How to Wash Vibram Five Fingers

If you own a pair of Vibram Five Fingers, then you know that they can get quite stinky...in fact they can reek. All Vibrams are treated with an anti-microbial that prohibits the growth of bacteria. But Five Fingers aren't frilly dress shoes, they're a fitness shoe that is intended to be used while exercising and living an active life. This combined with the fact that most people wear them without socks, creates the perfect setting for some seriously bad odors.

One huge tip for keeping your Vibrams odor free is prevention. Be sure your feet are clean before putting on your Five Fingers shoes. If you wash your feet and dry them before putting the shoes on, it will be much easier to keep them smelling good.

If that isn't enough to keep your Vibrams free of what is known as the VFF stank, there is still hope because Five Fingers are washable!

You read right. Vibram Five Fingers shoes are machine washable. It says so on the Vibram faq page.

I was very apprehensive about tossing my Vibrams in the wash, even though the company advertises their shoes, even the leather ones, as all being machine washable. I'm very attached to my Vibrams. I wish I could wear Five Fingers shoes every day for all occasions. Not only do I love them, but they are also expensive, so I really want to be careful with my pair. Therefore, I ended up putting off washing my Vibrams until they were so dirty that I had no choice.

I read the directions on Vibram's site several times to make sure I hadn't misunderstood. Vibram says to wash your shoes in the washer on a gentle cycle with warm water and then hang to dry. Never, ever dry your Vibrams in the dryer. Also, if you have one of the leather models don't let them dry in direct sunlight or they will shrink.

I have a front loader washer that doesn't have an agitator. I washed mine in cold water, set to a medium-low spin cycle, with a load of t-shirts and my kids' play clothes. They came out clean and didn't look the least bit worn. They did fit slightly different after washing, much like your favorite jeans do after washing, but after wearing them for several minutes they fit like a glove again. I love my Vibrams!