Hey Dude shoes are increasing in popularity and the chances are, if you don’t own a pair, you know someone who does. As a result of this, questions are being asked about how to keep them looking brand new for as long as possible and how to give them a good clean.
Since they are built to last, you probably want to prolong their lifespan as much as possible, and to do this, you need to take good care of them.
You need to be washing them regularly yet you can’t just throw them in the washing machine with all your other clothes. Fortunately, we have written this article to tell you why this is, and give you some tips on the best ways to wash your Hey Dudes without wearing the shoes down prematurely or ruining them completely.
What Are Hey Dudes?
Hey Dudes are a shoe company that is dedicated to selling footwear that is durable and comfortable. They offer shoes for men, women, and children and sell a variety of different insoles, including vegan ones.
The company was established in 2008 in Italy and hit the market the following year. They opened their first store in the US in 2010 and have expanded to Europe, Eastern Asia, and South America. Their products can also be found at stores such as Gilk’s, Zappos, and many more, as well as having an online store.
They sell a variety of different types of shoes ranging from slip-ons and sandals to boots and sneakers, as well as their Mistral collection designed to be used for waterproof activities.
Finally, not only are they affordable but their products go on sale regularly, making them accessible to all.
How Do I Clean Hey Dude Shoes?
So you have caved in and finally bought yourself a pair of Hey Dudes, but where do you start when it comes to cleaning? We have included a step-by-step guide in this article to help you out and we promise this method will get even the muddiest of shoes sparkling clean again.
1. To prep them for the washing machine, if they have any big chunks of dirt on them, ensure you rinse them off first.
2. Remove the insoles and laces. If you need to wash these parts of the shoe, you will need to handwash them using a mild detergent and leave them out to dry flat. If they are beyond repair, you can always buy replacement insoles.
3. If you have colored Hey Dudes you will need to pop them in your washing machine and set the machine to a delicate, hand wash, or light setting.
You only need to add a very small amount of liquid detergent (powdered detergent can irritate) and use cold water so they do not shrink. Also, ensure you choose a slow spin or no spin at all to reduce any wrinkles.
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4. If you have white Hey Dudes, you need to spray them first with Dawn Platinum Powerwash and let that sit for an hour before washing. You can then rinse and scrub very gently with a soft cleaning brush before running a sink half full with warm water and mix in a half cup of Out White Brite Laundry Whitener.
Place your Hey Dudes with their fabric tops down in the water and pop something on top of them so all of the fabric becomes fully submerged. Leave them soaking like this for around two hours and then pop them in your washing machine on a delicate cycle with no other items. Wash them in cold water and you don’t even need to add detergent.
5. When it comes to drying your Hey Dudes, you need to make sure you are air drying. If you use a machine dryer for your shoes, they will start to shrink and warp. Instead, air-dry them in a place where direct sunlight does not hit as UV rays can damage the color and material and even bleach the shoes.
6. If the bottom soles of your shoes are stained, Magic Sponge Erasers might help in making them clean again.
7. Once you have completed the following steps, your Hey Dudes should look as good as new again and all you need to do is replace your insoles and laces.
Although these instructions are suggested by the company themselves, they state on their website that shoes will no longer be eligible for returns or their warranty policy after a machine wash, so it is important to keep this in mind.
Deodorizing Hey Dudes
Like all shoes, after a lot of wear, your Hey Dudes can begin to develop an odor and though this is normal, you might be wondering how to get rid of this.
Using Baking Soda
Using baking soda is a great way to deodorize the inside of your Hey Dude shoes and can be a simple method if you want something that requires minimal work. Simply add the baking soda to your shoes and leave it overnight before dumping it out in the morning.
Using Dryer Sheets
If you have spare drying sheets laying about the place, you can use these by stuffing one in each shoe and leaving them overnight for another simple way of deodorizing your shoes. For best results, use scented dryer sheets.
Using White Vinegar
White vinegar works to deodorize your shoe if you swab the inside with liquid by dampening a cloth with white vinegar and using that. Avoid balsamic or apple cider vinegar as this can stain. There is no need to rinse, simple airdry and stuff with newspaper to extract moisture.
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Using The Freezer
Putting your slip-on Hey Dudes in the freezer can freshen up your shoes but make sure you pop them in a plastic bag beforehand as you don’t want your freezer, which is full of food, to get dirty. The cold temperature can kill off any odor which is also causing bacteria build-up in the shoe.
Final Thoughts on how to clean hey dudes
We hope by reading this article you now have a basic understanding of how to clean your Hey Dude shoes without ruining them. Since Hey Dudes are built to last, you will want to prolong their lifespan, and to do this, you will need to wash, dry, and deodorize them properly.
Since they are designed with comfort in mind, if you want a sturdy shoe you can walk around all day in, these might be the pair for you and since you now know how to take good care of them, we recommend going out and trying a pair for yourself!
