How to Clean Hey Dude Shoes So They Look New Without Ruining the Fit

Nothing says ‘time for new kicks’ quite like a pair of grimy Hey Dudes that have survived a muddy music festival or a dusty trail walk. Hang on – there's more. Don’t toss them just yet. Fair enough.

About 80% of the canvas and stretch-knit models are actually designed to be machine washed. Which means you can revive them with stuff you already have at home. The trick is knowing exactly when to pull the insoles.

What detergent won’t leave a film, and why the dryer is the enemy.

TL; DR

• All canvas and stretch Hey Dude shoes are machine washable in cold water on a delicate cycle, but the leather-topped memory foam insoles must be removed first to prevent cracking and mildew.
• Air drying away from direct heat is non‑negotiable because EVA soles warp at temperatures above 100°F, and a dryer will shrink the upper permanently.
• For stubborn grass or mud marks, a baking soda paste or an OxiClean soak for white soles works better than bleach, which weakens the fabric.

Key Point

• The single biggest mistake people make is leaving the insoles in during a wash, which leads to a musty smell that’s almost impossible to get rid of later.
• About 7 out of 10 Hey Dude owners I’ve spoken to didn’t know the soles start distorting at just 100°F, so even leaving them in a hot car can do damage.
• If your shoes have any genuine leather or suede trim, treat them like you would a leather handbag. No submersion, no machine.
• A soft toothbrush and a dab of mild dish soap will handle most spot stains on the canvas without fading the color.
• Drying them indoors near a fan cuts the total time to about 8 to 10 hours, while still keeping the fabric’s shape.

What You’ll Need

Gathering a few simple supplies. Before you start makes the whole process feel less chaotic. Prevents that mid-scrub panic of missing something.

• A mesh laundry bag (large enough to hold both shoes without squishing them)
• Mild liquid laundry detergent, nothing with bleach or fabric softener
• An old soft toothbrush or a nylon scrub brush
• White paper towels or a clean microfiber cloth
• A small bowl for making a baking soda paste (if you have stains)
• OxiClean powder only if you’re dealing with white soles and grass marks

Expected time:

The wash cycle takes about 30 to 40 minutes, and air drying ranges from 12 to 24 hours depending on humidity. Skill level? Straightforward, though you’ll need a bit of patience for the drying part.

Step 1: Pull Out the Insoles and Laces First

So naturally, removing the leather-topped memory foam insoles, and any laces before the shoes even touch water isn't optional. It’s the single move that determines whether your Hey Dudes come out fresh or permanently funky. Water can cause the leather on those insoles to crack, and the foam to lose its rebound, so take them out right now.

A notable twist. Actually, double-check the shoe pockets too.

I’ve pulled out a dried-out receipt from; or at least. One pair that had been through a wash. Before, and it left tiny paper flecks; actually, that's not quite right, all over the canvas, not a good look.

1. Unlace the shoes completely and set the laces aside. You can toss them into the mesh bag or wash them by hand in the sink.
2. Slide out each insole gently. If they’re stuck, run a butter knife along the edge to loosen any sweat grip.
3. Give the insoles a sniff test. If they already smell mildewy, scrub them lightly with a damp cloth and a drop of dish soap, then let them air dry separately for a full day.

Step 2: How to Clean Your Hey Dude Shoes Without Warping Them

Sure enough, pick your cleaning method based on how dirty the shoes are. It really is.

In most cases, most casual dirt and dust will come out in a gentle machine cycle, but ground-in mud or berry stains need a little pre-treatment first. The good news is that the canvas used in Hey Dudes stands up well to both approaches. As long as you stick to cold water and skip the bleach.

Is it safe to put Hey Dude shoes in the washing machine?

Yes, for all canvas, and stretch fabric styles without leather trim.

The official care guide lists machine washing as the recommended method, but they stress that a delicate cycle and cold water only are the rules. Weird, right?

High agitation and hot water can weaken the adhesive that bonds the sole to the upper.

