How to Wash Rothys

  • Rothy’s is a fashion brand founded in 2012 in San Francisco. Rothy’s shoes’ production—including flats, sneakers, loafers, and more—launched in 2016. Their bag manufacture kicked off in 2020. The brand’s products are thought mainly for women, but there are also several lovely and comfy kids’ sneakers. 
  • Everything at Rothy’s—both the shoes and bags—is machine washable. As a matter of fact, these products aren’t hard to maintain in good shape. You can wash them in a washing machine and dry quickly with air dry. A gentle detergent and delicate cycle are keys to this operation. But is it really that simple?
  • Keep your shoes clean with our hacks. We also share tips on how to get rid of the smell that appears if you wear your Sneakers often.

Rothy’s—what’s all the fuss about?

According to Insider, there is a legitimate reason Rothy’s went viral.   

Rothy’s products have plenty of pros and represent the innovative and sustainable approach—meaning, all that we need and fancy nowadays. 

They are 

  • machine washable, 
  • flexible,  
  • sustainable, made from post-consumer recycled plastic water bottles, and
  • stylish!

No wonder San Francisco shoe startup seems to be everywhere. We’ve seen new stores popping up in Washington, D.C., Boston, and NYC in recent years. 

This production helped keep 100 tons of plastic from the ocean and other waterways. This plastic was utilized as the signature thread in Rothy’s shoes and handbags.

All in all, Rothy’s are not only comfy and fashionable but also sustainably knit from recycled water bottles.

These shoes feature a sole made from vegan, recyclable rubber and TPU. They are knit from recycled heat-treated, sterilized water bottles combined with fiber. The fiber is then woven into yarn. 

In addition, Rothy’s uses adhesives created with low environmental impact.

Rothy’s construction is unique and seamless, molding into our feet smoothly. They also leave no loose threads in the course of the washing cycle.

But are these shoes also easy to keep in good condition? How to wash them and remove the bad feet smell?

This article explains how to wash Rothy’s and make sure they’re always fresh and ready to wear. 

While Rothy’s most prevalent version is for women, Rothys kids sneakers are even cuter! 

A small slip-on sneaker is an added value to your kiddo’s creativity and comfort.  

Don’t worry about them getting dirty. Rothy’s took care of that part. With such an easy-to-wash pair of shoes on your youngsters’ feet, you won’t be upset with your child’s spontaneous entertainment anymore. 

So, muddy playgrounds, here we come!

Wash your Rothy’s

Let us say it aloud: the thing we hate most about shoes is a pungent odor. So let’s take care of it first.

Eliminating odors

Before we understand how to wash Rothy’s, let’s see how to get rid of the odor that sooner or later always appears in every type of shoe.

We’ve got three tips to set your shoe free from the bad smell:

  1. Add baking soda inside the shoe

This method is a well-known, traditional fix for smelly shoes before or instead of tossing them in the washing machine. 

Tip: This hack may be helpful if you wear your Rothy’s every day to work and plan to wash them on Friday, but they already smell unbearable. 

Sprinkle a tablespoon of baking soda inside your Rothys. 

Baking soda not only has the power to absorb the pungent odor but also draws out moisture. It also helps to throw the bacteria out. 

Ideally, leave the baking soda powder in overnight (or for at least a couple of hours) before shaking it out. 

  1. Stuff your Rothy’s with newspaper 

You may not like having powder in your shoes; we get that. 

What you can do instead is fill the inside of your shoe with a bunch of newspapers. Then, leave it inside for a few days to make your shoes dry completely. 

Paper draws smelly moisture out from inside the shoe. 

You’ll make the process even more efficient if you add a couple of drops of essential oil to the newspaper.

3. Wipe with rubbing alcohol 

White vinegar works great for eliminating odors. 

Simply dampen a piece of cloth with vinegar and wipe the insides of the shoes. 

Let them dry thoroughly afterward.

Important: You can use white vinegar but not apple cider vinegar. 

Hand wash

Follow these steps to have your shoes and insoles hand washed if you’re not convinced or simply don’t have time to toss your shoes in the washing machine. 

Ensure you take out the insoles and wash them separately from the rest of the shoes.

