How to clean Converse in a washing machine means cold water, mild detergent, a wash bag, low spin, and air-drying to protect glue and shape.
Converse pick up stories fast: sidewalk scuffs, spilled coffee, muddy parks, dusty gigs. When canvas looks dull, tossing them in the washer feels tempting. Before you do, know the trade-off. Converse’s official care pages say not to machine wash or machine dry. If you still choose the washer route, go in with guardrails so you don’t end up with warped rubber or faded uppers for most pairs.
This article walks you through the careful version of how to clean converse in a washing machine: prep that stops grit from grinding into fabric, settings that keep the shoes from slamming the drum, and drying steps that keep the toe box from folding.
Quick Decisions Before You Start
Machine washing is not a one-size call. Material, color, age, and construction change the risk. Use this table to pick a path fast.
| Converse Type | Washer Risk Level | Safer Move |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas Chuck Taylor (standard) | Medium | Cold gentle cycle in a bag |
| White canvas pairs | Medium | Pretreat stains, skip chlorine bleach |
| Colored canvas pairs | High | Spot clean first, washer only if colorfast |
| Canvas with printed graphics | High | Hand clean around print, avoid hard scrubs |
| Platforms or thick midsoles | High | Low spin, towels for balance |
| Leather or synthetic uppers | Top | Damp cloth and mild soap only |
| Suede or nubuck panels | Top | Dry brush only, no water |
| Vintage pairs with stiff glue lines | Top | Gentle hand clean, slow air dry |
What The Brand Says And What That Means
Converse’s product-care FAQs say “DO NOT MACHINE WASH OR DRY” for canvas and other materials. The warning is about abrasion, heat, and adhesives. Read it so you’re clear on the official stance: Converse product care FAQ.
If you still want the washer, treat it like a controlled rinse, not a rough tumble. Your goals are simple: limit rubbing, limit heat, and limit impact.
How to Clean Converse in a Washing Machine
This method is for canvas Converse with rubber soles. If your pair has leather, suede, or fragile glued trims, switch to hand cleaning.
Gather What You Need
- Soft brush or old toothbrush
- Mild liquid laundry detergent
- Mesh laundry bag or a pillowcase with a tight knot
- Two to four old towels
- Plain paper for stuffing
- Optional: oxygen-based stain remover for white canvas
Step 1 Remove Laces And Insoles
Pull the laces out and set them aside. If your insoles lift out, take them out too. Insoles hold sweat and can smell worse if they stay wet. Wash laces in a small mesh bag. Clean insoles by hand with a damp cloth and a drop of detergent, then rinse lightly and air dry.
Step 2 Brush Off Loose Dirt
Dry dirt is easier than wet mud. Tap the soles together outside. Brush the canvas seams and the rubber foxing to lift grit. Use a toothpick for pebbles in the tread. The washer shouldn’t be your first scrub; it’s your finishing rinse.
Step 3 Pretreat Stains Lightly
For general grime, rub a pea-size dab of detergent into the dirty spot, then wait five minutes. For white canvas, an oxygen-based stain remover can help, but test on a hidden edge so you don’t get a lighter patch. Skip chlorine bleach. It can yellow rubber and weaken fabric.
Step 4 Bag The Shoes And Pad The Load
Put each shoe in a mesh bag. If you’re using a pillowcase, add a towel inside and tie a firm knot. Add two to four old towels to the drum so the shoes don’t bang around. Don’t use new towels if you’re washing white canvas; fresh dye can transfer.
Step 5 Choose Gentle Settings
Pick a delicate cycle with cold water. Use the lowest spin you can. If your washer lets you set time, keep it short. Use a small amount of liquid detergent. Powder can cling to canvas seams and leave specks.
Front-loaders are gentler since shoes tumble in a drum. For top-loaders with an agitator, keep shoes in a bag and set them along the sides, not under the center.
Step 6 Rinse Well
Canvas traps suds. If your washer has an extra rinse option, turn it on. Skip fabric softener. It can leave residue that grabs dirt faster and can make rubber feel slick.
Step 7 Air Dry With Shape Support
When the cycle ends, pull the shoes out right away. Stuff them with paper to hold shape and speed drying. Set them in a shaded, breezy spot indoors. Swap the paper when it feels damp. Do not put them in the dryer, and don’t set them on a heater. Heat can soften glue and warp rubber.
Cleaning Converse In The Washing Machine With Less Risk
Want extra safety? These tweaks lower the odds of wavy soles, loose eyelets, and faded canvas.
