washing trainers - help!

[PandaG]

both DC have come back from camp with wet, muddy, smelly trainers. I want to wash them in my machine. Are theer any rules to follow - should they be in on their own, or in with a wash, or in a bag? I don't want to ruin my washer for the sake of a couple of pairs of cheap trainers, but if I can clean them it would be good.

Thanks

I just put them in the machine on their own. Mine were washed a lot over the summer, what with all the fine dry weather! Obviously I let them dry first and knock as much mud off as I can. But they've been fine, good as new really and the machine is still the same too.

I would not put trainers in with any clothes - definitely on their own.

What sort of trainers are they - I would take a look at them and see if you think they will tolerate a wash. I wouldn't wash ones with lights in or ones which were more "leathery" than "canvassy".

I would also listen to the washing machine going round in case there were any dodgy sounds.

Oh, but before you do it, make very sure that they haven't been outgrown. I made lots of repairs to a coat and found that it was too tight on DS!!

thansk a lot for all your advice - they've come up really well :)