Can you wash shoes in the washing machine? Some shoes, yes, when the shoe's maker says so, and I'd go by the maker every time. Allbirds builds its runners to go in the machine, and adidas allows it for its running shoes. Nike, New Balance and On say no. Every maker that says yes asks for the same four things: cold water, a gentle cycle, a mesh bag and air drying.
A machine-washable shoe is one whose maker's care instructions allow a washer cycle, usually cold and gentle, with the shoe bagged. Down jackets, swimsuits and the care symbols that rule a machine out come after the shoes.
At Merit Home Furniture on Vancouver Island, our washers and laundry pairs are sold at the Campbell River and Port Alberni stores. I work out of Duncan, which no longer carries appliances, so I stick to what the makers publish, with each source listed at the end.
What each shoe maker says: can you wash shoes in the washing machine?
Whether shoes can go in the washing machine depends on the brand, and the big names split close to evenly. I read each maker's own care page in November 2026. Trainers, the British word for the same shoes, follow the same split.
| Maker | Washing machine | Drying |
|---|---|---|
| Allbirds | Yes, "with a few exceptions": delicates bag, gentle cycle, cold water | Air dry, no machine drying |
| adidas running shoes | Yes: garment bag or pillowcase, cold, gentle | Air dry, never the dryer |
| adidas basketball shoes | No: "It will cause damage" | No dryer, and never beside vents or heaters |
| Skechers | Only styles marked Machine Washable: cold, gentle, bagged | Never a machine dryer |
| Nike | No: hand wash instead | Air dry, since dryer heat can deform shoes |
| New Balance | No, for any of its shoes | Air dry for 24 hours |
| On | No, nor the tumble dryer | Air dry |
Nike's reason covers the machine as well as the shoe. Its care page says washing bulky items like sneakers can damage the washing machine. New Balance says many of its materials shouldn't be fully submerged in water or exposed to heat. And adidas, while it allows the washer for running shoes, says hand washing is gentler and helps them last longer.
Are On shoes machine washable?
On shoes aren't meant for the washing machine, going by On's own advice. Its care story quotes a lead retail advisor saying On never recommends the washer or the tumble dryer for dirty running shoes. Sustained heat and detergent, he says, can damage the seams and bonding that give the shoe its structure. On does allow laces and insoles in the washer if they're machine-safe.
Skechers and other shoes sold as machine washable
Skechers marks the styles that can go in a washer with a Machine Washable icon, on the product page or the original box. Those get a laundry bag, cold water and a gentle cycle. Where a pair has no icon, Skechers says to hand wash.
How to wash shoes in a washing machine, step by step
Washing shoes in a washing machine follows the same pattern on every page that allows it. These steps combine the shoe makers' instructions with what Samsung and Midea say about their washers.
- Take out the laces and insoles. Samsung suggests washing laces separately if you can. Midea suggests wiping insoles with a cloth and mild soapy water, since they soak up water and dry slowly.
- Brush off the mud. Midea warns that loose mud and sand can clog parts of the washer. A soft brush or an old toothbrush gets into the soles and seams.
- Bag the shoes. A mesh laundry bag works, or a pillowcase tied shut. Samsung says the bag guards the washer's tub, and Midea says it protects the drum.
- Pad the load. Add a few old towels. Samsung says they cut noise and a washing machine's shaking, and Midea says they help balance the load.
- Keep it small. Samsung's guide says one or two pairs at a time, and Midea says to wash shoes on their own, never with clothes.
- Pick cold and gentle. Samsung names its Delicates or Hand Wash cycle, with cold water and a little mild detergent. Allbirds adds no fabric softener and no bleach.
- Turn the spin down. Midea suggests a low spin, or none if the machine allows it, because fast spinning can bend shoes.
- Air dry, then relace. The laces and insoles go back in once everything is fully dry.
Can you wash tennis shoes in the washing machine?
Tennis shoes can go in the washing machine when they're canvas or fabric and their maker allows it. Midea's guide lists canvas shoes, and sports shoes made from nylon, cotton or polyester, as usually fine. Samsung's page on sneakers and tennis shoes starts with the care label. For running shoes, adidas says yes to its own on a cold, gentle cycle, while Nike, New Balance and On say no to theirs.
How to wash white sneakers in a washing machine
White sneakers go through the same cold, gentle, bagged wash. For stains on white shoes, Midea suggests an oxygen-based bleach and says to avoid strong chlorine bleach. Allbirds and Samsung both say no bleach at all, so I'd follow the shoe maker's line over the washer maker's. Whitening clothes that have gone grey or yellow is a bigger subject for another guide.