Keep Water Cold
Cold water protects dye, keeps rubber firmer, and reduces the chance that adhesives soften. Warm water can also lock in some stains if there’s sugar in the spill.
Cut Spin Down
High spin twists canvas and stresses the join where rubber meets fabric. If your washer has a “no spin” choice, use it, then press water out with towels when the cycle ends.
Run A Second Rinse If You See Suds
If you open the washer and see foam on the shoes, run a rinse-only cycle. Leftover detergent dries into streaks that make canvas look chalky.
Wash Alone Or With Towels Only
Skip jeans, zippers, hooks, and heavy items. Towels are safer partners and help the drum stay balanced.
Spot Work That Makes A Big Difference
A washer cleans overall grime. It won’t fix every scuff. Ten minutes of spot work before and after the cycle is what gets that “newer” look.
Rubber Foxing And Toe Cap
Use a damp cloth with a drop of dish soap and rub the rubber strip. For stubborn marks, a melamine foam sponge works well on rubber. Keep it off the canvas, since it can rough up the weave.
Canvas Crease Lines
Those gray lines near the toe usually come from dirt packed into folds. Pretreat with detergent, then brush gently along the crease, not across it.
Lace Hole Rings
Metal eyelets can leave brown rings if they stay wet. After washing, blot around the eyelets with a dry towel. Faster drying means fewer marks.
Odor Control After The Wash
If your Converse smell off after a wash, moisture is still trapped inside. Fixing smell is mostly about drying and airflow.
Dry Longer Than You Think
Even when the outside feels dry, the insole area can stay damp. Leave the shoes stuffed overnight, then remove the paper and let air move through for a few more hours.
Use Baking Soda Overnight
Once dry, sprinkle a tablespoon of baking soda into each shoe, tap it around, and leave overnight. Dump it out the next day.
Rotate Wear Days
If you wear the same pair daily, they never fully dry inside. Swap pairs when you can, and use clean socks. It sounds basic, yet it works.
Cycle Settings Cheat Sheet For Most Washers
Washer panels differ, but most offer close equivalents. Whirlpool’s shoe-washing guide matches the same prep steps: remove laces and insoles, use a mesh bag, and wash gently with towels (how to wash shoes in the washing machine).
| Washer Setting | Pick This | Skip This |
|---|---|---|
| Water temperature | Cold | Warm or hot |
| Cycle type | Delicate or hand-wash | Heavy duty |
| Spin speed | Low | High |
| Soil level | Light to normal | Extra heavy |
| Extra rinse | On | Off if shoes feel soapy |
| Detergent amount | Small dose liquid | Powder overload |
| Load partners | Old towels | Zippers and hooks |
| Drying method | Air dry, stuffed | Tumble dry |
Common Mistakes That Change The Fit
Most “my Converse came out weird” stories come from a few repeat mistakes. Dodge these and the result is steadier.
Washing Too Hot
Heat fades color, loosens glue, and can leave rubber wavy. Cold water keeps the shoe more stable.
Letting Them Sit Wet In The Drum
Leaving shoes in a closed washer breeds odor and can set creases. Pull them out right away and start drying.
Over Scrubbing Canvas
Canvas pills when it’s rubbed hard. Use light pressure. If a stain won’t budge, repeat a gentle pretreat and rinse instead of grinding the fabric.
Mixing Dark Towels With White Shoes
Dye transfer can turn white canvas dingy. Stick to light, older towels with known color memory.
When To Skip The Washing Machine
Sometimes the washer is the wrong tool. If you see any of these signs, hand cleaning is the safer move.
- Cracking rubber or separating sole edges
- Loose eyelets or torn canvas near lace holes
- Leather, suede, or fuzzy trims
- Old stains that already set from heat
- Painted graphics you’d hate to lose
Your Final Checklist Before You Press Start
Use this list right before you run a cycle. It catches the easy-to-miss steps and keeps the job calm.
- Laces and insoles removed
- Loose dirt brushed off
- Stains pretreated lightly
- Shoes inside a mesh bag or tied pillowcase
- Two to four old towels added
- Cold delicate cycle selected, low spin
- Small dose of liquid detergent
- Extra rinse on if available
- Air dry only, stuffed with paper
If you needed how to clean converse in a washing machine without wrecking your pair, stick to cold water, low spin, and patient air drying. It’s not flashy, yet it works.