Keep Your Shoes Looking Brand New With A Laundry Hack That Can't Be Beat

If the thought of tossing your priceless Jordans in the washing machine has you reeling in horror, you're not alone. However, this previously unthought of feat may be in your future. Believe it or not, you can subject leather shoes to a machine washing without worry. Zip your dingy shoes into fabric bags with scrubbing power, give them a machine wash on cold, and they'll look like new. With similar products available from several brands on Amazon, the Toffos shoe washing bag, available for under $25, has bagged the best reviews.

While there are DIY sneaker cleaning ingredients you likely already have in the house, and OxiClean is a laundry room staple great for washing shoes, all of these methods require actual scrubbing. New-fangled scrubber-lined shoe washing bags do the job for you with the help of some water, detergent, and spin cycle. An added benefit is that the soft fabric bag makes washing shoes quiet while protecting the inside of your machine from dents. No matter the method, it's hard to revive the fresh-from-the-store feel of a pair of sneakers. This product that takes the effort out of shoe maintenance may just become your new favorite laundry tool.

We've already seen laundry bags designed to wash and dry shoes quietly, but one that actually scrubs while keeping things quiet is a level up. Instagrammer Leanne Neiland of @home.with.leanne demonstrates how easily a pair of leather — yes, LEATHER! — sneakers go from grimy to gleaming with a simple wash cycle. Neiland also shares an ingenious shoe drying technique; add binder clips to the base of two plastic bags to hang outside. Slip each shoe through the bags' handles, with the ball of the sole supported by one handle and the heel supported by the other. Hang the bags, and allow your freshly laundered footwear to dry.

These bags are marketed for washing any kind of shoe, but most reviewers mentioned using them to wash athletic shoes. Shoe washing bags come in sets of two, meant for one adult shoe per bag per washing. However, one pair of small children's shoes may fit into one bag. Slide a shoe into each bag, zip it closed, and toss them into the washing machine. The shoes should fit loosely in the bags so that, as the load tumbles in the washer, the fabric nubs have plenty of space for optimal friction and scrubbing.

According to Toffos shoe washing bag reviewers, the bag's scrubbing power works wonders on scuffs as well as dirt. Just to be on the safe side though, it might be wise to test your bag out with a pair that's not your prized vintage sneakers.