Hey Dude shoes are eco-friendly, flexible, lightweight, and affordable, so you want to ensure your pair lasts as long as possible.
Cleaning your favorite Hey Dude shoes is not as cumbersome as you may assume since they come with a detailed care instructions manual.
You will have no complaints when you follow the care of these shoes.
Washing Hey Dude Shoes
You have to be careful when washing your Hey Dude shoes. Most of the shoes are machine washable. However, shoes with suede, leather and wool type materials are not machine washable.
Machine Washing
- Remove Lace and Insoles
The memory foam material of Hey Dude’s insoles makes it unsuitable for machine washing. The washer will destroy the insoles, so you need to remove them before washing the shoes. Use your fingers to lift the insoles, and pull them out.
Remove the laces as well. The laces will tangle in the washer, which can cause damage to the shoes.
Hand wash the laces and insoles with a mild detergent or spot clean with a stain remover separately from the shoes.
- Brush off Debris
After removing the laces and insoles, you may notice dust and debris on the shoes. This debris can increase wash time and clog the washer, so you should remove them before washing.
Use a soft brush, a cloth, or a towel to remove the debris from the shoes. Wet the brush or cloth with cold water to prevent excessive staining.
- Place in a mesh bag
During the wash, your Hey Dude shoes will bounce around the washer damaging the washer.
Put the shoes in a mesh bag to protect them by being a barrier between the shoes and the washer. In the absence of a mesh bag, use a big enough pillowcase.
- Wash settings
Use the “delicate” or “light” wash cycle; it is the only setting to wash the shoes without causing damage.
Do not use hot water to wash your Hey Dude shoes; the heat will shrink or warp them. Always wash with cold water to prolong the lifespan of the shoes.
- Laundry Additives
Use a tiny amount of mild non-bleach detergent to wash your Hey Dude shoes, preferably liquid detergent. Powdered detergent can remain in your shoes, which will irritate you.
Adding too much detergent will increase the rinse time of your shoes, which can damage them.
Avoid fabric softeners and bleach at all costs; they will damage and discolor your shoes.
- Wash
Do not wash your Hey Dude shoes with other clothing. The shoes can damage the clothes, and the buttons and zippers on the clothes can damage the fabric of the shoes.
Although, even with the mesh bag, you should not place your shoes alone in the washer. They will still bang around the washer. Use a few towels to balance the shoes in the washer.
After the wash cycle ends, run an extra rinse cycle to ensure there are no soap suds or another wash cycle if you see stains.
Hand Washing
If you are not comfortable putting your Hey Dude shoes in the washer or if your shoes are not machine washable, you will need to hand wash them.
- Remove the laces and insoles and set them aside.
- Use a soft brush or cloth to remove the debris from the shoes.
- Fill a large bowl with cold water and pour in a mild nonbleach detergent. Agitate the water with your hands to form suds.
- Place the shoes into the soapy water and soak for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Gently clean the shoes with a cloth or soft brush to remove the stains.
- After cleaning the shoes, set them aside and clean the insoles the same way.
- Turn on the tap and rinse the shoes gently under cold running water till there are no suds left.
You can use this same technique to spot clean only, without soaking in the water for a wash. Do not soak the shoes, and if necessary, replace the detergent with a stain remover.
Spot cleaning is crucial to have clean shoes without the stress of washing. This reduced washing will elongate the lifespan of the shoes.
Drying Hey Dude Shoes
Your Hey Dude shoes should never enter a dryer.
The shoes can’t handle the intensity and agitation of the dryer, not to mention the heat. Even on the lowest heat setting, the dryer will expose your shoes to the kind of direct heat that will destroy the shoes.
After washing the shoes, shake them gently to remove the excess water. Do not squeeze the shoes; use a microfiber towel to dry off some of the water.
When you’ve removed enough excess water, hang the shoes on a clothesline outside to dry. Do not air-dry your shoes under direct sunlight. The intense heat from the sun can bleach and damage your shoes.
You can also hang the shoes on a drying rack in a well-ventilated room. Turning on the dehumidifier or a fan in the room close to the drying rack will speed up the drying time. Do not use any form of heat to speed up drying time.
Alternatively, you can place a thick towel on the floor and lay the shoes flat on the towel to air dry.
Dry your shoes together with your laces and insoles.
Cleaning Hey Dude Suede Shoes
Hey Dude suede shoes can be cumbersome to clean. You can’t machine wash them, and you can’t soak them in water to hand wash. Water can damage the material by causing stains and discoloration. However, cleaning your suede shoes is not impossible.
The steps:
- First, air-dry your shoes before you start any cleaning. Insert a shoe tree into the shoe to preserve the form while it dries.
- Brush your shoes in the same direction continuously with a suede brush to remove debris. If there is mud on your suede shoes, let it dry, and then remove the debris and clean as usual.
- After removing the debris from the shoes, search for scuff marks or oil stains. Use a different suede brush (if the one you are using is dirty) to remove them. However, terrible stains might never leave the shoes.
Cleaning Water Marks From Suede Shoes
The only way to remove watermarks from your Hey Dude suede shoes is by introducing more water. Gently dampen the outer part of your shoes with clean water to even the watermarks.
Use a dry cloth or sponge to remove excess water, and then leave the shoes to air-dry. The watermarks will disappear.
Protecting Your Hey Dude Suede Shoes
Suede shoes are very delicate to maintain, so you should take extra care of them. Before using your suede shoes, spray them with a suede protector spray.
Spray the shoes after each cleaning as well.
Deodorizing Hey Dude Shoes
Even though Hey Dude insoles help eliminate odor from the shoes, your shoes can still develop a foul smell, especially if you sweat a lot.
White vinegar is an excellent deodorizer. Do not substitute with other kinds of vinegar to avoid staining your shoes.
The steps:
- Pour a little white vinegar to dampen a clean white cloth or towel.
- Gently swab the inside of the shoes with the vinegar-stained cloth, getting all the crevices of the shoes.
- Do not rinse the shoes; air-dry them.