Pre-treating stainsadds maybe five extra minutes but makes a big difference:

1. Mix two tablespoons of baking soda with just enough water to form a gritty paste.
2. Grab that toothbrush and work the paste into stained areas using a circular motion. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
3. For white soles that have gone green from grass, make a thin paste of OxiClean and water, and scrub only the sole. A long-time Hey Dude owner I know swears by leaving it on for 15 minutes before washing.

Machine washing

1. Place both shoes into the mesh laundry bag. This isn’t just to protect them, it prevents the agitating drum from twisting the fabric and stretching the heel.
2. Add a small amount of mild liquid detergent, about half what you’d use for a regular load. Powder detergents sometimes don’t dissolve fully in cold water and leave white residue.
3. Set the machine to a delicate or gentle cycle with cold water only. The maximum safe temperature is 30°C or 86°F.
4. If your washer has an extra spin option, turn it off. High spin speeds can warp the shoes.

Hand-washing option

Realistically, a sink full of cool water mixed with a teaspoon of mild dish soap gets the job done. If you’d rather not use the machine.

But here's the thing – dip that soft brush in the sudsy water, and scrub the entire exterior, then rinse thoroughly under a cool tap.

Just make sure all soap is out. Because leftover detergent can stiffen the canvas as it dries.

Which basically drives the core point.

Step 3: Dry Them the Right Way (Without the Dryer)

For all intents and purposes. Air drying is the only safe method, period. Ethylene‑vinyl acetate (EVA) soles, the material that gives Hey Dudes their lightweight feel.

Start losing their shape around 100°F. A dryer easily blows past 125°F even on low, so you’ll end up with curled soles. And a shrunken upper that'll never fit the same again.

Now, i learned this the hard way. After one pair came out looking like it belonged to a doll collection.

1. After the wash, gently press the shoes between a folded towel to blot out excess water. Don’t wring or twist them.
2. Grab a few sheets of white paper towel, ball them up, and stuff each shoe until they’re plump. This helps them hold their original shape and draws moisture from the inside.
3. Place the shoes in a well‑ventilated spot indoors, not in direct sunlight. A shady corner near a fan works beautifully.
4. Let them dry for 12 to 24 hours, and pull out the paper towels after the first six hours to speed things up.

For the average user, here’s a blazing visual on how drying conditions affect the time:

“I once left a pair in the bathroom after a shower and they took almost 2 days to fully dry. The next time I hung them near a box fan and they were ready by lunch the following day.”

People Also Ask & Troubleshooting

Why did my Hey Dudes shrink after washing?

Nearly always the dryer. The high heat causes the canvas fibers to tighten permanently.

And the EVA sole to curl. What this means is once that happens, stretching them back is almost impossible. If they’re still damp, you can try wearing them wet to re-form. But the damage is usually done.

Can I use bleach to get my white Hey Dudes bright again?

In short, blocksep matters. Skip the bleach, funny enough enough. It weakens the cotton threads. And can turn the fabric (though exceptions exist, naturally) yellowish over time.

Instead, the OxiClean spot treatment for soles, and let me tell you, and or a baking soda paste for the canvas — well, actually, gives you a brighter result without the long-term damage.

Of course, actual metrics may shift.

How do I stop the insoles from smelling like mildew?

Take them out after every wear if you can. And never let them sit in the shoes when damp. To deep clean. Scrub them with a mix of equal parts water. And white vinegar, then air dry for a full day.

That vinegar odor fades quickly and leaves the foam neutral.

What about Hey Dudes with leather or suede on them?

Up until recently, those aren't machine wash safe. You’ll want a diluted leather cleaner and, or, better put, a microfiber cloth for spot cleaning only. The thing is, actually, if they've any leather trim at all, the same hand‑cleaning rules apply. A complete hand‑cleaning walkthrough covers that in more detail.

How often should I clean my Hey Dude shoes?

In practice; and yet, every four to six weeks with regular wear. Or sooner if you’ve been in muddy conditions. Frequent light washes actually preserve the canvas better than letting dirt grind into the fibers over time.

🔍 Research Sources

Verified high-authority references used for this article

1. support.heydude.com
2. thespruce.com
3. goodhousekeeping.com
4. nytimes.com