Clap the shoes together—it will help you get rid of any dirt embedded on the bottom. 

Fill a tub or sink with cool water. 

Important: Don’t forget never to use warm or hot water with Rothys!

Dissolve mild detergent and make a soapy mixture. 

Make your shoes sink and let them sit in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Then, gently rub the surface of your Rothy’s with your hands. 

Take your Rothy’s out and rinse them thoroughly with cool water (avoid hot or warm water whatsoever throughout the whole process).

Set your Rothys flats or sneakers from any detergent residue. Rinse them as long as needed until they’re spotless.

Machine washing

Eventually, there will come the day when your beloved Rothy’s have seen better days. At this point, you’ll have to wash them. The question is how.

How to keep your Rothy’s in good shape with machine washing? Here’s our guide.

For starters, ensure you set the midsoles aside before washing your favorite Rothy’s Sneaker, Chelsea, and Lace-Up. 

Now, remove your insoles and toss them in the washing machine with your Rothy’s. Both parts will become cleaner if you take insoles out of the shoe and wash them separately. 

Rothy’s producer assured us we could wash Rothy’s shoes in a washing machine, so there’s nothing that could stop us now!

In short, run the washing machine on a cold, gentle cycle with a mild detergent. Then, let them air dry au naturel. 

Keep in mind the delicate cycle advice. Your Rothys may be damaged if you wash them on a regular or heavy-duty cycle. 

For the best results, place your shoes in a laundry bag before having them washed. 

It’s best to wash your shoes alone or with a small load of clothes. Using cold water and mild laundry detergent cleaning isn’t as effective as regular washing. 

If you overcrowd the washing machine, your shoes and clothes might not get as clean as you’d like them to. 

To help cushion the shoes during the spin cycle, add a few towels or a couple of T-shirts to the load.

Also, it’s better not to add shoes to the regular laundry. 

Tip: If you’re in a hurry and insist on washing Rothys shoes with your clothes, get a bag and attach it to the washer door. With this method, shoes won’t damage or transmit dirt on your clothes easily.

Don’t use bleach or fabric softener, and steer away from using hot water. Heat will cause your favorite shoes to shrink and lose shape.

If you don’t want to run a full cycle, you can remove stains by spot cleaning your Rothy’s. It’s best to remove all the stains to prevent dirt from building up on the fabric as soon as they appear. The longer it sits, the harder it becomes to get rid of. 

Dryer

After you wash your pair of Rothy’s, you will need to dry it.

Rothy’s are breathable and have quick-drying properties, so after taking them out of the washing machine, drying takes less than traditional shoes.  

Our recommendation is to just leave them out to air dry! Then, simply patiently wait for shoes and insoles to dry out. 

Using a dryer is not necessary. Plus, it’s probably the quickest way to ruin them once for good.

It’s best to keep your shoes away from the dryer or hairdryer unless you want to transform their shape.

If you like wearing your Rothys, always pay attention to the correct maintenance. 

Important: Steer away from heat with your precious Rothy’s flats, sneakers, and loafers. High temperatures could compromise Rothy’s unique shape. 

So, now you can slip the insoles in, and you’re ready to go!

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Frequently Asked Questions

You can add a pair of Rothy's to the washer when you do your regular laundry. Yet, there is one reason not to do it. Unlike your garments that like warm water, you have to wash Rothys in cold water. Rothy's shoes don't like heat. Once put in the washer with hot water, they'll lose their perfect shape. Unfortunately, laundry detergent doesn't clean well in lower temperatures. Moreover, ensure you don't overload the washer while dealing with your Rothy's shoes—otherwise, nothing will get clean. It's best to wash your Rothy's either alone or with a small load of clothes.
Rothys shoes prevail in areas with highly dense populations, where people commute and work in corporate environments. This popularity comes from the brand's core values: style, comfort, and convenience in maintenance, i.e., being machine-washable and having quick-drying properties. It all boils down to looking and feeling good wearing your shoes while also being at ease with building a career.
It refers to Rothy's offer, where a seller gives a first-time buyer a discount of $20 for their first pair of Rothy's shoes and gets $20 of credit to spend on another pair. So tell a friend about Rothys, and you'll both get $20 off your next purchase.
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