How to Wash Vans in the Washing Machine
Best Selling Vans
Vans shoes are versatile to style, comfortable to wear, and last for long if well taken care of. They are a great shoe for various reasons. They can be worn from home to work, to skate park, to school for as long as you wish.
Vans attract dirt easily and can have a bad look after extensive use. It is important to subject them to constant deep cleaning in a bid to retain their original classy look. This article is a perfect guide on how you will clean your vans shoes to maintain their original box appearance using a washing machine with the assistance of hand washing ‘machine’ where necessary.
How can I wash my vans in the washing machine?
Vans shoes can sometimes get difficult to decide how to wash, especially when one lacks knowledge on the right procedure to wash vans made out of different materials. Some vans shoes are delicate and are prone to destruction when treated in a certain manner or when placed in a washing machine for laundry without extra cautionary measures.
Before pondering on the best option to have your vans shoes cleaned, note that vans shoes need different treatments with different detergents as some of them may fade or decolorize. If you have settled to clean your vans on a washing machine, here are a few tips on what you should do before washing your vans. This is to avoid unpredictable damages to your favorite foot wears.
Dos and Don’ts
Before washing Tips
Identify the material of your van shoes
This identification will determine how you will clean your vans shoes. Some vans like suede vans shoes are made out of very soft material and so can be ruined very quickly if cleaned using a washing machine.
Identify the type of detergent you want to use
Before adding your detergent into the washer, identify first which kind of vans you want to wash. Some detergents are made out of very harsh chemicals that may end up badly bleaching your footwear. Using of bleached powder detergent is only limited to white vans and never for black or colored vans shoes.
Ensure that solvent cleaners are kept away as you prepare for your wash
solvent cleaners weaken the gum used to attach the sole to the shoe. The effect of this is the complete destruction of your favorite footwear. Also, ensure that your shoelaces are removed before you start your wash. This will protect them from possible destruction during the washing process.
Remove surface dirt and mud
This particular step will help you maintain your washing machine clean and also reduce instances of vans having tough stains due to dirt. This increases the lifespan of your washing machine and ensures clean vans.
Setting your washing machine tip
Set your washing machine to a gentle cycle with warm water. Faster cycles with hot water will destroy the quality of the material used to make the vans at the same time destroy the lifespan of the sole due to constant faster spins.
washing tips
During washing, the vans should be put inside a pillow of laundry. Additional materials such as soft clothing or a towel should be added to the load. This is set to protect your vans from hitting around the inside of the washing machine hence preventing the vans from coming out in bad shape.
The washing machine should not be left running for long periods as you risk destroying your vans. Quick cleaning will risk having your vans poorly washed and so unable to remove stubborn stains. A moderate amount of time is needed.
How to clean vans made with different materials
Machine washing has widely been discouraged due to its negative effects. This is due to the reason that they do not guarantee you a longer lifespan for your vans. If you fall into statistics of those wondering, here are the best tips for you on how to clean vans made out of different materials that include leather, suede vans, or canvas vans shoes.
Deep cleaning vans
To ensure that vans last, deep cleaning must be employed for both varieties of vans. Removing surface grime is among the first steps to deep clean methods. some times it may compel vans to be soaked first if the dirt is intense. for some instances, a shoe brush and soft bristled scrubbing brush used together with nikwax footwear cleaning gel are basic components of deep cleaning.
cleaning of suede vans
suede vans are made out of synthetic vans and were meant to withstand skate park wear and tear. To clean them, you first need to remove loose dirt using a soft brush. In case you are in haste, you will need to use a damp cloth with soapy water and scrap using an old toothbrush. suede deep clean is ensured by cleaning the rubber strips by use of magic eraser or a soft bristled suede brush for deep cleaning.
After a final a cleaning using a soft suede brush, it is advisable to leave your vans to air dry naturally in shade away from direct sunlight.
Cleaning of leather vans
Leather vans are one of the most affected vans when washed using a washing machine due to their inability to bring back their original form. A hand wash mechanism is highly recommended to ensure that your vans are durable.
You will first need to wipe off dirt to remove dark stains using a shoe brush with the aid of a mild detergent as the main stain remover.
Cleaning of Canvas vans
vans canvas shoes require a deep cleaning due to the material used in making them. You will first be required to dust off the dust particles by the aid of a synthetic brush which will also spot and aid in removing clean stubborn stains.
Remove the shoelaces including the inner sole since you are to soak the vans in warm water for about 15 minutes and scrap it using soap and mild detergents which are most appropriate in cleaning white vans. The vans are finally supposed to be left air drying away from direct sunlight.
After washing tips
For better experiences, vans should not be placed in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight especially for checked and colored vans will lose their sparkling nature and color. This makes them look worn out due to too much sunlight exposure. 
Do not dry your vans using the dryer after your wash. The dryer will dry out the sole and the canvas material hence leads to cracks. Instead, the vans should be placed in the open air in the shade to air dry.
After the vans have been washed and dried, they should be handled in a packing paper of a newspaper such that they maintain their perfect shape.
In case you are in a hurry and you want to use the dryer, ensure that you wrap the vans with a damp cloth and allow them a few minutes in the dryer before taking them out to air dry.
How to bleach white rubber strip on vans.
Sometimes the white strips on your colorful vans can get ugly especially if it is not properly cleaned. To safely bleach the white strips, you need a soft shoe brush to brush off dust particles. Include the use of an old toothbrush which will help you apply the bleaching agent gently on the stripes alone. A masking tape is equally recommended to avoid the bleaching powder from getting into contact with other surfaces of your vans. warm water is also used to facilitate the cleaning.
You will be required to scrub gently using a soft bristled cleaning brush with the aid of warm water mixed with baking soda. Baking soda will act as a stain remover.
How to dry your vans
After cleaning, whether machine washed or hand washed, vans need to be dried. If you had previously washed your vans using a washing machine then you’ll need to dry them using the drier.
You will first need to wrap your vans in a towel then insert them on a drier for a few minutes. leaving them on your drier for long will cause disintegration of the sole and the main van due to high temperatures that may cause the glue holding your van together to melt.
The proper procedure should include letting your van dry in an open area away from direct sunlight, with this the shoe can maintain its original classy look and still may not lose its shape.
Disadvantages of washing vans using a washing machine
Owing to the fact that vans are made out of delicate materials that include canvas that is subject to bleach and crack, a sole that when bungled during washing may come out disfigured or worse detach itself from the canvas, washing vans using a washing machine is a delicate affair and has a share of its own shortcomings.
vans are made out of soft fiber. cleaning them in a washer especially suede vans shoes quickly shortens their lifespan. Also, the bungling and banging of the vans in the washer will ensure that the vans come out in bad shape. It will be impossible to unshrink them since the sole is made out of rubber.
Detergents used sometimes react with glue to cause yellow stains. These stains cause an irritating color on white shoes. using of bleaching agents has also proven to be causing skin irritation.
Conclusion
It is very possible to wash vans using a washing machine. Thanks to technology. But nowhere comes the second thought of durability whereby vans washed using a washing machine tend to last for shorter periods.
Everybody deserves the pleasure of wearing a van with the sparkling and classy look they bought them with, this article has explored all the spheres equipping you with the necessary knowledge to help you wash your vans properly as well as take good care of them.
