Laundry basket full of sneakers

What’s the Best Sneaker Laundry Detergent?

In the ongoing cycle of laundry, it’s easy to forget about your sneakers. In fact, most people wouldn’t even consider their sneakers as part of the laundry cycle; they just take them off when they get home, leave them by the door, and throw them on again the next day.

If you take pride in looking great and want to care for all of your important workout attire, you need to add your sneakers to the list of items you regularly wash. With the right technique—and the right laundry detergent—you can keep your sneakers looking great for far longer than you ever thought possible.

It’s a Dirty Job

Most of the time, washing your clothes is just about getting the oils from your body out of the garments. Unless you happened to spill something during the course of the day or were completing a particularly grimy task, your clothes probably look pretty similar when they go into the wash as when they came out of your drawer.

The same cannot be said for sneakers. By their very nature, sneakers encounter nearly every conceivable substance, from dust and dirt to mud and dog urine. If it’s on the ground, it’s on your sneakers—which means cleaning your sneakers is no small feat.

It’s worth noting that some of what needs to be cleaned off of your sneakers should be handled before they go into the wash. Begin by using a brush or cloth (or even just your fingers) to knock off any debris and buildup on the surface of the shoes. This initial cleaning will go a long way toward getting better results once you introduce water and soap into the equation.

Take a Closer Look at Your Shoes

Next, it’s time to figure out what type of laundry detergent is best for your sneakers. This means considering what materials are used to construct those shoes. With a few exceptions, synthetic materials are likely to make up a large portion of the design. Specifically, the body of the shoe—the part that wraps around your foot—is almost sure to be synthetic.

So, if there are synthetic fibers that need to be cleaned, you want a product designed for exactly that job. Unfortunately, most standard detergents don’t do a great job on synthetic fibers; they aren’t made to get out odor-causing oils. If you’re going to go to the trouble of cleaning your sneakers, you want them to smell as good as they look when you’re all finished.

Bring WIN Into the Picture

The best sneaker laundry detergent is WIN because it’s been formulated for exactly this type of challenge. Just like with your synthetic activewear pieces, you need a detergent that frees oils from the synthetic fibers of your shoes, and our product has been carefully designed to do just that. If you use WIN detergent to get your sneakers clean, we believe you’ll enjoy dramatically improved results.

Not only does WIN do a great job on this task, but you can also feel good about using it. We are dedicated to having a positive, rather than negative, impact on the environment as a whole. We have taken several steps to make sure we are doing our part to be kind to the environment around us. As a starting point, we are certified as cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny. There is no animal testing going on at WIN, and we make sure the same can be said for our suppliers. Also, we have a low pH formula product in our bottles, and that low pH avoids breaking down the fibers of your shoes (and clothes) during the washing process. When synthetic fibers break down they enter the environment as tiny little pollutants, so avoiding breakdown is a good step toward a cleaner planet.

Try WIN Today

WIN detergent is designed to keep your sneakers and other clothing items smelling fresh and looking clean, no matter how hard you train. Our powerful formula targets tough odors and stains, while also preserving the integrity and performance of your sneakers. Whether you're a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, trust WIN to keep your sportswear in top condition.

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