How to Dry Sneakers in The Dryer? What Are The Things You Should Consider?

How many times have you run in the rain, dried your shoes, only to find them damp the next morning? You realize that your early morning run has just become less appealing now that you’ve discovered your damp running sneakers.

This is a rather typical issue that many runners have when it comes to drying their running shoes, but it does not have to be yours.

Another issue that runners may encounter when drying their shoes is that they may end up harming them or making their shoes smell worse.

This can be a major issue because shoes are expensive, and no one wants to spend a hundred dollars on a new pair of shoes every month because their drying efforts destroy their fine running shoes.

Your shoes will need to be washed and dried on a regular basis. While there are other methods, placing your shoes in the dryer is one of the quickest and easiest.

However, if you’ve done any online research, you’ve probably heard advice telling you not to use your clothes dryer. So, what’s the problem with how to dry shoes in the dryer?

So, as long as you do it correctly, you can dry your shoes in the dryer. Having said that, we still don’t recommend doing it with delicate shoes or shoes you care about, but if you need dry shoes fast, your clothes dryer will not disappoint!

In this post, we’ll show you how to dry sneakers in the dryer without damaging them, as well as a few other helpful hints.

Things to Know for How to Dry Shoes in The Dryer

You will undoubtedly require a high-quality dryer from a well-known brand.

Some dryers include a sophisticated little mechanism known as a drying shelf, on which items such as sneakers can be placed to be exposed to the warm air of the dryer without being flung around.

This keeps the interior of your dryer from scuffing and your ears from being subjected to an hour of this cacophony.

• You’d need rags to fill in your shoes while they dried.

Stuff rags and towels into your shoes, pushing the rags up to the toes. This is done to absorb part of the moisture and keep your shoes from stretching or shrinking, allowing them to keep their shape throughout and after the drying process.

• To clean your soiled shoes, use warm water and a light detergent.
• You may even wash your soiled shoes in the washing machine.

If your shoes are wet and muddy after an outing, clean them first. Most can easily be cleaned in the washer. A gentle spin cycle will remove any excess water.

• While following the directions on how to dry shoes in the dryer, you will also need some towels, both large and tiny.

Ensure that the dryer is filled with some large towels as this will speed up the time of drying and also reduce the amount of noise that is created while drying shoes.

In addition, the fabric will help to absorb excess water. This isn’t a necessity but can help if your shoes are soaking, and it will preserve the shape.

***See More: How to Protect Fabric Shoes? How to Cleaning White Fabric Shoes?

How to Dry Sneakers Using A Dryer?

When putting your shoes in the dryer, there are a few measures and safeguards you should take. You shouldn’t, for example, put your shoes in the dryer and then push a bunch of buttons.

Specific settings to prevent the shoes from shrinking are the kinds of specifics you’ll want to pay attention to farther down. Here’s a step-by-step guide to ensuring that your shoes and machine survive.

• Check the shoe’s label to see if they can be machine washed. This is typically written on the tongue or the inner heal.

The label will indicate whether they should be air-dried or machine-dried. If there is a square with an in it, it signifies they cannot be machine dried. Many footwear, however, is appropriate for this technique.

• Don’t forget about the fundamentals of normal drying.

If the item is wet (from washing or from outside water), drain some of the water before putting it in the dryer.

Remove lint from the lint filter to prevent the machine from having to work harder to dry your shoes and to enhance air quality.

To make your shoes smell nice, toss in some fabric softener sheets.

• Tie your sneakers together with a tight knot using the laces. Allow the shoes to dangle side by side from the knot.
• Close the door on the laces and hang the sneakers in the dryer. Hang them by the laces from the entrance.

Continue to grasp the laces and close the door so that the laces are now held in place. This is done to prevent the shoe from falling into the dryer after it is turned on.

• Set the dryer to air drying mode. To be safe, if your dryer does not have this setting, set it to the lowest temperature. Too much heat will cause the fibers to shrink and dry out.
• Allow around 20 minutes for the shoes to dry before removing them. Open the door slowly and try to catch the shoes before they fall.

Check the interior to make sure it’s dry. If it hasn’t dried yet, remove them for 5 minutes and re-insert them for the same amount of time.

***See More: How To Clean Your Shoes With Toothpaste? How To Clean White Shoes?

Can You Dry Sneakers With a Blow Dryer?

The quick answer is yes. However, there are some precautions that must be taken before proceeding.

The blow dryer must first be set to cold heat. It should also be a safe distance away, about 10 inches.

