How to Dry Shoes in the Dryer

Co-authored by Marc Sigal and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: July 29, 2022 References

Instead of suffering through wet shoes or waiting days for them to dry, toss them in the dryer for a few minutes! Tie the laces together and hang the shoes from the dryer door. This will prevent damage to the machine and help you keep your sanity since the shoes won't bang around as they dry. Keep in mind that you shouldn't dry animal-fabrics, such as leather or suede, in the dryer because they'll dry out too much and crack.

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Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using the Dryer

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1
Check the shoes' label to see if you can machine dry them. Look on the inside of the shoes to find their care information. This is usually listed on the inner heel or tongue. The label should tell you if you can machine dry them or if you need to air dry them.
- For example, if you see a square, with an X in it, don't dry them in the machine. If there's a circle in the square, you can dry the shoes with low heat.
2
Machine dry canvas, cotton, or polyester shoes. If you can't find the shoes' care label or it's rubbed off, consider what material the shoes are made of. You can probably use the dryer if the shoes are made of cotton, canvas, nylon, or polyester.^{[1]
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- Avoid machine drying animal-based fabrics, such as leather or suede since it dries the fabric and can make it crack.
- You may not want to dry shoes with sequins or other embellishments because they may fall off.
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Place the shoes so they're right next to each other and gather the laces. Then, tie a knot with both of the laces so the shoes are tied together.^{[2]
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4
Hang the shoes in the machine and close the laces in the door. Hold the shoes by the laces and drape them over the door so the shoes are in the dryer. You can do this for a front or top-loading dryer. Keep holding the laces and close the door so the laces are stuck in place.^{[3]
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- Try to position the laces so the knot is outside of the dryer. This will prevent the shoes from falling into the dryer once you turn the machine on.
- Some dryers even have a drying rack that you can insert and place your wet shoes on to dry them.
If your machine doesn't have this setting, just program it to the lowest temperature. It's important to use little or no heat so your shoes don't shrink as the fabric dries.^{[4]
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Dry the shoes for 20 minutes and check them. Turn the machine on and leave the shoes to dry for about 20 minutes. Then, carefully open the door and catch the shoes before they fall. Feel the inside of the shoes to ensure they're dry.^{[5]
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- If the shoes aren't completely dry, hang them on the door again and dry them for another 5 minutes.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Preventing Damage to the Dryer and Your Shoes

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Avoid tossing loose shoes into your dryer. If you've ever thrown a pair of shoes into the dryer, you're probably familiar with the loud banging sound they make. You shouldn't put loose shoes into the dryer because this repeated banging can damage the inside of the machine and the outside of your shoes.^{[6]
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- If you can't hang the shoes against the door by the laces, try wrapping the shoes in a mesh laundry bag. Put the bag into the dryer along with several towels, which will prevent the shoes from banging against the machine.
2
Air dry your shoes to prevent warping them. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell how the heat from a dryer will affect your shoes. Depending on the quality and what the shoes are made of, drying them in the machine can warp or shrink them. For the best result, hang the shoes by the laces from a clothesline or place them on a flat drying rack and leave them to dry for a day or two.^{[7]
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- If you can, put the shoes in the sunlight since sunlight can disinfect the shoes.
- You can also stuff your shoes with newspaper or paper towels and place them in a dry, well-ventilated area. You can even set up a fan nearby to make sure that there's always air blowing on them.
3
Limit how often you dry the shoes in the machine. Your shoes probably won't be damaged if you occasionally put them in the dryer. However, the fabric and soles of the shoes will shrink or warp the more you machine dry them.
- If you can, alternate between air drying your shoes and machine drying them.

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I had my shoes banging around to dry in dryer, it shut off and I can't get it to run again, the light comes on but the dryer won't run.

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If it's new, it may be as simple as pressing the reset button off of the control panel to correct problem. If it's an older model, it may need a repair person to fix it.

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Ensure that the shoes are clean. You can machine wash and spin them to remove excess water before you toss them in the dryer.

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If the shoes have removable insoles, take them out before you wash and dry the shoes to prevent them from warping.

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