Cleaning Shoes in the Dishwasher

Should You Put Shoes in the Dishwasher?
How to Clean Your Shoes in the Dishwasher
Sources

Should You Put Shoes in the Dishwasher?

Yes, it is possible to clean your shoes in the dishwasher. It’s also possible to destroy your shoes in the dishwasher. Only attempt this if:

Your dishwasher has settings to wash with NO heat, and dry with NO heat. Dishwashers get very, very hot to sanitize your dishes, and this heat will more often than not, destroy your shoes by causing shrinkage, cracking of finishes, and softening adhesives.
Your dishwasher has a filter in the drain that is easy to clean.
You won’t be heart-broken if this destroys your shoes.

How to Clean Your Shoes in the Dishwasher

There are lots of people on the net that have destroyed their shoes by attempting this, so be very careful. We will say it one more time, heat is bad for shoes. So here’s the process:

Scrub as much dirt from the shoes as you can first, you don’t want your neighbor’s dog poo in your dishwasher, and you don’t want to clog the drain with clumps of dirt, rocks and mud. Use a stiff brush and some dish detergent.
Remove the insoles/inserts and and wash them separately by hand.
Laces can be kept in the shoes if you keep them from getting tangled in the dishwashers spinning bits or from clogging the drain.
Turn off all of the heat. Don’t wash with hot water, and don’t dry with heat. This is the part that kills 90% of the shoes people put into dishwashers.
Wash shoes by themselves – not with last night’s dirty dishes, unless you want to eat off of dishes that smell like shoes.
Use a mild dishwasher soap, beware of bleaching agents. (read the box). Aggressive soap can damage your shoes as well.
After the wash cycle, clean out the dishwasher’s filter and remove the shoes.
To dry them, stuff them with newspaper to absorb moisture and retain their shape, and place them someplace warm with good air flow. Running a fan over them will help them dry faster. Replace the newspaper every few hours until dry.