Washing your cycling shoes

[drgynfyr]

Can you wash them in the washing machine like tennis shoes?
Any tips?

Thank you!

[shootingstar]

I wouldn't want to try because of some the materials that cycling shoes are made of.

Actually I've never thrown shoes into a washing machine in my life. And I probably never will unless it's a cloth slipper, a simple constructed thing.

When I saw it being done by others, I thought it looked abit gross.

But then I come from a family that took off any shoes that we walked around outdoors before we entered in a house. Either slippers, socked feet or bare feet. To this day, those are my habits.

[Becky]

I'm not sure that I'd want to subject cycling shoes to all that tossing and tumbling. I usually just hose them off if they're in need of a cleaning. It's usually just my mountain shoes that get that dirty. I don't think my road shoes have ever needed cleaning.

[tulip]

I suppose it depends on the shoes. I would not want to put my leather cycling shoes in the wash, but I would clean them with saddle soap like other leather shoes.

I would imagine that the metal parts might rust after being exposed to detergent.

Instead of the dryer, pack the shoes with newspaper to dry them.

[OakLeaf]

Just hose them off if they're really muddy, then pack them with newspaper to dry and put them in a well-ventilated area, but not directly over a furnace vent (too hot).

[drgynfyr]

Thank you all!

[malkin]

Or wait until the muck dries and then brush it off.

[shootingstar]

After the "joy" of cycling through continuous rain, I tend to stuff shoes with paper towels or newspapers as last resort, to absorb moisture and leave shoes out to dry.

Sure, the shoes won't look spanking new...but you earn your cycling stripes by having shoes that do look abit used.

[jdubble]

We've been hosing them off after cross races, taking out the insoles, and then putting them on a chair in front of the dehumidifier in the basement. They dry overnight there. They're not spotless, but it's good enough.

[jolie]

I don't think cycling shoes can washed by washing machine. I just wash it by my hand. Most of time I think needn't clean the inside of the shoes, for a long term wearing.

[bcipam]

I hate to admit I do this cause die hards will think me crazy... but I love my leather Sidi's for road and mountain biking (I have two sets of the same shoe - one for each). For road riding what I do is spray the inside of the shoe with alittle alcohol and run over the outside with a clean cloth.

Now for mountain biking, my shoes, especially this time of year get all muddy and wet. I could (and have) let the shoes dry out and try and knock off the mud but i find the shoes get stinky if I do so what I do now is this:

I rinse the shoes off in the kitchen sink with luke warm water. I then take out the insoles and fill up the sink with enough warm water to cover the shoes. I put in two cupfuls of bleach and allow the shoes to soak a short period of time. I then rinse the shoes again and set them out to dry, preferable in the sun. The shoes are clean, smell fine and appear to be OK. I have been doing this with my shoes for about 3 years, they are OK.

Now tennis type shoes, I would have now problem soaking them or washing them. Just take out the insoles first.

[arielmoon]

I am assuming you have cleats on your shoes... they would probably damage a washing machine.

[WindingRoad]

I usually squirt a little WD40 on my cleats occasionally to keep them from rusting. Especially good after a good hose down.