Chacos are a beloved footwear brand, known for its breathable, comfortable sandals that come in a variety of materials and styles. Those who own a pair or two can attest to their wearability. They’re known to be the perfect shoe to wear during physical exercise: walks, hikes, and even water adventures!
With those high-performance activities comes a fair chance of staining, so knowing how to wash Chacos is important!
Washing Chacos is simple but can vary depending on the style of shoe you’re trying to clean. Some instances require a washing machine clean, while other issues can be dealt with with a rag and specialty cleaner.
Here, find out all the different ways you can tackle washing your Chacos so you can wear them in comfort for years to come.
Cleaning Your Chacos Sports Sandals
These are by far the most popular form of Chacos on the market, and mastering the cleaning process will save you a lot of time and worry. You can clean your Chacos with a washing machine or hand washing, both of them involve the same key points to keep in mind.
Here are the best ways to approach washing your Chacos Sports Sandals:
Machine Washing Your Chacos
Your Chacos were built to last (if you couldn’t tell with their high-quality performance on the Earth’s terrain!), so they can surely survive a cycle in the washing machine with no problem!
We recommend washing your Chacos by themselves in the washer. This is a great option if you have multiple pairs you need to wash at one time since you won’t be wasting water, or you can try to find other sandals that need a wash as well.
Once they’re in, go ahead and add a mild detergent to the machine. Something without dyes or perfumes would be best- we don’t want to compromise the look of your Chacos with staining from dyes, and we don’t want to change the integrity of the shoe due to reactions from additional chemicals.
In addition to detergent, go ahead and throw in a tablespoon of baking soda. This will act as a deodorizing agent for your sandals, killing lingering scents before they have the time to set.
Cold water is also a necessity, as it prevents your Chacos from shrinking.
Let’s break all of that information down:
- Wash your Chacos alone or with other Chacos. Shoes that can be machine washed are also a viable addition to the wash cycle.
- Opt for cold water to preserve the shape of your shoe.
- Use a mixture of gentle detergent and baking soda to clean your shoe and take care of any lingering odors.
Hand Washing Your Chacos
If you’d rather not deal with dedicating an entire load of laundry to a single pair of shoes, you also have the option of hand washing your Chacos! This option may not allow for the deepest clean, though, so save it for instances of mild soiling to your shoes.
The first thing to keep in mind is finding a bucket that allows both of your shoes to be soaked comfortably. There should be enough room for them to move and swirl around, while still being condensed enough for them to be exposed to the highest amount of detergent possible.
After you’ve found your bucket, go ahead and fill it with cold water, mild detergent, and baking soda. This is the same cocktail of ingredients as machine washing- the only thing we’re missing is that industrial tumble movement!
So instead, use a gloved hand or a clean stick-like object to swirl your Chacos around in the water mixture. When you feel they’re clean enough, remove them from the bucket and rinse them with clean, cool water to finish the wash.
Here’s how these steps look broken down:
- Find the appropriate bucket to hold your Chacos comfortably in.
- Use the same mixture of cold water, mild detergent, and a tablespoon of baking soda to tackle the staining and odors on your shoes.
- Use your hands or a tool to swirl your sandals in this mixture until they’re clean.
- Rinse your sandals using cold water.
Cleaning Chacos Leather Sandals
Chacos also carries a line of leather sandals. These sandals cannot be placed in the washing machine or you risk compromising the look, feel, and condition of your sandals. The best way to approach cleaning them is by hand-washing- but not in the same way as we listed above!
Here’s the best way to clean your leather Chacos sandals:
- Find a microfiber cloth or clean washcloth you can dedicate to cleaning your sandals
- Concoct a mixture of mild detergent, a tablespoon of baking soda, and cold water in a disposable bowl or bucket.
- Dip your cloth into this mixture and gently wipe it across your sandals, focusing it on the sole of the shoe or any areas with significant staining.
- For difficult stains, you can go in with a different rag and a specialty leather cleaner.
Conclusion
If you follow the instructions above you should have no trouble getting your Chacos clean and looking brand new! Using the right cleaning methods will help keep your sandals in great shape and long-lasting.