How To Clean Hey Dude ‌Shoes?

To clean your Hey Dude shoes, simply use a dampened cloth and mild detergent to spot clean, then hand-wash or machine-wash them in water with a moderate detergent for the tough stains, and finally air dry fully before re-wearing them. It’s not as difficult as it might seem, you only need a few household supplies and tools to complete the task.

All of us would want to wear our brand-new Hey Dudes outdoors as soon as we unwrap them, the result, after a few uses they will start to attract dirt, mud, and scuffs. How on earth do you keep these shoes spotless?

Either you store them and never wear them at all, or you give them some routine maintenance and proper washing. If you are up for the latter, you’ve come to the right palace!

Here is a compilation of how to clean Hey Dude shoes of different kinds in some easy steps. Keep on reading to find out!

How To Clean Hey Dude Shoes? 

Hey Dudes can be cleaned with a few simple tools and instructions. Cleaning every type of shoe requires some basic supplies like liquid laundry detergent, a soft cloth, a soft-bristled toothbrush, water, etc. 

1. Hand Washing Your Hey Dude Shoes

The best method to guarantee shoes won’t be unintentionally damaged during the process is to hand wash them properly. 

Remove the laces and insoles(if possible) from your Hey Dudes, and use a soft-bristled brush to remove any excess dirt before starting the cleaning process. Now follow the steps below:

• Prepare a solution with a mug of lukewarm water and 1-2 tablespoons of liquid laundry detergent. (Apply detergent to tougher stains and let it sit there for at least  10-15 minutes to pre-treat them) Now, using a cloth dipped in the detergent solution, scrub the complete sneaker.

• Apply the mild cleaning solution to a soft-bristled brush and thoroughly clean the outsole and midsole

• After removing the stains, blot away the soapy residues with another damp clean cloth. 

• To help the shoes dry, hang them to air dry or place them somewhere with good airflow.

• Finally, clean the laces and soles. Soak the laces in warm soapy water or a diluted bleach solution; then clean and let them dry. And for the insole, dip them in the liquid detergent solution for 5 minutes, then scrub them with a coarse brush, rinse, and set them aside to dry.

You can watch this video to get a demonstration of the hand-washing method!

2. Cleaning Hey Dudes In The Washing Machine

Hey Dude Care Guide shares how you can delicately wash your shoes without damaging them in the washing machine. Here’s what to do!

• Get rid of any loose dirt from the outside of the shoes using a soft-bristled toothbrush, and remove the laces and insoles from the shoes.

• Now, in the washing machine, pour about 1 tablespoon of liquid laundry soap (not powdered detergent).

• To stop your shoes from hitting the drum, put them inside a mesh laundry bag, and then inside the washing machine. You can also wash your sneakers with towels to stop them from rattling around in the washer.

• Run a gentle cycle in the machine with cool water, hot water should not be used as this could harm the shoes.

• After the cycle is complete, take off your shoes and lay them on a cloth to dry. Always let them dry naturally.

• Allow the sneakers to air dry for at least a day. 

3. Cleaning Suede, Wool, or Leather Hey Dudes

Hey Dude advises only washing their canvas shoes in the laundry machine; you should not put their wool, suede, or leather shoes in there as you risk damaging them. Here’s how to hand-wash these types of shoes.

Cleaning Suede Hey Dudes

The trick to keeping your Suede Hey Dudes is to treat the stains as quickly as possible. After each use, the surfaces should be cleaned with a soft-bristled brush to clear all the remaining loose dirt and dust. 

• To get rid of loose dust and debris, use a natural-bristled suede brush or suede eraser on your dry shoes. Gently scrub the suede with the brush or eraser. Be careful to avoid working the brush back and forth and to move it in one way only.

• For grease stains, use a nail brush after dipping it in clean water (you can add a few drops of sneaker cleaner if necessary) and brush the stains with a little effort.

• Wipe your shoes with a clean dry cloth and let them air dry overnight. You can insert a shoe tree inside your Hey Dudes during this time for the sneakers to maintain their shape.

• The next morning, apply a suede protector spray to your freshly cleaned shoes to protect them against water damage. ( you can use a suede glower too) Hold the spray can at a distance of about 6 inches from the shoes while spraying and let it dry for about 30 minutes. 

Here is a video to help you!

Cleaning Leather Hey Dudes

In Leather Hey Dudes, mostly only the upper is constructed of leather. Here’s what you have to do to clean it.

Mix a few drops of liquid dish soap into a cup of water for the most effective method of cleaning leather Hey Dudes. Brush the shoes with a gentle toothbrush dipped in the mixture. And use a melamine sponge to carefully scrub away stubborn scuffs. After that, allow the shoes to fully air dry.

Cleaning Wool Hey Dudes

Wool Hey Dudes get stains the same as normal shoes, particularly the ones with pale colors. That’s why you should regularly use shoe protector sprays on them to resist dirt. Here’s what you can do when they get dirty. 

• Start by dusting off any grime or debris with a clean rag or a soft brush before cleaning wool Hey Dudes You can also use a vacuum to get rid of the dirt.

• Use mild detergent to wash any areas that might be stained or discolored. Make a moderate solution of dish soap and water and dab the wool surface with a clean rag or fabric after dipping it in the solution. Avoid immersing your shoes in water or the solution.

• When you’re done cleaning, dab away any residual moisture with a clean, dry cloth to speed up the drying process for your shoes.

• For insole and laces, take them out of the shoes, and hand-wash them using any mild wool wash detergent and cold water.

• Once all the items are completely air-dried, reinsert the laces and soles, and you are good to go.

How to Clean The Soles of Hey Dude Shoes?

