Can you Put Shoes in the Dryer? & Some Extra Tips

I bet you just washed your comfy everyday shoes and are now worried about how long they will take to dry. Am I right? Why else would you be here if not to find a quick fix to the problem? I know what you are thinking fella. You are thinking about putting your wet shoes in the dryer, to speed up the drying process and be able to wear them tomorrow to work. Right? Of course, this must be the case, which is why you must be wondering whether it is safe to go ahead or not.

Just to be fair, I must tell you that it is never a good idea to put wet shoes in the dryer without using a proper technique. I have certain simple steps and tips to guide you through the entire process. Read them carefully and try to abide by each one of them to ensure maximum safety to your expensive shoes.

How to Dry Shoes in the Dryer? Step-by-Step

Proper Technique

Step 1: Always check the shoe label. If it has a drying symbol, it means that you can safely put your shoes in the dryer without causing any harm to them. But if the drying symbol has a cross on it, it means that such shoes can not go in the dryer without being damaged.

Step 2: In case there is no label on your shoes then you will have to check the material of the shoes. For example, shoes that are made up of Canvas/ Cotton/ Polyester/ Nylon material are safe to be put in the dryer whereas Suede/ Leather/ Gel/ Foam shoes must never be put in a dryer.

Step 3: Don’t put soaking wet shoes in the dryer. Always drain excess water before putting the shoes in the dryer.

Step 4: Fill the dryer with towels to prevent your shoes from tumbling around, making noises, and causing harm to the machine.

Step 5: Fill your shoes with socks and small napkins before putting them in the dryer. It will help speed up the drying process as well as prevent the shoes from shrinking.

Step 6: Remove the laces except for the last hole and then tie the laces together so that the shoes will remain connected in the dryer.

Step 7: Hang the shoes in the dryer with the help of the tied laces. Don’t worry if your machine doesn’t have a peg. Keep one end of the laces stuck in the door of the dryer so that they will remain hanging upside down in the machine.

Step 8: Adjust the settings of the dryer. If your machine has an air dryer feature it is the best option otherwise set the dryer to the lowest temperature.

Step 9: Keep a close eye on the shoes. The time required by the shoes to dry depends on certain factors such as how wet the shoes were, to begin with, and how good and powerful the dryer being used is.

Some Extra Tips

I have some bonus tips for you that you must know before you go ahead with drying your shoes in a dryer.
Always remove the insoles, if they are removable, before putting your shoes in the dryer because the heat in the dryer can permanently damage the insoles.No doubt some high quality insoles like the doc marten and the powerstep insoles are pretty durable but its still better to remove them when washing.
Clean your shoes thoroughly before putting them in the dryer. You can either wash them in a washing machine and spin them to remove excess water or simply clean them using a wet towel and a mild detergent. Cleaning suede shoes however might require some extra effort.
Never put the shoes in the dryer without laces because they will bounce off against the walls of the dryer thereby posing a high risk of damage to the machine.

FAQs

Can shoes go in the tumble dryer?

The simple answer to this question is no. You can try to dry them up using a tumble dryer but it won’t work and may cause some serious damage to the dryer as well as the shoes.

Is it safe to dry sneakers in the dryer?

It depends on what type of sneakers we are talking about. If they are made of cloth material or canvas material then they can go in the dryer. You can put other sorts of sneakers in the dryer too but it won’t completely dry them, It will just help them get dry a little faster.

Do shoes shrink in the dryer?

Yes, the heat in the dryer makes the shoes shrink. So if your shoes are too loose on you, all you have to do is soak them in the water for a few minutes until they are completely wet. Then put them directly in the dryer for ten to fifteen minutes.

Will shoes melt in the dryer?

The shoes don’t immediately melt in the dryer but they do get burnt or some sort of discoloration may appear on them. And if there are any plastic stickers or designs on the shoes, they will melt. So it’s best to let such shoes air dry.

Is it a bad idea to put shoes in the dryer?

Putting the shoes in the dryer can do more harm than good. So it is a better idea to avoid it altogether. As the dryer may damage your shoes beyond repair.

Can you put Nikes in the dryer?

You must avoid putting Nikes in the dryer. The material they are made up of, can not tolerate the high heat of the dryers. Hence, it is never a good idea to use a dryer for Nike cross-trainers.

Conclusion

A quick-dry for everyday shoes may be a pressing issue, but it is never good to use dryers on them. Shoe manufacturers use a certain type of adhesive glue to stick the soles of the shoes. This glue is highly sensitive to heat and temperature changes. So when you put your shoes in the dryer, the heat therein melts the glue, which may result in permanent damage to the shoes. Moreover, the heat in the dryers may even cause the shoe fabric to shrink resulting in misfitted shoes.