How to Clean Crocs (Classic, White & Fuzzy) Without Shrinking Them

If you have kids, you probably have a pile of Crocs by the back door. They go to the park, the splash pad, the beach, the garden, and somehow always come home covered in mud, sand, sunscreen, and a mystery sticky substance nobody will admit to.

The good news is that Crocs are some of the easiest shoes in the house to clean. The bad news is that one wrong move (like leaving them to dry in a hot car) can shrink them a full size. Here’s exactly how to clean Crocs the right way, including white Crocs, fuzzy lined Crocs, and whether you can toss them in the washing machine.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

What Crocs Are Made Of (and Why It Matters)

Classic Crocs are made from Croslite, the company’s closed-cell foam. It doesn’t soak up water, which is why a quick rinse gets most of the dirt off. But that same foam is sensitive to heat. Crocs says that after cleaning, all styles should be air dried only, because exposure to extreme heat can cause the shoes to shrink or warp.

So the golden rule for every method below: cool water, mild soap, and air dry. No hot water, no dryer, no hair dryer, and no baking on the dashboard.

What You’ll Need

• Mild dish soap or gentle laundry detergent
• Cold water (a sink, bucket, or the garden hose all work)
• A soft-bristle brush or an old toothbrush for the grooves and holes
• A soft cloth or sponge
• Optional: baking soda for stubborn scuffs, and a melamine sponge for marks on white Crocs

How to Clean Classic Crocs, Step by Step

1. Pop off the Jibbitz. Remove any charms first so dirt doesn’t hide around them and so they don’t get lost in the sink. Toss them in a small bowl of soapy water to soak while you work.
2. Rinse off loose dirt. Run the shoes under cold water or give them a quick spray with the hose to knock off sand and mud.
3. Scrub with mild soap. Add a few drops of dish soap to a bowl of cold water. Dip your brush and scrub the tops, the footbed, the strap, and the soles. Use the toothbrush to get into the ventilation holes and the tread.
4. Rinse well. Rinse in cold water until there are no suds left. Leftover soap can leave the footbed slippery.
5. Air dry in the shade. Shake off the water and set them upside down on a towel somewhere out of direct sun. Most pairs are dry within an hour or two.

That’s it. For everyday mud, this takes about five minutes per pair.

Can You Put Crocs in the Washing Machine?

Yes, for the all-foam styles. Crocs’ own care guidance says Classic Clogs, slides, and other styles made only of Croslite can be hand washed, spot cleaned with mild soap and cold water, or washed on your washing machine’s gentle cycle.

If you go the machine route:

• Remove all Jibbitz first.
• Use cold water and the gentle or delicate cycle.
• Put them in a mesh laundry bag or wash them with a few towels so they don’t bang around the drum.
• Skip the dryer completely. Air dry only.

For a pair or two, honestly, the sink is faster. The machine is handy when you’re doing the whole family’s collection after a beach weekend. (If laundry day already feels endless, these tips for getting out from under the laundry pile help.)

How to Clean White Crocs

White Crocs show every scuff, grass stain, and crayon mark. Start with the basic soap-and-water method above, then tackle what’s left:

• Scuffs and gray marks: Gently rub with a damp melamine sponge. Go easy, because melamine is mildly abrasive and can dull the finish if you scrub hard in one spot.
• Stubborn grime: Make a paste of baking soda and a little water, rub it on with a soft brush, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse.
• Yellowing: Some yellowing on older white Crocs comes from sun exposure and won’t fully wash out. Storing them out of direct sunlight helps prevent it.

Skip harsh chemicals like bleach or acetone. Crocs recommends mild soap, and there’s no reason to risk the foam’s finish on a shoe that cleans up this easily.

How to Clean Fuzzy Crocs (Lined Crocs)

Lined and fuzzy Crocs need a little more care because the liner is fabric, not foam. Crocs says shoes with fleece can be cleaned with mild soap and a damp rag, or washed on the gentle cycle with as little heat as possible.

1. Check whether the liner is removable. Many fuzzy Crocs have a liner you can gently pull out. If yours does, wash it separately.
2. Spot clean or hand wash the liner. Use a damp cloth with a drop of mild detergent, or swish the removable liner in a sink of cool, soapy water. Gently squeeze (don’t wring) out the water.
3. Clean the foam shell with the classic method above.
4. Air dry everything completely before putting the liner back in. A damp liner is how fuzzy Crocs start to smell.
5. Fluff the fuzz. Once dry, brush the liner lightly with a soft brush to bring back some of the softness.

For winter-lined Crocs your kids wear every single day, a quick spot clean once a week goes a long way toward keeping odors down.

How to Get the Smell Out of Crocs

Foam Crocs rarely hold onto odors for long, but fuzzy ones can. A few things that help:

• Sprinkle baking soda inside dry, lined Crocs, leave it overnight, then shake it out.
• Let shoes dry fully between wears, especially after puddles or water play.
• Wash removable liners regularly instead of waiting until they smell.

What NOT to Do When Cleaning Crocs

• Don’t use hot water. Heat can shrink or warp the foam.
• Don’t put them in the dryer or use a hair dryer to speed things up.
• Don’t dry them in direct sun or a hot car. This is the most common way kids’ Crocs suddenly “don’t fit anymore.”
• Skip bleach and harsh solvents. Mild soap is what Crocs recommends, and it does the job.
• Don’t wring out fuzzy liners. Squeeze gently to keep their shape.

Quick Mom Hack: Make It the Kids’ Job

Crocs are one of the best “first chores” for little kids. Give them a bucket of soapy water, an old toothbrush, and a towel on the porch, and let them scrub their own pair. It’s safe, it’s satisfying, and the shoes actually come out clean. Add it to their weekend chore chart and you’ve got one less thing on your list.

How Often Should You Clean Crocs?

A quick rinse whenever they come home muddy keeps dirt from building up in the grooves. A full scrub every week or two is plenty for most families. Add it to your printable cleaning schedule so it doesn’t slip through the cracks. Fuzzy Crocs worn without socks benefit from a weekly liner spot clean.

The Bottom Line

Cleaning Crocs comes down to three things: mild soap, cold water, and air drying away from heat. Foam Crocs can even go through the washing machine’s gentle cycle. Treat them that way and your family’s Crocs will last through many more summers of puddles and playgrounds.

Stocking up on cleaning supplies? A pack of soft-bristle shoe brushes and some mesh laundry bags make shoe-cleaning day much easier.

More helpful guides: Do Crocs run big or small? and how to clean white Converse.