How to Clean Hey Dudes?
Hey, Dudes, these are extraordinary and unique shoes for men, women, kids, and Youth made with vegan and recycled materials to protect the environment and are versatile enough that you can wear them on boats, in college, office, or any formal or informal event or occasion.
Like any other shoes, Hey Dudes can get dirty over time, and cleaning those stained shoes becomes a big concern for owners because cleaning different type of stains like dirt, oil, mud, grease, or blood stains require unique methods. To ensure the cleanliness of your Hey Dudes you must follow the rules or you will end up destroying your precious Hey Dudes.
Hey, Dudes are stretchable and water-resistant shoes which means they are not waterproof, and depending on the material type you must know the cleaning techniques to increase the longevity of your shoes.
How to Clean Hey Dudes?
How to Clean Hey Dudes:
Machine washing:
Machine wash is the risky method of cleaning hey dudes because they are only water-resistant and exposure to water can damage them but there are a few models of Hey Dudes that you can clean with machine wash to eliminate stains and make the shoe brand new and stain-free.
Remove Insoles and Rinse:
The very first step is to remove insoles first to prevent tangling and clean them separately. For cleaning insoles get a bucket of cold water and mix mild detergent and then soak the insoles as well as the laces or do some scrubbing with your hands if necessary. You can also scrub them with a soft brush or microfiber cloth and then rinse them in clean water. Once the bad odor is gone and dirt is also washed away, hang them for drying.
Put Hey Dudes in the Machine:
To clean Hey dudes in the washer, get an old pillow case and put the nasty shoes inside and tie the case with a knot to protect shoes from twisting and scuffing.
Although putting hey dudes in the washer is not recommended but you can set the washer to run on slow spinning that will reduce the rumpling of your shoes as well as remove the dirt and grime gently.
Another recommendation you must follow is to never put clothes beside the hey dudes while cleaning them in the washer and to balance the load you can put some towels once you make sure the dirt has been removed then rinse them in the clean water and hang them for drying under a shade although sunlight helps to stop the microbial growth but can cause discoloration as well. This process is more than enough to restore your shoes to new condition and shoes will be freshened up in a cold machine wash.
Let’s see how to clean different hey dudes with different methods
Cleaning Canvas Hey Dudes:
Canvas Hey Dudes are stretchable and machine washable making them tip top you can throw them in the washer or if the dirt or stains are minor then you can also wipe clean the caked-on dirt with a wet or dry cloth.
Canvas shoes have removable laces and insoles which means you can clean them separately or remove them while cleaning the shoes.
To clean the shoes, remove the laces and insoles and throw the shoes in the washer and set it to run slowly. To retain the shape of the shoe and protect it from shrinking or stretching, put on some clothe or a crumpled brown paper bag.
After that rinse in clean water and hang the shoes under a shade and prevent drying with a fireplace, heater, or hair dryer as these methods can make the shoes dried and brittle.
Cleaning Leather Hey Dudes:
Leather Hey Dudes are special shoes and leather means no exposure to water, proper care for leather preservation, and extended life. Cleaning Leather hey dudes require different techniques that don’t involve water as leather is a sensitive material so it requires proper attention or you end up getting cracks in the material.
If you haven’t done Scotchgarding on your leather shoes which I recommend you must do, then the cleaning process will be different as having a protective waterproofing layer on your shoes allows you to even expose them to water without worrying about the material getting damaged.
To clean your leather hey dudes, you need saddle soap and a leather shoe cleaner and that’s all because you are not going to wash these shoes. Just polish the shoes to prevent them from drying as well as remove stains like dirt, mud, blood, grease, or any other stains. Use a soft cotton or shoe shine cloth to wipe the shoe.
In severe cases, you can try conditioning leather which is good for leather material as leather gets softer and remains supple. In winter, a dry environment can make shoes dry so that requires you to moisturize the shoes. Too much conditioner or polishing is also not good for the leather so must use a cloth to rub the shoe once it has absorbed enough.
Leather lovers can also use beeswax which acts as a protective layer for your shoe and enables you to use some water on the shoe and it won’t damage the leather. It’s invisible on boots and is a breathable barrier to mild and moderate wet conditions.
Cleaning Sox Hey Dudes:
Sox Hey Dudes are breathable and dual-layer elasticated fabric that is flexible and durable as they are made with recycled plastic and neoprene backing dictates the style. These shoes are much more reliable and durable than leather hey dudes and you can comfortably wash them to bring them in tip-top condition without compromising the integrity of the shoe.
