When picking an outfit, the way you style it can make or break the look. The shoes you wear and the accessories you choose can transform your outfit from your basic, average Joe to a sophisticated Queen Bee.
For example, a simple skinny jeans and t-shirt could be styled casually with some sneakers or professionally with some boots or heels and a chunky black belt.
Beyond fashion, shoes are important. Shoes can prevent foot problems, alleviate pain, and most crucially – protect our feet.
Because we use shoes a lot, they tend to get extremely dirty. This can take away from your outfit, but also can also result in the growth of bacteria and fungi – removing all the benefits that shoes provide.
With Crocs™ coming back into fashion, and being known to be the shoes of convenience, this article is going to investigate the cleaning of them. A bit of a spoiler – it’s not as simple as it seems.
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What are Crocs™?
Founded in 2004, Crocs™ is a footwear company based in America. The shoes are uniquely manufactured using a non-toxic closed-cell resin, Croslite™.
This is what gives the shoes the recyclable, comfortable, lightweight, and non-marking properties that have made Crocs™ popular. They are also breathable, easy to slip in and out of, support circulation and have enough room in the front not to injure your toes.
For reference, the Crocs™ design manufacturing and marketing refer to them as “foam clogs”.
It is important to note, however, that there are mixed results when looking into how good Crocs™ are for your feet. Crocs™ lack arch and heal support, and can cause irritations such as friction blisters, excessive sweating, and feet odor.
To reap the benefits of the roomy and soft shoes, experts advise Croc-lovers to not wear them for long periods at a time and to reserve them for moments that do not involve heavy-duty walking, high-impact activity, or if you’re standing or walking for a long time. It’s also not advised for older peoples or those who are flatfooted and prone to foot pain.
How to Clean Your Crocs
Looking at the official website, different styles of crocs have different cleaning requirements. These include:
The classic Croslite™ foam Crocs™
These need gentle care. This includes either a hand wash or spot clean with cold water or a mild soap or on a gentle cycle in your washing machine.
For the synthetic wedges and heels
They recommend spot cleaning the shoe with a damp cloth and to avoid using solvent cleaners. Solvent cleaners are said to destroy the glue used to bond the sole.
For wool or suede Croc-owners
You need to gently clean them with a slightly damp rug or a soft rubber sponge. Once done, apply some leather cream to restore the shine of the shoes and spray with a protector spray to repel water.
Crocs™ with fleece
Cleaning involves cleaning with mild soap and a damp rag or using the lowest heat and gentlest cycle on your washing machine.
Different leather Crocs™
These have different cleaning needs. For Crocs™ made with Smooth Napa Leather, use a damp rug to remove dust and dirt.
After this, use a cotton brush to slowly apply any natural shoe cream or wax in a spiral manner.
For Crocs™ made with patent leather
Gently wipe off any dirt with either a clean, damp cloth or a professional patent leather cleaner. They state to avoid using harsh chemicals as they remove the shine from the shoes. Harsh chemicals include alcohol or detergent.
The standard leather Crocs™ without any finishes
These can be gently cleaned with any waxy shoe cream and a damp brush or rag. Then, polish the shoes with a cotton rug or soft brush.
For canvas style Crocs™ or shoes containing any elastic or stretchy materials
You can use mild soap and a damp rug or soft brush to remove any debris, dirt, or stains.
After cleaning your shoes, all shoe-types need to be airdried! Any exposure to extreme heat, sunlight, dishwashers, hot cars, or drying machines may cause the shoes to warp or shrink.
The internet, including WikiHow, have some other cleaning tricks that may be helpful. Before we explore these, this is a disclaimer – please try these at your own risk!
We recommend sticking to the instructions given by Crocs™ themselves. If you do choose to try these different methods, be aware of the warnings mentioned by Crocs™.
Classic Crocs™
- After rinsing Classic Crocs™ under warm water, fill your sink or a bucket of warm water add a teaspoon of mild dish was soap.
- Place in your Crocs™ and let them soak for ten minutes.
- After, rinse your Crocs again and use a clean toothbrush to scrub.
- For tougher stains, you can use any magic eraser, or a mixture of baking soda, vinegar and laundry detergent.
- Use a microfiber cloth to buff and dry them.
White Crocs™
These need a bit more TLC.
- Wet your Crocs™ and scrub them with a soft brush and dish soap.
- From there, take a wet cloth and dip it in baking soda and scrub the shoes in a circular motion.
- Rinse and air dry.
Fleece and Fuzzy Crocs™
For the fleece and fuzzy Croc-lovers, there are various ways to clean your shoes:
- After wetting your Crocs™ thoroughly, place your Crocs in the bathtub or in the sink.
- Mix two cups of cold water and a few tablespoons of laundry detergent and pour them over the shoes.
- Scrub the inside and outside of the Crocs™ – paying special attention to the lining – with a scrub brush and then rinse.
- Allow it to dry in a shady area.
- Mix a few drops of mild dish soap and warm water in a bowl.
- Wet a microfiber cloth and clean the outside of the Croc – not on the lining, only on the Croslite™ exterior.
- Use a toothbrush on the soles and holes.
- Add a pinch of baking soda to the fluffy lining and let it sit anywhere between three hours and overnight, and then in the morning, brush off the excess.
- If you do not have baking soda, any absorbent powder of a similar color to lining works!
- If you need an extra cleaning, you can get them dry cleaned or mix shampoo and water on the sheepskin while its soaking. The lining and sheepskin can take 1 – 2 days to dry.
Canvas Crocs™
For Canvas Crocs™, there are two ways the internet recommends:
- Use soft brush to scrub out the dirt and debris.
- Once scrubbed extensively, dampen a cloth with warm water and dish soap and wipe down the canvas.
- If there are any stained areas, use soapy water and toothbrush to scrub them out.
- Remove the shoelaces and let the shoes soak in lukewarm soapy water.
- Take a toothbrush and gently scrub the canvas.
- Do not scrub over the print on the shoes or labels.
- Spray laundry stain remover and let it sit for around ten minutes before rinsing the shoes, using a sponge or cloth dipped in clean water to remove remaining studs, wiping them with a towel and leave to airdry.
Remove odor from your Crocs™
To remove the odor from your Crocs™, internet users recommend everyone’s favorite household cleaning miracle – baking soda.
- Put a generous amount of baking soda into a plastic bag.
- Add your Crocs™ and shake up the bag.
- Place the bag in the freezer overnight.
- The next morning, pull out the shoes and shake off any baking soda residue.
When we looked at cleaning leather Crocs™, the internet recommended the same way Crocs™ recommend.
Jibbitz™
Crocs™ also comes with different accessories. Why have sparkly new Crocs with dirty customizations?
- To clean your Jibbitz™, create a warm, soapy water mixture and let them soak.
- After five minutes, use an old toothbrush or soft scrub brush to remove any remaining debris.
- Rinse them and let them airdry.
No matter what style you’re going for, clean shoes are the way to go! There are various ways to clean your Crocs™ and keep them smelling fresh.
Following the steps above will leaving you feeling cool and never go out of style!