Nike Slides: What is the Best Way to Clean Them

cleaning brush

Nike Slides is an incredible piece of footwear. They are so quick to put on, simply slip your feet into them and away you go.

That’s why you love your Slides so much. These shoes have become your daily accessory.

But they are starting to look less than appealing and you know you need to give them a clean.

How you go about washing your Nike Slides all depends on which material they are made from. Keep reading to discover the various methods on how to have your shoes look brand new. 

There may be affiliate links in this article. You can read more about this in my disclosure.

What are the Slides made from?

Before tackling the cleaning task, you need to figure out what your Slides are constructed from foam, leather, rubber, or faux fur.

With such a variety of materials used to make your shoes, there is no universal cleaning method that covers all Slides.

If you aren’t sure what your particular model is made out of, find it on Nike’s site and look at the details.

How to clean your Slides

slippers

You don’t need many items to take care of your Slides. Here is a list of what you should put into your cleaning kit:

As we mentioned the way you clean the shoes is determined by what they are made out of. Here are different ways to wash your Slides.

White Slides

Making your footwear shine again, follow these steps:

  • Carefully run the shoes under a gentle stream of warm water. Wash away any excess dirt.
  • Get a bowl and mix one part of baking soda with 1.5 parts of laundry detergent.
  • Using your cleaning brush, scrub the solution thoroughly over your Slides.
  • Place them in an environment where they can dry. Allow at least 10 minutes for the drying process.
  • Once more run the Slides under warm water to rinse away the cleaning solution.
  • Dry them with your cloth.
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If you want to you can repeat the process once more. 

Foam Slides

If your Slides are made from foam, you can similarly clean them as you would for the White Slides.

One recommendation we have come across is to use Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. Here is how to clean your foam Slides:

  • Use your soft brush to remove any dirt
  • Wet your Mr. Clean Magic Eraser under warm water. 
  • Clean your shows with the eraser.
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When it comes to foam slides, some styles are made from one piece of foam. This type can be submerged in water.

Slides made from memory foam can’t be placed in water. 

Are your slides a bit stinky? Remove the odors before you give them a clean.

To eliminate the smell, sprinkle them with baking soda and then place them in a sealable bag. Let them rest overnight, then you can brush away the baking soda. 

Leather Slides

cleaning brush

Taking care of slides constructed from leather requires a different approach. You will also need to add a leather shoe conditioner to your cleaning kit. 

You can find a range of leather shoe conditioners on Amazon. Here are a couple of our favorites:

Leather Honey Leather Conditioner

Since 1968, this conditioner has been enhancing the look and life of leather. It doesn’t have any silicone or animal products within it.

Also, Leather Honey has no solvents. One treatment lasts 6 months.

The secret to this endurance is that the conditioner hydrates every fiber of the leather.

You can’t use the product on suede or faux leather.

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Obenauf’s Leather Oil 

Made from a natural mixture of oils, beeswax, and propolis, this oil conditions leather and gives tired-looking leather a new lease on life. It’s fast-acting and typically requires only one application if the leather is thin.

If you want to apply a second coat of the oil, wait at least an hour. You don’t want to over saturate the leather. 

It’s not suitable for suede. 

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Using the conditioners

When using leather conditioners, it’s best to have the solution either at room temperature or slightly warmer. Then it’s easier to apply onto the leather. 

Before you give your leather a clean, do a quick spot-test. You don’t want to ruin your Slides!

Cleaning your Leather Slides

Here are the directions on how you can clean and take care of your Nike Leather Slides:

  • Clean off any dirt using your cleaning brush
  • Wet your cloth with some warm water. Wring out the excess water.
  • Place a couple of drops of washing detergent onto your cloth. 
  • Gently wipe down your slides. Clean with circular motions.
  • Get a second cloth and dampen it. Use this to remove the soap from your Slides.
  • Apply your leather conditioner according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
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Fur Slides

If your slides have faux fur, then you can hand wash them.

  • Fill sink or bowl with warm water.
  • Mix some mild laundry detergent with the water.
  • Put on some rubber gloves (that’s optional) and grab a soft cleaning cloth.
  • Dip the cloth into your solution and then scrub your Slides. 
  • Get a fresh bowl of clean water and a new cloth.
  • Clean off the soap and then let your Slides air dry.

Can you put your Nike Slides into a washing machine?

washing machine

It is possible to clean your Slides in a washing machine. However, you should read the cleaning instructions.

If you want to try washing your Slides in your machine, ensure you use a delicate wash cycle. You don’t want to ruin your Slides! 

Use a little amount of detergent. To get rid of any odors from the Slides, a suggestion is to add some vinegar into the wash. 

Let them air dry

Enjoy Your Slides

Slides come in all sorts of flavors and styles. People love them because they are so convenient to put on: you just slide your feet in and away you go.

Also, Slides are so comfortable to wear. 

Cleaning Slides is easy, yet the method you use is determined by what material your footwear is constructed from. The basic way of washing the slides is the same.

That is you wipe them down with a damp cloth using a laundry detergent solution. There is a slight variation in the finishing touches of the process when it comes to foam, leather, or faux fur Slides.

If you’re game enough, you can try chucking your Slides into your washing machine. To avoid damaging your shoes, use a gentle wash cycle.

Taking care of your Slides will ensure that they will last you for many summers.

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Farah Zeb is a mother of five, including two children with special needs. She shares practical parenting tips and resources to help other families navigate daily challenges and create supportive, nurturing environments.

Picture of Farah Zeb

Farah Zeb

Farah Zeb is a mother of five, including two children with special needs. She shares practical parenting tips and resources to help other families navigate daily challenges and create supportive, nurturing environments.
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