Cleaning Wool Hey Dudes:
Wool Hey Dudes are slightly different to clean when it comes to removing stains as a washing machine can damage the delicate fibers of the wool and the same goes for the insoles as well. That’s why it’s recommended to hand wash the wool Hey Dudes and use a special wool-safe soap or detergent
To clean wool hey dudes you need to get a bucket with cold water or tepid water as you cannot use warm water. You can also collect water in a sink as well and put some solution in the water and soak shoes in it. If you can, then rub stains and be careful as wool is quite sensitive and can stretch easily.
Once cleaned, put them in the clean water and avoid squeezing the shoes to draw water out as you will end up damaging them. Just hang shoes for drying in a well-ventilated area and put something inside the shoes to retain the shape and keep in mind that overfilling can increase their size as well causing size issues.
Cleaning Suedes Hey Dudes:
Suede is also a sensitive material and requires a special suede cleaning kit that ensures you keep your shoes in tip-top condition and exposure to water can make suedes less reliable and durable. To clean these shoes you can also get an agitating brush to start cleaning, use some steam to open the pores of the material, and then try cleaning but too much moisture can also cause mold in shoes or discoloration.
To remove light dirt and debris you don’t have to use steam as light brushing will do the job to improve the appearance of the shoe. For heavily scuffed shoes, you may have to peel off the chunks of dirt with a sharp object like a knife or you can also use a pencil eraser or crepe rubber or special suede eraser. Gently move the eraser back and forth as too much pressure is also not good for the shoe.
Avoid washing the shoe as you can only wipe clean it with a sponge but if shoes are stained with something wet then use a shoe tree for drying and stuff a colorless paper inside the shoes to keep the shoe in its original shape another threat is that the newspaper ink can go into the shoe if the shoe is wet.
In case shoes are dirty enough that you cannot seem to clean with by peeling off the chunks or tapping them tougher then consider buying a suede protector sprayer to remove stubborn stains. If there are grease stains then use cornstarch on wet oil and then brush the starch away later on. Then use steam with the mist of iron to draw oil out of the suede.
If there is a gum stuck then avoid pulling it straight off the shoe. Just put the shoe in a bag and put it inside a freezer and after some time the gum will be hard enough that you will easily pull it completely out of the shoe without leaving any chunks behind.
To remove blood stains you can use cotton balls and peroxide and then dab the stains and later you can nicely dry the shoe. To clean the ink stains on your kicks, blot them before it hardens and uses sandpaper to scrape the stains. Use some alcohol on the paper and dab on the stained parts and chances are that the ink stains will be lifted.
How to Take Care Hey Dudes:
Wearing hey dudes in warmer months for outdoor activities will most probably get them dirty, grimy, smelly, and nasty and for that, you must take care of your hey dudes to increase your life as well use them and them ready for your next occasion.
Let’s see how you can take care of your Hey Dudes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
How do you properly wash your Hey dudes?
To properly wash your canvas or cotton hey dudes, just put them in a washer or a bucket of water and use some mild detergent that will help you remove the stains then rinse the shoes in a clean water bucket and let them dry under a shade.
Can you put hey dudes in the washer?
You can put Hey Dudes in the washer but make sure to run the washer on slower settings to avoid twisting your shoes.
How do you clean hey dude shoes without a washing machine?
Without a washing machine, you have to use your hands to use the hey dudes and for that, you can take a bucket of water and put your shoes along with some detergent in the bucket and rub the shoes together to remove the stains. Then, rinse the cleaned shoes in clean water to get the detergent out of the shoes and then hang them for drying.
Are you supposed to wear socks with hey dudes?
Wearing socks with hey dudes won’t make you look bad unless you make sure that you are wearing the right attire. So it’s not compulsory to wear socks with hey dudes but if you want to you can.
Why are Hey Dudes so popular?
Hey, Dudes were introduced in 2008 by Alessandro Romano in Italy and since then these versatile, breathable, and comfortable shoes are gaining popularity. The magic behind the quick rise of these shoes of the use of recycled materials to protect the environment and then their construction to make the ventilated, comfortable, and lightweight. Plus, they also come with padded insoles, soft-touch lining, memory foam midsole EVA ( Ethyl Vinyl Acetate ) bottom, and much more that makes them a wonderful option to consider for any type of occasion.
What is the purpose of Hey Dude shoes?
The purpose of Hey Dudes is to protect the environment and enjoy footwear for a long duration, and the credit goes to vegan-friendly materials.