The soles of your shoes being closer to the ground are bound to pick up some things now and then, which include rocks, mud, small stones, and even peculiar things like chewing gum. So your favorite Hey Dude soles will occasionally need to be cleaned.

Cleaning the outsole: Your sneaker’s outsole is bound to become dirty more quickly than almost any other area of the shoe since it interacts most directly with the surface you are on while outdoors. You need to clean this part weekly. 

For this, scrub the dirt off with a brush, and if necessary, use a warm water and detergent solution. After that, wipe everything down with a clean cloth.

Cleaning the midsole: The yellowing of a midsole is enough to ruin the entire appearance of the shoe, even if the remainder of the shoe is spotless. So, it’s important to clean this area of the sneaker.

To improve the color of a rubber sole and remove grime along the borders, you can use a magic eraser. Another method is using a solution made up of equal proportions of vinegar, baking soda, and water. Apply the mixture and scrub, it will help remove the hard-to-clean stains.

Cleaning the insole: Cleaning the insole is essential as it gets pretty worn out and stenchy with regular use. Aside from your shoe itself, this part requires separate cleaning to remove the dirt and grime. If possible, remove the insole first before starting.

Wash the sole with warm water first and then apply a mild detergent on the stain. Use a brush and scrub the stain consistently until it is gone. Or you can make a solution with white vinegar and water, which helps to remove odor. Let the soles air dry completely before inserting them again.

How to Deodorize Hey Dude Shoes? 

There is nothing more unpleasant than a pair of stinky sneakers that fill the space with their odor the moment you remove them. Neatnik Jonathan Zork shares two ways you can deodorize your Hey Dude shoes.

Method 1:  Insert a fabric softener dryer sheet into each of your Hey Dudes and leave them there for 24 hours. Make sure the complete insole of the shoe is covered. Repeat the process several times over a few days to get the best result.

 You can spray the dryer sheets with a pleasant-smelling essential oil, such as citrus or lavender if you’d like to add a pleasant scent to your shoes. 

Method 2: Combine baking powder and cornstarch in 1:2 proportion and pour the mixture into two cotton socks, then leave the stockings in the shoes overnight.

Alternatively, you can fill the insole of your shoes with the mixture and leave them overnight. Once the time is completed, turn the shoes over and tap the bottom until the baking soda comes out.

How to Dry Hey Dudes fast after washing? 

There are some restrictions on the drying method after you are done with cleaning your Hey Dudes. Firstly, your sneakers should not be dried in the dryer. Secondly, they should not be kept in direct sunlight. Though naturally air drying your Hey Dudes is the best, Here’s how you can dry them faster after washing them.

One way to dry them out is by using a fan. To help soak extra water from the shoes, place them on a piece of paper or newspaper. And then put them in front of a fan a foot or two and let the air circulate.

Another way to dry the shoes without damaging them is using dehumidifying shoe inserts, they are similar to shoe dryers but aren’t electronic. To aid in internal drying, they are placed into the shoes individually.

FAQs

1. Are Hey Dude shoes washable?

Yes, Hey Dude shoes are washable. However, you have to maintain some caution while doing so. You should not use warm water and wash only in a gentle cycle in the washing machine. And suede, leather, and similar sneakers shouldn’t be washed with water.

2. How to Wash Hey Dude Slip-On Shoes?

You can wash your slip-on Hey Dudes in the washing machine with a gentle cycle, mild liquid detergent, and cold water. Or wash them by hand using a brush and water-detergent solution.

3. Can You Machine Wash The Insoles of Your Hey Dude Shoes?

No, you can’t machine wash the insole of your Hey Dude shoes. The insoles are constructed of memory foam, which will deform if you wash them directly in the washing machine.

4. How to Wash Suede Hey Dude Shoes?

You can clean the suede Hey Dude shoes first with a magic eraser or suede brush. And then clean the entire surface with the water-mild detergent solution by dipping a soft cloth in it.  

5. How to Wash Colored Hey Dudes?

Using the Delicate, Hand Wash, or Light cycle of your washing machine, you can wash the colored Hey Dude shoes. To prevent your shoes from shrinking, only wash them in cold water with a very small amount of your preferred liquid detergent 

6. How to Wash Leather Hey Dude Shoes?

While washing leather Hey Dudes you should never put them in the washing machine. Instead, use a brush and detergent solution to spot-clean the areas that have stains.

7. How to Wash Classic Black Hey Dudes?

You can either machine wash Classic Black Hey Dudes in a cold cycle with mild liquid detergent, or you can scrub the shoe with a brush/cloth and mild detergent-water solution to clean them.

8. How to wash White Hey Dudes?

MommaJen shares an easy way to clean your white Hey Dudes:

Pour half a cup of laundry whitener into a half-full sink of hot running water and mix well. Now, submerge your Hey Dudes in the hot water mixture for at least two hours. Do not rinse the solution, put the shoes in the washing machine and run the cold cycle on them. After that, let them air dry fully.

9. Can You Put Hey Dudes in The Dryer?

The Hey Dude manufacturers advise not to clean their shoes in the dryer. While you can dry them indoors or outdoors, it is advised to keep them out of direct sunlight to prevent bleaching or fabric damage

Final words

Hope you have got an idea about how to clean Hey Dude shoes quickly and effectively. 

Even though they won’t be as excellent as new, cleaning your Hey Dudes will still save you money compared to purchasing a brand-new one—all of us will agree on this.

Depending on how frequently you wear your Hey Dudes and where you wear they may require cleaning more or less frequently. While the customized or expensive Hey Dudes should receive a thorough cleaning at least once per season, daily-used ones require weekly cleaning to look and smell fresh. Also, remember to instantly remove the spots.

Good luck with the cleaning!