How To Clean Hoka Shoes? [2024]

Hoka shoes are a popular athletic and casual shoe brand known for their thick, cushioned soles. Originally designed for trail and ultra runners, Hoka shoes provide enhanced comfort and support. The extra cushioning helps absorb impact and reduce strain when walking or running long distances.

In recent years, Hoka shoes have also gained popularity as a lifestyle and casual shoe due to their comfort. Their unique thick sole and curving shaping make them easily identifiable. While the cushioning provides a soft feel, it can present some challenges when it comes to cleaning Hoka shoes effectively.

The Importance of Cleaning Your Hokas

Keeping your Hokas clean is important for several reasons:

• Hygiene – Dirt, debris, and bacteria can accumulate both inside and outside the shoe. Regular cleaning helps prevent odor and promotes good foot hygiene.
• Performance – Letting the cushioning get overly dirty or compressed reduces rebound and comfort over time. Cleaning helps maintains responsiveness.
• Durability – Dirt and debris abrade the materials that make up the shoe’s upper, midsole, and outsole over time with wear. Cleaning helps extend the shoe’s lifespan.
• Appearance – Hokas get dingy and dull as the materials get coated in dirt and dust. Restoring cleanliness keeps them looking fresh.

When to Clean Your Hokas

The frequency with which your Hokas need cleaning depends on how much and where you wear them:

• Every few wears for trail/hiking Hokas – These shoes get heavy dirt and debris build-up externally. More frequent cleanings prevent abrasion and penetration of dirt into the cushioning.
• Every 5-10 wears for running Hokas – Less debris than trail shoes but more sweat absorption leads to odor over time.
• Every few weeks for casual Hokas – Typical dirt and dust requires occasional deeper cleaning.
• Any time they get submerged or excessively muddy – The moisture and dirt necessitates immediate cleaning after wear once fully dried.

Having a regular cleaning schedule for your Hokas ensures they stay fresh and usable for longer.

Cleaning Materials/Supplies You’ll Need

Gather the following materials and supplies before cleaning your Hokas:

• Soft bristle brush – For removing dried stuck-on dirt and mud on both the sole and upper fabric. Avoid hard bristles that could damage the shoe.
• Old toothbrush – Helpful for scrubbing dirt out of tighter crevices and the sole tread pattern.
• Microfiber cloth – For wiping down the upper, laces, and inner cushioned sole gently.
• Mild dish soap – Either liquid or powder. Make sure it is mild and fragrance/dye free to not damage shoe materials.
• Small bowl/bucket for water – Large enough to submerge each shoe fully during the cleaning process.
• Laundry detergent – Liquid detergents work best. This helps remove odors and disinfect the insoles/interior cushioning.
• Sponge – For applying soapy solution and rinsing. Avoid abrasive scrub pads/sponges.
• Old towel – For stuffing inside the shoes during drying to help hold shape and absorb internal moisture.
• Shoe trees – Plastic or cedar shoe trees help the Hokas retain their shape as they dry fully.
• Handheld vacuum (optional) – For removing loose dirt or small pebbles/debris after initial brushing.
• Masking tape (optional) – Can be used to cover any cloth Hoka logos during cleaning to prevent fading or bleaching.

Getting Started with The Cleaning

When you’re ready to clean your Hokas, follow these key steps:

1. Remove the laces – Pull the laces out fully and set aside. Clean them separately if very dirty.
2. Remove any debris – Use the soft brush first to remove all loose dirt, rocks, grass, etc. Use the hand vac for smaller debris if needed.
3. Scrub the treads – Using an old toothbrush, scrub all grooves and edges in the sole tread pattern.
4. Mix soap solution – Fill bowl/bucket with lukewarm water and mix in a small amount of mild dish soap.
5. Soak the shoes – Fully submerge each Hoka shoe in the solution, gently swirling and pushing against the soles to dislodge the dirt.
6. Scrub upper & midsole – Use a soft brush soaked in the solution to gently scrub the fabric upper, rubber rand, and sides of the midsole foam. Avoid harsh scrubbing.
7. Drain & rinse – Drain the dirty water and rinse away soap residue under fresh running water inside and out.
8. Stuff with towels – Fill the interior shoe cavities completely with dry towels to absorb maximum moisture.
9. Allow to dry – Place upright with shoe trees inside away from direct heat up to 24 hours to dry fully. Rotate the towels to accelerate drying.
10. Clean laces – While shoes dry, hand wash laces in detergent solution if very dirty or just rinse. Air dry fully.

