The human foot was not ‘designed’ to walk on hard surfaces, such as tiles, pavements or floorboards. While, like all other animals, our ancestors evolved to walk without shoes, all of the joints, muscles and tendons of our feet were perfectly created for uneven and soft or hard surfaces, such as sand, grass or soil, which can offer some level of support to our feet.
As early humans strode across the land in search of food and shelter, they worked out that the way to protect their feet from extreme temperatures and sharp objects was to wrap them in animal hides.
The question has to be asked that, if you wear shoes to protect and support your feet outdoors, why wouldn’t you do so indoors too, when they also need support. Even carpet doesn’t support your feet sufficiently. Slipping your feet into a pair of Vionic shoes is game-changing and one of life’s little luxuries, and it’s easy to become attached to a favourite pair!
Of course, there comes a time when all slippers will need to be replaced. But if they’re simply scuffed, a little dirty or slightly discoloured but otherwise in solid shape, you might just need to clean them to freshen them up.
But, how do you take care of a good pair of slippers and can you put them in a washing machine? The experts at Vionic are here to answer your questions and provide guidance on sprucing up your slippers.
CAN YOU WASH SLIPPERS IN THE WASHING MACHINE?
The short answer is that it depends. Certain materials like cotton and terry cloth can be laundered in a standard washing machine with cold or warm water on a gentle cycle. If your slippers are made of one of these textiles like our Lydia slipper (above), it might be okay to machine wash them in and then let them air-dry — but don’t try this with dense rubber soles.
Generally speaking and if in doubt, it’s best to avoid putting slippers or house shoes in a washing machine. Spot-cleaning or hand-washing slippers will suffice in most cases, while also preventing the material from shrinking and safeguarding the drum of your washing machine from potential damage.
If you’ve become attached to your beloved slippers, the last thing you want to do is ruin them, so remember that slippers with rubber outsoles, even those with cotton or terry cloth uppers, as well as suede styles with shearling or faux fur lining, shouldn’t be cleaned in a washing machine.
HOW TO PROPERLY CARE FOR SLIPPERS
The primary purpose of properly caring for your house shoes is to extend their lifespan. With this in mind, it’s important to be mindful about what you clean them with and what methods you use. While it depends on the specific material and style, there’s a good chance you already have all or most of the necessary supplies lying around your home.
HOW TO CLEAN YOUR SLIPPERS
To remove dirt, stains, and discoloration from your slippers, you may need:
• A plastic tub or large bowl (a pluggable sink can also work)
• Liquid laundry detergent
• Baking soda
• A soft, clean toothbrush
• A nylon bristle brush (sometimes called a suede brush)
• Gentle makeup remover wipes or baby wipes
• A few clean cloths
• A sizable towel
Leather conditioner will come in handy, too, if you’re working with suede, nubuck, or calfskin You can find both this in Vionic’s shoe care line.
HOW TO HAND-WASH FABRIC SLIPPERS
If your slippers have fabric uppers, such as terry cloth, microfibre, cotton or chenille, hand-washing is the best way to take care of them. Here’s what to do:
• Begin by wiping down the outsoles to get rid of excess dirt and A damp rag, make-up wipe or a baby wipe will work
• If the uppers of your slippers have distinct stains or spots (as opposed to simply being dirty or discoloured), it’s best to pre-treat the Dab the stains with a few drops of dish soap or liquid detergent, then gently rub it back and forth with a clean, damp cloth Let the pre-treatment sit for about a half-hour before starting the hand-washing process.
• Fill a large bowl, plastic tub or large sink with lukewarm water, then add a generous drizzle of dish soap or mild detergent
• Submerge your slippers in the soapy You may have to wash one at a time if your basin isn’t big enough for both
• With your slippers underwater, give them a gentle shake to agitate the dirty Next, massage the uppers and lining with your fingers to lift the grime
• Allow your cloth slippers to soak in the soapy solution for 20 to 30 The water should darken after a few minutes as the dirt washes out
• Once the material looks clean, take your slippers out of the water and rinse them off either under the tap or a bowl of clean It may take a few minutes of rinsing before they’re entirely free of suds, but make sure you get it all out, as dry soap can impact the softness of the textile
• Place your clean slippers on a large towel and wrap it around Then press down gently to squeeze out any excess water
• Carefully reshape your slippers while they’re still slightly damp and set them in a relatively cool, ventilated area to air-dry
Don’t be tempted to put your slippers in the tumble drier. The hot air can melt the glue which connects the soles to the footbeds and potentially warp the rubber. There’s a chance the cloth uppers could shrink as well.
Running a blow dryer over damp slippers can speed up the drying process in a pinch. However, if you have 12 to 24 hours to spare, it’s best to let them air-dry.
HOW TO CLEAN SUEDE SLIPPERS BY HAND
Do your slippers have suede uppers? If so, the soapy water method isn’t suitable, as the velvety-soft material is prone to moisture damage. But luckily, all you’ll need to clean suede mules or moccasins is a nylon brush and a bit of leather conditioner, the latter of which you can also buy from Vionic online.
Here’s what to do:
• Begin by gently running the brush all over the suede without any leather conditioner, focusing on stains, spots and Dry-brushing may be enough to remove all the stains, but if not, you can try leather conditioner.
• Dab a couple drops of leather conditioner onto the nylon bristles of a brush, then rub it gently into the uppers. You can apply additional drops as needed, but it’s best to start slow to avoid oversaturating the
• Wipe off any remaining residue with a clean, dry
• Let your slippers air-dry in a cool, ventilated
To prevent future stains, discoloration and water damage, you might also want to use a protective shoe spray, like Vionic’s Rain & Stain.
HOW TO CLEAN FAUX FUR OR SHEEPSKIN SLIPPERS
There’s nothing quite like sliding your feet into a pair of fluffy slippers when you come home from work or a day’s shopping. Cleaning faux fur, shearling and wool slippers is tricky, but do-able, if you follow a few, simple steps:
• First, you’ll want to deodorise the fluffy material with a generous sprinkling of baking soda
• Let your slippers sit with the baking soda on them for up to 24 hours, then shake them out thoroughly
• Dab a small amount of liquid laundry detergent, mild soap or wool detergent onto a clean, damp cloth
• Softly rub the cloth all around the lining of your slippers, focusing on heavily soiled areas
• To address more stubborn spots, apply a dab of liquid soap to a soft toothbrush and gently rub the stain until it lifts
• When the fluffy fabric looks clean, run another clean, damp cloth over the lining to get rid of any remaining soapy residue
• Place your house shoes in a cool, well-ventilated area and let them air-dry
Faux fur or sheepskins slippers can be blow-dried on the lowest heat setting to fluff them back up. However, excess heat may damage faux fur, so when in doubt, just stick to air-drying.
THE BEST ORTHOTIC SLIPPERS FOR WOMEN AND MEN
It’s crucial to know how to care for your footwear, but as with all shoes, old slippers will eventually need to be replaced. If you’re in the market for a fresh pair, check out the comfortable men’s and women’s styles from Vionic.
Our fashion-forward house shoes include moccasins, mules, clogs, sandal-style slippers and everything in between. Plus, each pair is embedded with our proprietary orthotics, meaning arch support and heel stability are built right into the soles.
Shop our selection of slippers today!