considering it image

  • I do what KK does as well - I don't even bother with the pillow case but take the laces out and stick them in a net bag (to stop the ends going through the drain holes and causing chaos)

    never had a problem with sticking runners in a washing machine.
  • in with FB on this one... never had a problem with sticking runners in a washing machine.
  •  Mick Mick ✭✭✭

    How to clean shoes? Aim for the puddles on the roads .... or go for a run on the roads when it's pouring down.

    Trail shoes are meant to be brown, mucky etc. And (on my rural routes) ... the tracks are used by cows & horses; the fields have been sprayed with fully fermented slurry, I'm hoping the brown stuff is mainly mud.

    Although I have been known to hose mine down a few times.

  • Mick wrote (see)

    or go for a run on the roads when it's pouring down.

    LOL Mick, I just did that. Shame I only had my road shoes at work with me today. image I'm soaked!!
  • In my experience, the're only going to get filthy again so half the time I don't bother cleaning them. If they get really bad,  I just bang the worst of the mud off, give them a scrub in cold water and hang  them up to dry naturally. This is also what Inov-8 and walsh recommend in their aftercare instructions.
  • Or save time but putting them on a 30 minute cycle with no detergent on 15c. Dry naturally away from radiators etc stuffed with the work/money/travel sections of The Guardian.
  • Shouldn't mud on trail shoes be worn like a badge of honour?
  • Yeah if you're 15 maybeimage
  • North London Runner:

    Washing trail shoes is taking human vanity to an unacceptable level.

    A bit like men wearing makeup.  

    Now obviously I would never wash my running shoes, but if I did then I would get a basin of hot water and a nail brush and that would generally take care of business. 

  • Why shouldn't men wear make up? Plenty of men in African tribes wear make up. Maybe the mud we get round here is a bit thicker than where you are. When you can't see the boot for the mud and can barely get it on your foot on a sunday morning its time for a wash. A washing machine is less messy and takes less effort than scrubbing in a sink. It appears to me young man that it is you who is being vain about this issue-no offence
  • Ouch!

    I hadn't even mentioned the time that I painted my toenails to prevent them from cracking during a long race!

  • Pete S wrote (see)

    In my experience, the're only going to get filthy again so half the time I don't bother cleaning them. If they get really bad, 

     I just bang the worst of the mud off, give them a scrub in cold water and hang  them up to dry naturally.

    'Ditto'

    Mine might get, at the most, a soaking in the Water-Butt/a scrubbing with the 'yard-brush', before being left to dry (I do stuff them with newspaper in speed up the process though)

    That;s if the fell-race/'XC' run isn't wet enough to clean them off over the last mile or so....

    Works for my 'Mud-Claw 330's, 'Roc-Lite 315s', & Mizuno 'Wave Harriers'

  • I hosed my trails down with a powerfull-ish spray , washing line for a day then put them on a radiator upside down. Good as new post 15 miles, one of which was in a calf high muddy field. image
  • You should never dry them them on a radiator
Sign In or Register to comment.