For me, the Hey Dude Wendy Shoes are a must-have. It only takes me like 5 seconds (or even less!) to get them on, and they are perfect for just about anything. I own them in various colors so that I can match them to different outfits, and they really do go with everything! And as if that weren’t enough, you gotta love how comfy they are!
Since my Hey Dude Shoes have been everywhere from grocery store runs to hiking adventures, you can imagine how dirty they can get. It’s no surprise that shoes can get smelly too, especially if you wear them every day throughout the year.
In this article, I will teach you how to clean Hey Dude shoes in various methods.
Hey Dude Shoe Materials
Before we can get to cleaning your Hey Dudes, we need to know how they are made. As I’m sure you know, these shoes are not one of a kind. Hey Dude makes boots, slip-ons, sneakers, and even platforms. The same shoe model can come in all sorts of colors and materials, but it’s important to know that all materials can’t be cleaned using the same method.
Before cleaning the Hey Dudes, you must determine the material of your shoes.
If you are not sure what material your shoes are made of, you can visit the Hey Dudes website and search for the model that you have. In most cases, they have added the material in the shoe description box.
Some shoe models may have more than one material. For example, your “Wendy” model can be made out of canvas, but it could have some suede or leather details on it. In this case, you should clean the different parts in different ways.
Make sure to look closely when you are trying to find this information so that you don’t end up cleaning your shoes with the wrong method!
Now that you have determined what type of material your shoes are made of, it’s time to start cleaning them.
How to Clean Hey Dude Shoes
Choose the cleaning method below, based on the material of your shoes.
#1 Canvas
Canvas is a durable cotton blend fabric that’s been around for centuries. It’s breathable and gives your feet a comfy place to escape from harsh weather conditions or a sweltering summer day.
What you’ll need to clean canvas Hey Dude shoes:
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Sponge or a toothbrush
- Bowl or a bucket
- Mild laundry detergent
1. Remove the insoles and laces from your Hey Dude shoes.
2. Put the insoles in a bowl of warm water mixed with laundry detergent. Let them soak for about 15 minutes so that the dirt can dissolve and wash away easily.
3. Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda and 3 tablespoons of vinegar in 2 cups of warm water to create a smooth paste.
4. Take a sponge or a toothbrush and dip it in the mixture. Scrub the canvas of the shoes in circular motions.
5. If you have any stubborn stains, coat the spots with the paste and let it sit for 10-15 minutes to allow the stains to dissolve.
6. If your shoes look clean, take a wet cloth and wipe away the excess baking soda mixture, and allow your shoes to dry. If your shoes are still dirty, continue with step 7.
7. Put your shoes in a washing machine, without insoles and laces. Only use mild detergent, a delicate program, and cold water to clean your Hey Dudes in the washing machine.
8. Meanwhile you can gently brush the insoles and laces and rinse them under running water.
9. Lay your shoes, laces, and insoles on a towel and allow them to dry. You can dry them outside but make sure not to expose your shoes to direct sunlight.
#2 Leather
Leather is a durable material made from the skin of an animal. Hey Dude leather shoes are also waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about stepping in puddles with these dudes on.
What you’ll need to clean leather Hey Dude shoes:
- Soft cloth
- Soft sponge
- Baby shampoo
- Bowl
1. Remove the insoles and laces from your Hey Dude shoes.
2. Put the insoles in a bowl of warm water mixed with laundry detergent. Let it soak for about 15 minutes so that the dirt can dissolve and wash away easily.
3. Take a damp cloth, and gently wipe off the dirt and dust on your shoes.
4. Mix a little bit of baby shampoo with warm water and dip one side of the cloth in it.
5. Clean the upper side of your shoe in gentle circular motions, for more stubborn stains you can apply a bit of pressure while scrubbing.
6. Clean the soles with a sponge. Dip the sponge in the soap water and scrub the soles until they look clean.
7. Take a damp cloth, and wipe off the soap on the upper and bottom sides of your shoes.
8. Scrub the insoles and laces with a sponge and rinse them under running water.
9. Take a dry towel and gently dry the leather parts of your shoes. Lay the shoes, laces, and insoles on the towel until completely dry.
10. Use leather shoe polish in the same color as your shoes, to give the leather that extra shiny look. Apply it on the upper side of your shoes with a dry soft sponge or a cloth.
#3 Suede
Suede is the underside of the animal skin, but it can be made from synthetic materials as well. The material is soft and comfortable, but it’s also very porous. This means that suede shoes are not waterproof, so you must stay far away from puddles.
