So, your favorite shoes are getting dirty since their time in the real world, right? The daily grind of walking around work or school has them showing some grime and dirt, and maybe even some sweat lines? Well, SHOEBACCA.com would like to clear up some common misconceptions about bringing life back into your shoes.

“Nah, hun; just chuck ‘em in the washer. I’m sure they’ll be fine.” No, hun; chances are, the washing machine is going to kick your shoes’ backsides. Washing machines are meant for loose fabrics, not shoes that have parts and pieces and glues and all that fun stuff that makes them able to stand up to rocks and such. It would be kind of like you taking your showers in the car wash. It’s going to hurt a bit.

There are three main materials used to construct the majority of footwear: leather, suede or nubuck (which is still leather, but a bit different) and fabrics like canvas. Whether you are needing to freshen up your favorite old Chuck Taylors or redefine your dressy leather kicks, special care must be taken.

For those of you adamant about using a washing machine, don’t feel disheartened. The first thing you do with your shoes is to pull out the laces, and they are more than happy being washed in a load with like colors. Laces are tough like that.

Tackling the fabric materials is the easiest, as you probably figured out. With any shoe, start by knocking off any dried mud or caked-on goo-gah (goo-gah is our term for undesirable materials other than mud that might have made their way on your shoe via walking your dog, etc.).  Go ahead and give them a wipe with a damp cloth to get any more large pieces taken care of.

Now to really dig in. Before you do anything, make sure that your cleaning solution is a mild detergent without bleaching agents, and spot-test a small, inconspicuous area first. You can go about the cleaning of the shoes in a couple different ways. Soaking the shoes in a solution of warm water will loosen the dirt and make the next step easier. Using a toothbrush (preferably one you don’t use anymore) or a small scrub brush, gently scrub the inside and outside of the shoe using a mixture of water and mild detergent. Laundry detergent is fine, but remember a little goes a long way. Be sure to scrub the liner as well. It’s kind of like brushing your tongue, giving your shoe better breath.

After you’ve done the scrubbing, rinse the shoe in cool water. After rinsing, if you still see some funky spots, you can upgrade to a nylon scrubbing pad, but don’t ever use steel wool. That’s shoe abuse and should be illegal.

Hmm… still a little funky inside? Mix some baking soda and water together to form a paste, and use that vigorously on the insole. Baking soda is one of man’s greatest inventions, and just like it gets the funk from your fridge, it will knock out the foot odor.

Drying time has come! Remember that shoes need something inside them to retain their shape, especially the softer ones like canvas. Loosely stuff the insides with paper towels, crumpled brown paper bags or white office paper. Don’t use the funny pages unless you want people reading Family Circus on your toes– the ink will bleed through your shoes. Also, drying them on your heater vent or next to the fireplace is a bad idea, as the heat breaks canvas down and will ruin your shiny (re)new kicks.

After they are dry, replace the footbeds and laces, and take a look at all of your hard work. You did that all by yourself; pat yourself on the back and go show off your favs again!