How to Wash Your Hey Dudes | Tips on Cleaning Canvas, Suede, Leather & Wool Shoes
Want to learn how to wash Hey Dudes? Here are our best tips on how to clean Hey Dude shoes!
Can you wash Hey Dudes? You bet and here’s how! 👟
Are you wondering how to clean your Hey Dude shoes? You’ve come to the right place! A handful of Hip2Save team members have tried washing their own Hey Dudes and are happy to share their tips!
Washing your favorite pair of Hey Dudes is actually pretty simple. Spot-treat them whenever possible. If they are really dirty, you can pop your shoes right into the washing machine (as long as they aren’t made out of suede, leather, or wool, as these need to be washed by hand).
Grab your dirtiest pair and follow these easy steps!
Warning: Hey Dude shoes come with a 60-day limited warranty. Do NOT clean your shoes within this time frame as the warranty explicitly states, “Washing shoes will also result in a void of warranty.”
How to wash Hey Dudes:
Remove the insoles and laces.
Most Hey Dude shoes can be washed in the washing machine – just remove your memory foam insoles first. You should be able to pop them out by gently applying some pressure.
Your laces can be washed, but they may become tangled in the machine so it’s best to remove them prior to washing too.
If your insoles and laces are dirty, you can hand wash them using a nylon bristle brush, some Dawn dish soap or liquid detergent, and warm water.
If your rubber soles are dirty, scrub them with Magic Eraser.
Check the bottoms of your shoes and remove any extra dirt before throwing them in the washing machine. Remove big chunks of dirt from the small grooves using some kind of sharp point – a pick, toothpick, or wooden cuticle pusher can all be used. An old toothbrush or handheld scrub brush may also do the trick.
You can then wipe down the bottom of the shoes with Magic Eraser. Wet the sponge with a little water and use some elbow grease to scrub the soles of your shoes. This will remove many tough stains and scuffs!
Spot treat stains on your canvas shoes.
If you have stains on your canvas shoes, there are a few ways to treat them. The first is to use a solution of equal parts water and distilled white vinegar. Dip a soft cloth in the solution and gently spot-treat the stain.
Another method is to use Dawn Powerwash Spray on canvas shoes. Spray the whole shoe, gently scrub the stain, and let soak for about an hour before rinsing and placing in the washing machine.
Hip2Save’s Alli also recommends using Tide To-Go pens for simple stains. This solution does not contain bleach so it’s perfect for colored or white shoes.
Keep reading for tips on how to spot-treat leather, suede, or wool!
If using the washing machine, it’s best to use liquid detergent and place shoes in a mesh bag.
When you’re ready to pop your favorite canvas Hey Dude shoes into the washing machine, make sure to use liquid detergent (I personally love Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean). Hey Dude’s website explicitly states that using powdered detergent can cause irritation that may damage your shoes.
Also, DO NOT USE BLEACH on white Hey Dude shoes. Several websites suggest spraying them with Dawn Powerwash Spray and letting that soak for about an hour. You can also gently scrub them at this stage. Then, submerge them in a mixture of water and Out White Brite for up to 2 hours before placing them in the washing machine with liquid detergent.
Lastly, shoes can sometimes snag on the washing machine drum. To avoid this mishap, we also recommend placing them in a mesh laundry bag.
For canvas Hey Dudes, use a light or delicate cycle with cold water.
Hip2Save’s Jessica and Hey Dude, themselves, suggest washing your linen or cotton canvas Hey Dude shoes on a light or delicate cycle. It’s best to use cold water so you don’t cause your shoes to shrink.
Don’t have a washing machine? You can hand wash your Hey Dudes with a little soap and warm water. When finished, rinse with clean water and let air dry.
Follow these instructions to clean wool, suede, or leather Hey Dude shoes…
If you have suede, wool, or leather shoes, you’ll want to hand clean them using material-specific cleaners. We recommend using the following cleaners:
- For Wool: Outback Gold Wool Wash
- For Leather: Angelus Suede Cleaner Kit or Lexol Leather Cleaner Kit
- For Suede: Use a suede brush on dry shoes to get out scuffs, for water stains use water and follow Hey Dude’s instructions, or for more persistent stains use the Angelus Suede Cleaner Kit.
For the best results, follow the instructions on the package.
Let your Hey Dudes air dry in a warm place (but out of the sunlight).
Hip2Save’s Jessica and Shane both suggest letting your shoes air dry to avoid shrinking the material. Place your shoes in a warm area – but not in direct sunlight as UV rays can fade the color.
However, if the fabric of your linen or cotton canvas shoes is feeling too loose can you try popping them in the dryer to help tighten them up.
Protect your shoes with Scotchgard.
Keep your shoes looking nicer for longer. My teammate, Emily, suggests using Scotchgard on canvas shoes to protect them from rain, dirt, and other grime.
For your suede shoes, you’ll want to use this special Scotchgard.
For smooth leather, try Kiwi Boot Waterproofer or Tarrago Hightech Nano Protector Spray. Just follow the bottle instructions to apply.
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