{"product_id":"trail-running-shoe-clean","title":"Trail Running Shoe Clean","description":"\u003cp\u003eTrail shoes come back in a different state to road shoes. Mud packs into the lugs, dust works through the mesh into the footbed, and river crossings leave the upper stiff.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThey also often have a waterproof membrane, and that changes the rules completely. Most of what people do to a dirty trail shoe is exactly what the membrane manufacturer tells you not to do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHow we clean them\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDried mud comes off dry first,\u003c\/strong\u003e before any water. Trapped grit is abrasive and keeps working at the upper and the lug edges while it sits there.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHand-cleaned, never machine washed.\u003c\/strong\u003e GORE-TEX’s own footwear care guidance says it outright: “Don’t wash in the washing machine.” Gore’s procedure is hand cleaning with a soft brush and lukewarm water, and that is what we follow.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNo fabric softener, stain remover, bleach or powder detergent.\u003c\/strong\u003e Gore names all four specifically as things that damage membrane footwear. This is the single most common way a trail shoe gets quietly ruined at home.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNo waterproofing wax or grease.\u003c\/strong\u003e Gore is blunt about this: waxes and greases “can affect your footwear’s breathability.” They fill the face fabric and stop moisture vapour escaping, so the shoe ends up wetter inside, not drier.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe spots grit actually hides:\u003c\/strong\u003e the gusseted tongue, the toe rand and the full depth of the lug pattern.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLaces and insoles out and cleaned separately.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAir dried at moderate temperature,\u003c\/strong\u003e away from direct heat and out of direct sun, which is Gore’s instruction word for word: “Dry naturally at moderate temperatures. Avoid direct heat.”\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eOne myth worth killing\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou will find advice online saying to tumble dry a GORE-TEX item for twenty minutes to reactivate its water-repellent finish. That instruction comes from GORE-TEX’s \u003cem\u003eouterwear\u003c\/em\u003e care page and is written for garments. Their \u003cem\u003efootwear\u003c\/em\u003e guidance says the opposite: no machine, no direct heat. We do not do it to your shoes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat to expect\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCleaning lifts dirt out of a membrane’s pores, which is what restores breathability on a shoe that has started to feel clammy. What it cannot do is repair a membrane that has already failed, or put back a factory water-repellent finish that has worn off. If we think yours has gone, we will tell you rather than sell you something that will not fix it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlmost as new, not new. Results vary with material, age and wear.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Sneaker Shack","offers":[{"title":"Standard Material","offer_id":48344844304602,"sku":null,"price":290.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true},{"title":"Suede and Nubuck Material","offer_id":48344844337370,"sku":null,"price":320.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0658\/8668\/3354\/files\/tss-trail-running-shoe-cleaning.webp?v=1786724102","url":"https:\/\/thesneakershack.co.za\/products\/trail-running-shoe-clean","provider":"The Sneaker Shack","version":"1.0","type":"link"}