How to Clean Your Trail Running Shoes.
Further Faster Athlete, Josie Dixon, gives us the run down on how to clean trail running shoes!
Your trail running shoes cop a right hiding. Mud (especially during the winter!), rocks, river crossings, roots, dust, and thousands of steps all take their toll. Looking after them won't make them last forever, but a little care can help them perform better for longer and save you from replacing them sooner than you need to.
Here are my top tips for keeping your shoes on your feet, and out of a landfill for longer!
Starting with cleaning them after the dirty runs.
You don't need to scrub your shoes after every run, but if they've been through thick mud or a river crossing, it's worth giving them a clean. The dirt and grit can get between the layers of fabric over time, acting a bit like sandpaper, creating holes in the fabric if you’re not careful. I try to give mine a clean at least once a month, regardless of the muddiness of my runs.
To give them a good clean, all you’ll need is:
- A bucket or laundry sink
- Warm water (I use boiling water + hose water)
- A cleaning agent - something gentle for a little soapy water. Or use nothing!
- A scrubbing brush or toothbrush (depending on how gentle and precise you want to be!)
And here’s how I clean my shoes:
-
Remove any loose dirt before you begin. Either bang them together or run them under a tap to get the bulk of the mud off.
- Fill the bucket with warm water - option to make it soapy with a gentle detergent of your choice.
- Loosen off the laces (you can de-lace if you like, but I can never put them back together again properly, so I usually don’t).
- Submerge the shoes in the water and leave for 10 – 15 min (or however long it takes for you to remember your shoes are soaking!)
- Scrub your shoes with the scrubbing brush (or toothbrush). Focus on the areas of high wear-and-tear and flex points, like the toe box and inside of the heel.
- Rinse in the soapy (or non-soapy) water and repeat until you have clean shoes! You may need to replace the water if it gets too mucky.
- Drain the bucket and refill with warm water (no soap this time) to rinse your shoes, or just do this part under a tap. Jiggle the shoes about in the water to remove all the detergent from the fabric – this is important! You don’t want bubbly shoes in the next puddle you run through!
- Squeeze excess moisture out from the material to help them dry faster. Place in a sunny spot and rotate every 30 mins – 1 hour to make sure the whole shoe dries off nicely!
Top Tips for Drying (THE MOST IMPORTANT PART!)
- Take out the insoles and loosen the laces to help air circulate. Stuff the shoes with newspaper or paper towels to absorb moisture and replace the paper if it becomes soaked.
- Avoid placing them next to a heater, fireplace, or in a clothes dryer. High temperatures can warp the foam, damage the upper, and weaken the adhesives. Let them air dry naturally instead.
Things to avoid:
One thing to avoid is throwing them in the washing machine. While it might seem like the easiest option, the heat, spinning, and soaking can weaken the glue that holds your shoes together and shorten their lifespan.
Avoid abrasive cleaning agents that contain harsh chemicals. Cleaning alcohols should be avoided at all costs, as they can dry out the rubber and fabric, and even remove some of the glue if you’re not careful! No one needs a crusty shoe without any shoe glue to hold it together!
Lace your shoes for you!
Believe it or not, there are actually tonnes of different ways you can lace your shoes. Making sure you have the right lacing configuration on your shoes can ensure even tension across your mid- and fore-foot, ensuring the lace holes don’t rip/wear. (Ask a professional like a physio or a podiatrist if you think your lacing could do with some improvement!)
I lace my shoes using both the first and second holes at the top - the lace lock. This allows me to lace them a little tighter and have them secure to my foot. It also stops my heel from moving so much in the shoe and reduces wear on the back of the shoe, meaning the inside of the heel lasts a little longer!
And for goodness sake, untie your shoes when you take them off! We have all done the lazy thing of kicking off your shoes without undoing the laces, but it can reduce the life of the inside of the shoe significantly. It can rip the back of the shoe, and even make the laces looser over time, meaning you get less life out of the shoe. Leaving them untied and a little looser can help reduce tension over the shoe, too, meaning it may last a little longer!
Keep an eye on the tread.
The outsole is your connection to the trail. As the lugs wear down, you'll notice less grip on steep climbs, loose gravel, and muddy descents. Check your tread regularly. If the lugs are becoming rounded or worn flat, it may be time to retire the shoes from technical trails and keep them for easier tracks or everyday use. If the tread continuously wears in one particular place, this can be a neat indicator of your running style too!
Don't ignore small damage.
Loose stitching, small tears, or peeling rubber can often be repaired before they become a bigger problem. A small repair using a suitable shoe adhesive can extend the life of your shoes, especially if you catch the damage early.
Store them somewhere dry.
After your shoes have dried, store them somewhere cool and well ventilated. Leaving them damp in the boot of your car or stuffed in the bottom of your gear bag encourages mould, unpleasant smells, and can break down the materials over time.
If your shoes are smelling particularly bad, you can use foot fresheners, a nice smelling cleaning agent, or even herbal tea bags to make them smell a bit better! Pop a freshly brewed herbal tea bag into your clean-but-wet shoe and leave it there to dry. I can recommend red bush or chai!
Rotate your shoes.
If you run several times a week, having two pairs of shoes can make a big difference. The cushioning foam takes time to recover after each run. Rotating between pairs allows the midsole to fully rebound, which can improve comfort and help both pairs last longer. It also means you'll always have a dry pair ready to go after a wet adventure.
Know when it's time for a new pair.
Even well-cared-for shoes eventually wear out. Signs that it's time to replace them include:
- The tread has worn completely smooth.
- The cushioning feels flat or unresponsive.
- The upper has large tears or no longer holds your foot securely.
- You start noticing new aches or soreness that disappear when wearing a fresher pair.
In saying this, you could keep them as your gardening shoes or donate them to the Speedfreaks (if they are still in ok condition, not if they are totally wrecked!) as a way to keep them going for as long as possible. Most trail shoes last somewhere (roughly) between 500 and 800 kilometres, although rocky terrain, your running style, and the type of shoe can all affect this.
A little care goes a long way.
Trail shoes are one of the most important pieces of gear you'll own. Spending five minutes cleaning and drying them after a big adventure can add months to their life and help keep them comfortable, supportive, and ready for your next run.
Your shoes look after you on the trail. Looking after them is a pretty good investment.
Happy adventuring! Stay rad 🤙
Josie Dixon
Josie is a Further Faster athlete who wears many hats. She's a runner and paddler, hiker and bike packer. And all round adventurer! Make sure you check out her adventures on Instagram, here: @josie_having_fun_
Top 5 Tips for Taking Care of Your Trail Running Shoes:
1. Make sure to clean your your Trail Running shoes after a muddy run.
2. When drying trail running shoes, never put them in the dryer or next to a heater or fire - it can warp the foam, damage the shoe and weaken adhesives!
3. Make sure you always untie your shoes when you take them off so you don't damage them!
4. Make sure to store your trail running shoes somewhere cool and dry - and never store them wet!
5. Keep and eye on your shoes to look for damage and wearing tread - a lot of the time little tears, loose stitching and peeling rubber can be fixed before it results in a new shoe!
And if you liked this blog, and want to care for you leather hiking boots too, check out this blog here: Leather Boot Care Guide!
Leave a comment