How to Wash Slippers

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A good pair of slippers is a bit like an adult safety blanket. We get attached to them. We don't want to let them go for impostor slippers simply because they’ve gotten old and—to be honest—a bit grimy. Fear not! Regardless of the material, you can easily clean your slippers and extend the life of them. For most types of slippers, it's fine to just pop them in the washing machine! Just be sure to use a gentle cycle, cold water, and a mild detergent. Air-dry your slippers completely before wearing them.

The Easiest Way to Clean Slippers

Pretreat any stains with a stain removal product or laundry detergent. Place the slippers in your washing machine with a small amount of detergent. Select a gentle cycle and cold water setting, then run the cycle. Air-dry the slippers when the cycle ends.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Washing Cotton Slippers

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  1. [1] Cotton is one of the most common slipper materials. Just like cotton clothing, all cotton slippers will be washing machine safe. [2]
    • Use warm (not hot) to make sure you don’t shrink the slippers. Use a gentle cycle that won’t bang them out of shape. [3] If you want to toss them in with the regular wash, use a washing machine bag like you’d use for a sweater. [4]
    • Use a low heat setting to dry. You can also allow them to air dry. [5]
  2. If you don’t want to risk machine washing those slippers, then you can hand wash cotton slippers. [6] Use a stopper and fill your sink with warm, soapy water. A small dose of a mild laundry detergent will do. [7]
    • Hand-washing detergents will instruct you how much to use.
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  3. You want to make sure that the soapy water saturates the material. Use your fingers or a gentle cloth to scrub the inside lining to penetrate the grime. [8]
  4. The soap solution won’t hurt the cotton. Give the slippers a good ten minutes to soak after you give them the mild scrub. [9] You’ll see the soapy water changing colors as it leaches out all the funk.
  5. After the slippers have soaked, go ahead and let the water out of the sink. Turn the faucet on at about the same warm setting as before and give the slippers a thorough rinse. [10] Squish the slippers as you rinse like you would to get excess soap out of a sponge or luffa.
    • You can refill the sink with clean water to rinse them. Let them soak for ten minutes. You can also rinse them under the running faucet for two or three minutes to get all the soap out.
  6. Don’t actually wring the slippers. This can misshape them. Instead, press down on them at several points to remove the excess water. [11]
    • You can also squeeze them in a towel to absorb the excess water. [12]
  7. Set the slippers aside to air dry. [13] You can also use a warm setting on a blowdryer to dry them out. [14]
    • A blowdryer will also fluff the soft, cottony insides of the slippers.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Washing Suede Slippers

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  1. You cannot machine wash or hand wash suede slippers by submerging them. If you spill something on the suede, use a clean towel to blot and wipe at the spill.
    • If the suede is waterproof, then you can use a damp towel to wipe at the spill. If not, stick with a dry towel.
  2. [15] If the spill can stain the suede and you know the towel treatment alone will not suffice, then use a suede cleaning kit on the exterior. A suede cleaning kit will come with a stain eraser and a small, stiff suede brush with which to work in the eraser.
    • A suede brush, nail file, or soft-textured sandpaper can also remove mud or scuff marks. This will also return the nap texture to the suede.
    • Once the exterior of the slippers is clean, consider applying a suede-safe waterproofing spray to make cleaning them easier in the future.
  3. Baby wipes allow you to scrub out the slippers without wetting the suede. This works for both cotton and fleece-lined interiors. Baby wipes are low in moisture and have a mild detergent. [16] Use a couple of them to work the inside of the slippers until you stop seeing the grime staining them.
    • You can alternatively dampen a washcloth and dab just a drop or two of wool detergent or another mild soap such as baby shampoo on the washcloth before using it to scrub the soft insides of the slippers. [17]
  4. Once cleaned out, use a clean, damp washcloth to wipe out the insides. Remove any leftover detergent. Baby wipes are mild enough that this might not be necessary, but it will be if you use the couple drops of wool detergent or baby shampoo. [18]
  5. You do not want to apply heat to suede slippers, so you’ll simply have to give them plenty of time to air dry before you wear them again. [19] Wads of newspaper are actually a great way to absorb moisture without using heat, so you can stuff the insides with balled up newspaper to help dry them out more quickly.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Washing Leather Slippers