What washer makers say about shoes, the drum and spin speed
Washer makers allow shoes in their machines on conditions, and the conditions protect the washer as much as the shoes. Samsung's Canadian support page wants a mesh bag or pillowcase to safeguard the tub. Midea's Canadian guide calls a front-loading washer the safest choice for shoes because it's gentler. It puts the damage down to shoes washed loose, heavily soiled or on aggressive cycles.
Spin speed is the setting to watch. A washer's top spin is set for clothes, and the four front-loaders below reach 1,160 to 1,300 rpm. Midea's advice for shoes is a low spin or none. Here's what a few of the washers carried at our Campbell River and Port Alberni stores list, with prices read on November 1, 2026, before applicable taxes.
| Washer | Type and top spin | Price and store |
|---|---|---|
| Electrolux 27 in. front load, 5.2 cu. ft. | Front load, 1,300 rpm | $1,049.00, Campbell River and Port Alberni |
| Midea 5.2 cu. ft. front load | Front load, 1,300 rpm | $999.99 to $1,099.99, Port Alberni |
| Samsung 5.2 cu. ft. front load | Front load, 1,200 rpm | $949.99 to $999.99, Campbell River |
| Amana 27 in. front load, 5.0 cu. ft. | Front load, 1,160 rpm | $949.99, Campbell River |
| Whirlpool 5.4 cu. ft. top load | Top load, removable agitator, 770 rpm | $949.99, Campbell River and Port Alberni |
| Frigidaire 4.7 cu. ft. top load | Top load with agitator, 710 rpm, Delicates and Bulky cycles listed | $699.00, Campbell River and Port Alberni |
| Maytag 4.8 cu. ft. top load | Top load, power agitator, 700 rpm | $849.99, Port Alberni |
Merit's washers collection lists 69 machines carried at one or both of those stores, from compact units to laundry towers. If a listing doesn't say whether a model has a delicate or hand-wash setting, the store can check before the drive.
Is it better to wash shoes in the washer or dishwasher?
The washer, if either. None of the care pages listed below recommends a dishwasher, and every one that allows a machine names the washing machine, on cold. Nike and Midea both warn that heat harms shoes, so I'd keep them out of anything that washes or dries hot.
Drying shoes after the washing machine: air, not the dryer
Drying shoes is where the shoe makers all agree: no dryer. Nike says dryer heat can deform a pair, and Midea says a normal dryer's heat and tumbling can soften or melt the glue. Allbirds asks for a spot with good air movement, such as in front of a window or under a fan. By Midea's guide, stuffing shoes with cloths or paper helps them hold their shape.
Give it time. Nike says many shoes take at least 8 hours to dry fully, and New Balance asks for 24 hours before wearing. In a damp Island house in November, I'd plan on the longer figure. Samsung and Midea do allow a low or air-fluff dryer setting when shoes are needed urgently, but on a shoe the shoe maker built, I'd follow the shoe maker.
Washing winter jackets and down in the washing machine
Winter jackets split by maker much as shoes do, and the label decides. Arc'teryx's down home-wash guide recommends a front-load washer, with the jacket in a mesh bag and a down-specific detergent. It sets 40°C (104°F) on a permanent press or gentle cycle, then a double rinse. For Arc'teryx down, the dryer is part of the job. The guide says low heat with two dryer balls or clean tennis balls, for upwards of three hours, because down stored damp can clump or grow mould.
Canada Goose draws the line elsewhere. Its care page sends its down parkas to a reputable dry cleaner and says machine washing one will void the warranty. Its lightweight down jackets and shells are the opposite case: cold water, a bleach-free detergent, no dry cleaning and no tumble dryer, then hung to dry. In a layered winter outfit, each piece follows its own label, so the fleece, the base layer and the shell may each want a different cycle.
Bedding works the same way. A mattress protector's waterproof film lasts when it's washed the way its maker says, so how to wash a mattress protector gets a section of its own. The guide to picking a pillow for how you sleep touches on washing pillows. The pillows that survive a machine wash depend on the fill.
Swimsuits and chlorine: keep them out of the washing machine
Swimsuits last longer out of the washing machine, according to Speedo. Its care advice says machine washing, even on a gentle cycle, breaks down Lycra and shortens a suit's life. Speedo asks for a rinse in cold, clean water straight after the pool or the sea, to get chlorine and salt off before they degrade the fibres. After that comes a hand wash in cool water with a swimwear detergent or a mild soap.
