Instead of dealing with wet shoes or waiting days for them to dry, throw them in the dryer for a few minutes! Tie the laces together and hang the shoes over the dryer door. This prevents damage to the machine and helps you stay healthy, as your shoes don’t bounce up and down while drying. Remember that you should not tumble dry animal fabrics such as leather or suede, as they will become too dry and crack.
Using a dryer
Check the shoe label to see if you can dry it in the washing machine
Look inside the shoes to find information about their care. This is usually indicated on the heel or tongue. The tag should say if you can machine dry them or if they should be air dried.
For example, if you see a square with an X on it, don’t dry them in the dryer. If there is a circle in the square, you can dry your shoes on low heat.
Textile, cotton or polyester shoes are machine dried
If you can’t find the care label or if it’s worn, think about the material the shoes are made from. You can probably use a dryer if your shoes are made of cotton, canvas, nylon, or polyester.[1]
Avoid animal-based fabrics that tumble dry, such as leather or suede, as this will cause the fabric to dry out and crack.
You may not want to dry shoes with sequins or other embellishments on them because they may fall off.
Tie a knot in both shoelaces
Place the shoes next to each other and bring the laces together. Then tie a knot in both laces to tie the shoes together.
Hang your shoes on the car and tie the laces at the door
Hold your shoes by the laces and pull them over the door so the shoes are in the dryer. You can do this for a front loader or a top loader. Hold the straps and close the door to keep the straps in place.
Try to position the strips so that the knot is on the outside of the dryer. This prevents shoes from falling into the dryer when you start the machine.
Some dryers also have a clothesline where you can hang your wet shoes to dry
If your machine doesn’t have this setting, just program it to the lowest temperature. It’s important to use little to no heat to prevent the shoes from shrinking as the fabric dries.
Start the machine and let the shoes dry for about 20 minutes. Then open the door carefully and grab the shoes before they fall out. Touch the inside of your shoes to make sure they’re dry.
If the shoes aren’t completely dry, stick them back on the door and let them dry for another 5 minutes.
Prevent damage to your dryer and shoes
Do not put loose shoes in the dryer
If you’ve ever tossed a pair of shoes in the dryer, you’ve probably heard the loud thud. Do not tumble dry loose shoes, as these repeated blows can damage the inside of the machine and the outside of the shoes.
If you can’t hang your shoes over the door by the laces, try wrapping your shoes in a mesh laundry bag. Put the bag with several towels in the dryer to keep the shoes from touching the machine.
Let your shoes air dry to prevent them from losing their shape
Unfortunately, it’s hard to tell how the heat from the dryer will affect your shoes. Depending on the quality of the shoes and the material they are made from, drying them in the washing machine may cause them to deform or shrink. For best results, hang your shoes by the laces on a clothesline or place them on a flat clothesline and let them dry for a day or two.
Put your shoes in the sunlight if possible, as sunlight can disinfect your shoes
You can also stuff your shoes with newspaper or paper towels and place them in a dry, well-ventilated area. You can even set up a fan nearby to make sure air is always blowing on them.
Limit how often you dry your shoes in the washing machine.
Your shoes are less likely to get damaged if you occasionally put them in the dryer. However, the fabric and soles of your shoes shrink or deform as you dry them.
If possible, alternately air dry your shoes and machine dry them in between.
