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Crocs are one of the most divisive footwear choices out there. Many people seem to either love them or hate them. Those that love them will wear them anywhere and everywhere. Those that hate them would rather set their feet on fire than wear a pair. There seems to be no middle ground.
If you have found your way here to this article, I will guess you are part of the Crocs lovers fan club. If so, welcome!
In this post, we walk through everything you need to know when it comes to cleaning these one-of-a-kind shoes, arming you with the knowledge to clean your dirty Crocs and keep them clean for the long haul. There is no need for fancy tools or special cleaners. It is going to be super easy.
Let’s get started!
What exactly are Crocs?
Crocs were founded in 2002 in Boulder, Colorado. Initially just manufacturing clogs, this company now makes a variety of footwear for men, women, and children including, clogs, loafers, sandals, and flip flops. The classics are the clogs. They are loved by school children, healthcare workers, restaurant staff, and just ordinary folks alike. They are synonymous with comfort.
Crocs lovers are known for bedazzling their clogs with charms to customize them. Classic Crocs clogs were foam-based initially but are now made from Croslite material of polymer. It is a resin that is neither plastic nor rubber. It is a soft material and provides maximum cushioning, and is said to resist odor and inhibit bacterial growth.
Due to the material that they are made from, Crocs are lightweight, comfortable, impressively durable, and very low-maintenance to take care of. The low maintenance and durability, help to make them a breeze to clean when compared to some other popular shoe brands.
What’s needed for cleaning dirty Crocs?
Crocs are probably some of the easiest shoes when it comes to cleaning. This is thanks to the material they are made from. They can be hand-washed or spot cleaned or thrown in your washing machine.
While many other shoes cannot be thrown in a washing machine, this is an excellent benefit of owning Crocs that makes them so wearer-friendly.
Depending on the cleaning method you choose, these are the products you will need for cleaning your dirty Crocs:
- Laundry detergent
- Soft scrub brush
- Dishcloth or towel
Most likely you already have these items in your home. If you need a soft scrub brush, you can find them at online retailers and many retail locations. A cleaning toothbrush can also take the place of a soft scrub brush.
There are three primary methods for cleaning Croc shoes
How you choose to clean your Crocs will most likely depend on how dirty they are.
- For mildly dirty, you can hand wash them. Handwashing is quick and easy.
- If they need a deep clean, it’s time to use your washing machine. It will take longer, but you’ll know they are really clean.
- If you want to clean and deodorize your clogs overnight for next day use, try Nature Lake tablets.
The steps for each method are detailed below. For each method, if you have charms attached to your Crocs, remove them first and hand wash them separately.
Steps to clean Crocs by handwashing:
- Wet your Crocs under cool running water.
- Wet a dishcloth and add a drop of laundry detergent to the cloth. Lather the soap in the cloth.
- Cover Crocs in a layer of suds.
- Wet the soft scrub brush.
- Gently scrub each shoe in a circular motion.
- Rinse Crocs in cool running water.
- Let air dry in a cool place.
Steps to clean Crocs in a washing machine:
When choosing to use this cleaning method, please use the gentlest wash setting your wash machine has available. Even gentle settings can cause potential bending and stress damage to your footwear over time, so please keep that in mind!
- Set washer to gentle cycle and fill with laundry detergent.
- Add Crocs to the washer and let soak for about 5 minutes to loosen up any set-in dirt.
- Run washer.
- Remove from washer and air dry in a cool place.
Steps to clean Crocs using Nature Lake Clog and Sandal Wash
Nature Lake’s Clog and Sandal Wash tablets are concentrated tablets that clean and freshen your plastic or rubber footwear overnight! All Nature Lake products are biodegradable and responsibly packaged to reduce waste and your carbon footprint while providing a superior clean, so consider this cleaning option to make a positive impact on our environment as well!
- Fill a large container or clean sink with 1 gallon of warm water.
- Add one package of Clog and Sandal Wash tablets to water and allow to dissolve completely.
- Completely submerge clogs or sandals in the cleaning solution.
- Weigh down with rocks or weights if any part of the shoe floats above the water’s surface.
- Allow clogs or sandals to soak overnight.
- Remove clogs from soaking solution and rinse well.
Each of these methods are easy to follow and super quick. No more running around in a dirty pair of Crocs. By following any of the above, you can keep them squeaky clean. One thing to keep in mind with these is to not put them in the dryer. This can cause damage and melting.
What to do if my Crocs smell?
I know you were thinking about it but didn’t want to ask. This is a common question with Crocs.
The material they are made of is designed to be resistant to odor and inhibit bacterial growth, but if you wear your favorite pair enough, there is just no way to avoid that. Eventually, they will develop an unpleasant odor. Thankfully, this can easily be alleviated in a few different ways.
If you wish to eliminate this deodorizing step, Nature Lake’s Clog and Sandal Wash tablets handle the cleaning and deodorizing all in one easy, overnight soak. This is a great time saver, especially if you’ve got multiple pairs of shoes to wash and deodorize simultaneously.
Otherwise, it is a simple process to remove the odor from your Crocs and it can be done after having used either the first or second above washing methods, with common household items.
You will need the following products:
- Ziptop bag
- Baking soda
These two simple products are going to deodorize your Crocs and have them smelling fresh again.
Steps to remove bad smells from Crocs
- Lay a ziptop bag flat on a surface.
- Pour enough baking soda in to create a base for your Crocs.
- Place shoes in bag and seal.
- Leave for 24 hours to allow the baking soda to pull odors from the Crocs.
- Remove shoes and shake excess baking soda into the garbage.
- Discard the bag and baking soda
Now you have clean, bright, and great smelling Crocs! If you wear yours daily, you can easily add this to your weekly or biweekly cleaning routine.
Frequently asked questions about Crocs shoes
This will depend on the model of Crocs you’ve selected. Classic Crocs (clogs) will run true to size in traditional US size models. Crocs are generally comfortable due to the extra-wide and spacious room they provide.
Yes, earlier model Crocs stretched out due to the foam material they were made from. Modern Crocs are now made from (Croslite, a type of polymer), and while they still can stretch, its much less than previous materials.
Stretching Crocs shoes comes at great risk. These shoes will naturally stretch over time with usage. Using heating mechanisms to make the polymer giveaway can cause damage to the Crocs and reduce their durability.
Shoe charms of course! With shoe charms, you can simply slip the charms onto the shoe through the vents and button them on. Often charms are sold in large packs, allowing you to go to town when it comes to decorating your Crocs!
Yes, absolutely! Crocs are not designed to be water shoes, but because of the material they are made of, they naturally float and can be submerged in water without negative effects. Of course, if you have fur liners in your Crocs they should be removed before submerging or soaking them.
Now that you’ve cleaned your Crocs, what’s next?
Whether you are a casual wearer or put your Crocs to the test at work in a healthcare or restaurant setting, I am sure you want them to look their best and brightest. The products and methods detailed above are an easy way to keep yours clean and fresh. No need for special tools or fancy cleaners.
People seem to either love or hate Crocs. If you love them, make sure you can’t have the haters saying anything about yours being dingy and looking worn down. Keep your Crocs looking brand new and feeling as comfortable as ever with the easy steps on how to clean Crocs!