Speedo also says never to wring a suit. It asks for the suit to dry flat in the shade, out of the tumble dryer, because heat breaks down elastane for good. Some of Merit's washers list a Delicates cycle, but for a swimsuit, Speedo's answer is the sink.
Care label symbols that rule out the washing machine
A care label says plainly when a washing machine is off limits, once the symbols are familiar. Industry Canada's guide to apparel and textile care symbols names five basic treatments: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional cleaning. Canada's national care-labelling standard, CAN/CGSB-86.1-2003 from the Canadian General Standards Board, draws them as a washtub, a triangle, a square, a hand iron and a circle. An X across any of them, which the standard calls the St. Andrew's cross, means that treatment is prohibited. The standard was withdrawn in October 2017, and the federal guide shows the same black-and-white symbols.
| Symbol on the label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Washtub with an X | Do not wash |
| Washtub with a hand | Wash gently by hand, in water not exceeding 40°C (30°C on the stricter version) |
| Washtub with one dot | Machine wash in water not exceeding 30°C |
| Two bars under the washtub | A very mild, delicate or gentle cycle |
| Triangle with an X | Do not bleach |
| Square with an X | Do not dry, used with the do-not-wash symbol |
Samsung's sneaker guide starts with the shoe's care label for the same reason. Where a pair has none, the maker's care page is the next place to look. Getting a stain out before anything goes in the drum is a subject of its own.
Where washing shoes and gear in a machine goes wrong
- Leather and suede. Midea says both stay out of the washer, along with satin, silk and anything beaded or sequined. New Balance points to a specialty leather or suede cleaner. Leather on a sofa has rules of its own, set out in our guide to leather care in an Island home.
- Light-up shoes. Skechers says never to put them in water.
- A machine-washed Canada Goose parka, which by the maker's page voids the warranty.
- Muddy shoes straight into the drum. Midea warns that mud and sand can clog parts of the washer. If a washer drains slowly afterward, its owner's manual says whether it has a filter to clear.
- Too many shoes at once. Samsung's limit is one or two pairs, padded with towels.
Where these washing facts come from
- Nike, Can You Put Sneakers in the Washer?, checked November 2026.
- Nike, How to Clean Your Shoes in 6 Easy Steps, checked November 2026.
- New Balance, Product Care and Maintenance, checked November 2026.
- Allbirds Canada, How to wash your Allbirds Shoes, checked November 2026.
- adidas, How to Clean Running Shoes, checked November 2026.
- adidas, How to Clean Basketball Shoes, checked November 2026.
- On, How to easily clean your running shoes at home, checked November 2026.
- Skechers, How to Clean Your Skechers, checked November 2026.
- Samsung Canada, Wash sneakers and tennis shoes in your Samsung washer, checked November 2026.
- Midea Canada, How to wash shoes in a washing machine, checked November 2026.
- Arc'teryx Canada, Down home wash guide, checked November 2026.
- Canada Goose, Product Care, checked November 2026.
- Speedo, Size Guides and swimwear care, checked November 2026.
- Industry Canada, Do you know what the symbols mean? A Guide to Apparel and Textile Care Symbols (2005), checked November 2026.
- Canadian General Standards Board, CAN/CGSB-86.1-2003 Care Labelling of Textiles (withdrawn October 2017), checked November 2026.
- Merit Home Furniture, washers collection and listings, prices and specifications read November 1, 2026.
Seeing a washing machine in Campbell River or Port Alberni
Merit's washers are carried at our Campbell River and Port Alberni stores, and each listing names which one has it. I work out of Duncan, so for a washer I'd point you to one of those two. A call ahead tells you which models are set up to look at. Bring the width of the laundry space and its doorway, and take as long as you like looking.
- Merit Campbell River at 1300 A Homewood Rd
- Merit Port Alberni at 2935 Third Ave
Delivery terms for appliances from those two stores aren't confirmed yet, so that's a question for the call.
Phone Campbell River about a washer, (250) 286-0868, or Port Alberni, (250) 724-6644
Every model is in the full washer lineup, front and top load, with the dryers and washer-dryer pairs in the laundry collection. The same two stores carry the units weighed up in choosing between a wine cooler and a beverage centre. Laundry-room and kitchen appliance advice from Merit sits on one page.