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  1. You should only treat the exteriors with products designed for leather shoes. This includes non-enzyme liquid soaps designed for leather products. You can use the same leather shoe cleaner you would use on other leather shoes to remove dirt and scuffs.
    • If the insides of the slippers are leather, use the same process to clean the interior.
  2. After cleaning them with a leather cleaner, let them sit for approximately five minutes. Then shine the slippers with a clean, soft, cotton cloth.
  3. To keep leather slippers soft and moisturized, apply a leather shoe conditioner after cleaning. The leather will absorb a natural conditioner easier than synthetic ones. Apply the conditioner as directed to help them age better.
  4. For fleece-lined slippers, use the same process as with fleece-lined suede slippers. Namely, baby wipes, which are low in moisture and contain a mild detergent. [20] Use a couple of baby wipes to scrub out the inside of each slipper until the wipe is no longer discoloring from the grime.
    • You can alternatively use a mildly damp washcloth with just one or two drops of wool detergent or baby shampoo to scrub out the insides of the slippers. This method requires using a second damp washcloth to remove any excess soap afterward.
  5. You don’t want to apply heat to leather slippers. You will need to give them time to air dry. As with the suede slippers, you can use a wad of newspaper inside the slipper to help draw the excess moisture out of the lining, which will hasten the drying process a bit.
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Common Questions: Tips for Cleaning Slippers

How often should you wash slippers?

Wash your slippers whenever they get visibly dirty or once per month—whichever comes first. If you wear your slippers outside or deal with any foot fungus issues, you may want to wash them more often.

What's the best way to dry slippers after washing?

The safest way to dry slippers after cleaning them is by air-drying them. Just lay them out flat overnight. Depending on the material, it might be fine to put the slippers in the dryer (as long as you use a low heat setting), but if you want to err on the side of caution, air-drying is the way to go. [21]

How often should you replace your slippers?

There's no specific time frame for replacement, but you should consider getting new slippers whenever they start looking ratty or when they no longer feel soft and cozy to you. [22]

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Tips

  • Many popular slipper brands such as Uggs and Minnetonka slippers are sheepskin or deerskin. They are like suede with the same velvety nap, so treat them like suede slippers.
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  • To remove a bit of the stink from your beloved slippers, you can try the following:
    • Stuff them full of balled up newspaper. Newspaper can remove the odor-causing excess moisture.
    • Put a pair of sneaker balls inside between wearings. They help zap shoe odors.
    • Sprinkle baking soda inside the slippers, give it several minutes to soak up the odor, and then vacuum out the baking soda.
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Warnings

  • The tag on your slippers might have specific cleaning instructions. Always check the tag for instructions to avoid harming your slippers.
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  • If the tag doesn’t have cleaning instructions, base your cleaning method on the material.
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References

  1. ↑ Marc Sigal. Shoe Care Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 January 2020.
  2. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  3. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  4. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  5. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  6. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  7. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  8. ↑ Marc Sigal. Shoe Care Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 January 2020.
  9. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  1. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  2. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  3. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  4. ↑ Marc Sigal. Shoe Care Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 January 2020.
  5. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  6. ↑ Marc Sigal. Shoe Care Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 January 2020.
  7. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  8. ↑ http://www.justsheepskin.com/cleaning-and-care.aspx
  9. ↑ http://www.justsheepskin.com/cleaning-and-care.aspx
  10. ↑ Marc Sigal. Shoe Care Specialist. Expert Interview. 15 January 2020.
  11. ↑ http://jezebel.com/how-to-keep-your-sweaters-and-slippers-clean-and-pill-f-1460309508
  12. ↑ https://www.today.com/shop/when-to-replace-slippers-rcna133134
  13. ↑ https://www.today.com/shop/when-to-replace-slippers-rcna133134

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  • Elle Madison

    Jun 27, 2017

    "Needed to clean my shoes because I didn't want to toss them. Have everything that I need in my house already. "
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