Deep Cleaning the Upper Fabric & Interior
For a periodic deeper clean, use these extra steps:

• Mix laundry detergent solution instead of dish soap and use to scrub the upper fabric intensely with a brush to remove odors and set-in stain/dirt.
• Remove the contoured insoles and clean separately by scrubbing in detergent, rinse fully under water until no more suds appear. Allow to air dry overnight before replacing in the Hokas.

Restoring Whiteness to Soles

Over time through heavy wear and cleaning, the bright white midsoles of most Hoka models can yellow and dull. To restore whiteness:

1. Create paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Apply to areas of midsole with yellow discoloration using old toothbrush.
2. Allow paste to set for 1-2 hours. Re-apply more paste to stubborn areas and let set another hour.
3. Rinse paste residue fully with water then wipe midsoles clean with microfiber cloth.

The hydrogen peroxide and baking soda work together to naturally brighten and lift stains without harsh chemicals. With enough applications and “soaking”, you can get those midsoles glowing white again!

Do’s & Don’ts When Cleaning Hokas

Follow these DO’s and DON’Ts to get the most out of cleaning your Hoka shoes:

DO:

• Pretreat any highly stained/muddy areas before soaking
• Use lukewarm water to activate cleaning solution and open shoe material pores
• Allow shoes to air dry fully before wearing again
• Use old towel or paper to fully stuff shoes while drying

DON’T:

• Machine wash Hokas or expose them to heat drying
• Use hot water that could damage glues or shoe materials
• Soak for more than 1-2 hours maximum
• Wear again until interior cushioning is fully dry

Storing Your Hokas Properly

After going through the effort of a thorough cleaning, store your Hokas properly to help keep them fresh between wears:

• Keep stored with shoe trees inserted to prevent compression or creasing
• Use cedar shoe trees to help wick moisture and maintain shape
• Place shoes in fabric shoe bags and store in well-ventilated area
• Alternate wears between multiple pairs of Hokas

Proper storage combined with regular cleaning keeps your Hoka shoes ready for miles of comfortable wear over years of use.

When To Consider Replacing Your Worn Out Hokas

No amount of cleaning can maintain worn out Hokas after hundreds of miles of use. Here are some signs it may be time to replace your beaten up pair:

• Midsole cushion deformed and compressed with little spring
• Excessive creasing and visible wear in the foam or tread
• Upper ripped, holes forming, or coming apart at seams
• Heel collar foam matted down providing little cushion or support
• Excess odor and bacteria build-up unable to be fully removed

Hoka shoes come with recommendations to replace every 300-500 miles depending on the model. Trail shoes or heavier runners may get less mileage before breaking down. Listen to what your shoes are telling you!

Don’t run the risk of injury by exceeding the mileage limits of the build. Regular cleaning can extend the durability slightly, but once the cushioning, support, and integrity is gone – it’s time to recycle them and enjoy that fresh shoe feel in a new pair!

Conclusion

Hoka shoes require a little extra care and attention to clean properly due to their exaggerated cushioned construction. But a routine cleaning regimen pays off by keeping them fresh, responsive, and durable for many miles on the trails or roads.

Be attentive to mud or debris build-up after messy runs. Master the proper cleaning techniques using the right brush, cloth, cleaning solution, and drying methods outlined above without over-soaking materials or damaging structural components.

Store cleaned Hokas properly with shoe trees when not in use. And recognize when even the best cleaning efforts can no longer override excessive midsole compression and worn out tread indicating it’s time to retire those stinky, beat up shoes for the safety of your feet and performance.

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