What you’ll need to clean suede Hey Dude shoes:
- Toothbrush
- Suede rubber
- White vinegar or rubbing alcohol
- Soft cloth
- Suede protection spray
- Mild detergent (optional)
- Sponge (optional)
1. (Optional) Remove the insoles and laces from your shoes and put them in a bowl of warm water mixed with laundry detergent. Let them soak for about 15 minutes so that the dirt can dissolve and wash away easily.
2. Take a toothbrush and gently brush off the dirt and dust on your shoe. Make sure you brush in the same direction as the pattern of the suede.
3. Take a suede eraser and gently rub it back and forth on the bigger stains. Don’t rub too hard. If you see that the stain won’t fade after gentle rubbing, move on to the next step.
4. Take a soft cloth and dampen it lightly in white vinegar OR rubbing alcohol. Rub the stains gently, minding that you don’t soak the surface of your shoe. Take a toothbrush and brush the stubborn stains.
It’s fine if you see that the color of the suede has altered because of vinegar. It will return to its original shade after the surface has dried.
5. Allow the spot treated with vinegar to dry and if the stain is still there, repeat step 4 until the stain is removed.
6. When your shoes have dried, apply a suede protector spray to make them moisture and stain-resistant.
7. If you washed your insoles, scrub them with a sponge and rinse them under running water. Lay them on a towel and let them dry before putting them back in your shoes.
#4 Stretch
The type of material that Hey Dude uses to make their flexible shoes is stretch-knit. Stretch-knit shoes are stretchy, comfortable, and flexible, which makes them easy to pack along for a weekend getaway.
What you’ll need to clean stretch Hey Dude shoes:
- Pillowcase or laundry bag
- Mild laundry detergent
- Washing machine
- Towel
1. Remove the insoles and laces from your Hey Dude shoes.
2. Put the insoles in a bowl of warm water mixed with laundry detergent. Let it soak for about 15 minutes so that the dirt can dissolve and wash away easily.
3. Put the shoes in a pillowcase or a laundry bag and put the bag in a washing machine, without insoles and laces. Only use mild detergent, a delicate program, and cold water to clean your Hey Dudes.
4. Scrub the insoles and laces with a sponge and rinse them under running water.
5. Lay the shoes, laces, and insoles on a towel until completely dry.
#5 Wool
Wool is a material that is made from animal fibers. Shoes are most commonly made of wool blend, which means that the fabric consists of at least one other material, like polyester. Hey Dude wool blend shoes are great for winter because they keep your feet warm and cozy!
Wool-blend shoes can only be hand washed!
The damage done by washing machine could be irreversible.
What you’ll need to clean wool Hey Dude shoes:
- Bucket or a bowl
- Wool-safe detergent
- Soft sponge
- Towel
1. Remove the insoles and laces from your Hey Dude shoes.
2. Fill the bucket with cold water and add 1/2 cup of wool-safe detergent.
3. When the detergent has diluted in water, put the shoes, insoles, and laces in the bucket. Let them soak for about 30 minutes so that the dirt can dissolve and wash away easily.
4. Take a soft sponge and gently rub the dirt. Make sure you don’t pull the fabric because wool fibers can be stretched and damaged easily. Rub the fabric until the shoes look clean.
5. Scrub the insoles and laces.
6. Rinse the shoes, laces, and insoles thoroughly under running water.
Don’t try to squeeze the water out, since the wool fibers can be stretched and damaged easily.
7. Lay the shoes, laces, and insoles on a towel until completely dry.
#6 Faux-Fur
Faux-fur is a man-made material that looks and feels very similar to real fur. Hey Dude uses faux fur mostly for lining boots, but also for decorative purposes. Boots with faux fur lining are perfect for winter because they keep your toes extra toasty!
What you’ll need to clean faux-fur shoe details or lining:
- Soft cloth
- Baby shampoo
- Toothbrush
1. If your shoes have a faux-fur lining, add one teaspoon of baking soda into each of your shoes one night prior to cleaning them.
2. Dampen your soft cloth and add some baby shampoo to it. Scrub the faux-fur details and inner lining with the cloth until they are clean.
3. If you have some bigger stains, wet the toothbrush and add some baby shampoo to it. Brush the stains until they fade.
4. Rinse the cloth under running water until the soap has been removed and scrub the faux-fur with a damp clean cloth. This step should be done repeatedly until all the soapy residue is gone.
5. Lay the shoes on a towel and let them air dry in an open space where they won’t be exposed to direct sunlight.
Conclusion
These are all the methods you can use to clean your Hey Dude shoes!
All of these methods are very easy, but remember that you must be very careful to determine the material of your shoes before cleaning them. You don’t want your favorite shoes ruined or looking worn out because you didn’t clean them properly.
Let me know in the comments what is your favorite Hey Dude shoe model and feel free to share your tips on how you clean them!