The biggest advantage of utilizing a blow dryer instead of a conventional drier is that you may use any shoe material with a blow dryer.

There are no restrictions on the types of shoe materials that can be dried using a blow dryer. However, depending on the material, there are several measures you should take.

• For use with leather shoes

When using a blow dryer to dry leather shoes, keep in mind that the tongue of the shoe will wrinkle. This is due to the extremely thin leather on the tongue.

There is, however, a solution to this difficulty. While drying, keep the laces on to avoid direct contact between the heat and the tongue. However, the last two bottom holes should be left unfilled.

After you’ve done drying them and allowed them to cool for a few minutes, replenish the leather with a leather conditioner or leather cream.

Apply a little more than usual and leave to absorb for around 15 minutes. After that, use a brush to remove any extra cream.

• For suede footwear

Suede shoes are the most difficult to clean, much alone dry. We’re lucky we don’t have suede sneakers because they’d be a nightmare to clean. Avoid getting your suede shoes wet.

If they get wet, you can use a blow dryer to dry them. The only problem is that there is no way to make them look as fresh and new as they once did. This is true even when drying naturally.

When using a blow dryer, take the same precautions. It should be set to cold heat and 15 inches from the shoe. Remember to protect the tongue in the same way as you did your leather shoes.

After they’ve dried, moisturize the leather with suede cream or shoe protector spray. Straighten the suede hairs with a suede shoe brush. If you don’t have a suede shoe brush, a clean bathroom hand brush would suffice.

• To use with canvas shoes

These are the ideal shoes for blow-drying. They, however, are unable to endure the high temperatures produced by a blow dryer. Ascertain that the dryer is set to cold heat and is at least 10 inches away from the shoe.

If you’re in a rush, turn on the blow dryer but increase the spacing between them.

When you do this, be sure there are no books or other easily ignitable materials nearby, because blow dryers tend to overheat and will begin heating everything in their path if left for an extended period of time.

***See More: How to Protect Leather Shoes From Rain? The Right Way to Using Leather Shoes From Rain

• Polyester/Nylon

In addition, the materials used on the inside tags of your clothing are nylons and polyesters. Because of their elastic nature, these blends are seen in many running shoes.

Because nylon is less popular than polyester or cotton these days, it is more commonly utilized as a cross-blend to improve comfort.

If your product contains nylon, a lower temperature is required since some nylons melt easily. Polyester, on the other hand, dries quickly but has a tendency to shrink at higher temperatures.

• Cotton

Consider Reebok’s organic cotton and corn sneakers, which were released in August of 2018.

Because many of our shirts are made of cotton and can be thrown in the dryer, shoes made of the same material are a safe bet. One thing to keep in mind is that cotton shrinks, therefore it is vital to stuff your shoes to prevent this.

• Gel/Foam

Depending on the heat setting, foam soles may fall apart in the dryer. If you let your shoe thump around in the drum, the glue holding the sole will begin to separate.

Gel, on the other hand, is easily understood in that when hot, it may melt and dry in the manner in which it has been warped.

This is obviously bad for running shoes or sneakers because we rely on specific types of soles for comfort. Heat can also cause the gel to harden and lose its bounce, making it difficult to walk on.

***See More: Why Do Shoes Get Moldy? How To Remove Moldy on Your Shoes [Expert Explained]

Where Should I Blow Dry My Shoes?

The main thing to remember is that shoes tend to stink, especially when wet, so try drying them in a garage or outhouse.

If you don’t have that option, a bathroom is preferable to a corridor because people enter bathrooms half anticipating an invisible wall of foulness.

Of course, if more than one person is taking a shower in the bathroom, it becomes very humid, defeating the point of drying the shoes there. In that situation, you may have to resort to the hallway alternative, which is regrettable but necessary.

***See More: How to Wear Barefoot Sandals?

Conclusion

Wet shoes can be extremely uncomfortable. Whether you’re cleaning dirt and stains or simply strolling in the rain, too much moisture will find its way into the interior of your shoes. This is especially true if the shoes aren’t water-resistant.

Washing and drying your shoes is necessary for a variety of reasons, but drying your shoes after cleaning them is perhaps more time-consuming than cleaning your footwear in the first place.

You could permanently damage or alter your shoes if you don’t know how to dry sneakers in the dryer or otherwise! For this and many other reasons, knowing how to keep your shoes clean and dry is critical, both for your health and the health of your footwear.