Care & Maintenance of your HOKAS

HOW TO CLEAN AND DRY WET RUNNING SHOES

You can clean and maintain your running shoes just fine with everyday household items, even if they’re drenched or muddy. The process can be a bit labor-intensive, but your shoes will last significantly longer with proper cleaning. Remember that using a washing machine or dryer for your running shoes will age them rapidly, and take the following steps:

  1. DISASSEMBLE YOUR SHOES
    Removing liners, insoles and laces will speed up the process.

  2. WASH YOUR LACES
    You can throw laces into the laundry with your running clothes, and wash on the cold setting with your regular detergent (pro tip: stuff them into a sock so they don’t get lost or tangled). Just remember to remove them from the load before you transfer to the dryer.

  3. REMOVE EXCESS MUD AND DIRT FROM THE SHOE OUTERS
    First with a dry paper towel then with a dry toothbrush for greater detail, remove mud and dirt from all outer areas of your shoes; if your shoes are exceptionally muddy, you might want to let the mud dry before wiping, as caked mud comes off easier in clumps (skip to step 6 to see how best to dry your shoes).

  4. SCRUB CLEAN WITH NON-ABRASIVE SOLUTION
    Mix a small dab of your chosen soaping agent (natural dye-free detergent, dish soap, or even dandruff shampoo can all work fine) into cool water, and gently work into dirty areas of the shoes and insoles with the toothbrush until there’s a lather; keep going until the dirt is gone, and remove dirty water with a dry towel or rag as you go.

  5. WIPE WITH DAMP RAG
    Now wipe off all remaining soap lather with a towel or rag dampened with cold water.

  6. BLOT AND STUFF TO DRY
    Your shoes (including insoles) should now be dirt-free, if somewhat wet; blot them with a dry cloth until they’re no longer sopping and stuff your shoes with newsprint to let them dry overnight (tip: keep your insoles separate, and don’t leave your shoes to dry outdoors or try to speed the process with a heat source - both sunlight and direct heat can warp them); for added odor protection, include a dryer sheet or a light dusting of baking soda with your wadding.