Xiaomi launches new Mijia Shoe Washer with three-brush 360-degree cleaning

Xiaomi has unveiled the Mijia Shoe Washer 3kg in China, a compact washing machine built specifically for footwear. Crowdfunding opens on the company’s Youpin platform on November 2 at 10:00 local time, with prices starting at CNY 799 (about $120) against a suggested retail price of CNY 1,299 (about $195).

The machine holds two to four pairs per load and is designed for running shoes, casual shoes, canvas shoes, skate shoes, children’s shoes, and sports slippers. It is shaped like a scaled-down top-loading washing machine and takes up 0.18 square meters of floor space, small enough for a balcony cabinet or laundry room.

Cleaning relies on a high-speed pulsator that pushes water across the upper, the sole treads, and the inner lining. Three brushes, one at the base and two along the sides, scrub the shoes as the water circulates. Xiaomi says the combination targets mud, grass stains, and sweat.

Eight programs are available: standard, heavy-duty, quick, sterilization, multi-purpose, rinse and spin, spin only, and drum cleaning. The quick program runs for 20 minutes and doesn't require removing the laces, and you can schedule any cycle up to 24 hours ahead. The drum-cleaning cycle is meant to stop sand and dirt from building up inside the machine.

Xiaomi claims the sterilization program removes 99% of Trichophyton rubrum, a fungus commonly linked to athlete’s foot, along with 99.8% of E. coli and 99.6% of Staphylococcus aureus. The company has not named the laboratory behind those results.

The company does not recommend leather shoes or high-value footwear, nor shoes that fade or are damaged by water, pairs with peeling or aging glue, or shoes with decorations. A pulsator disc and a filter screen come in the box, and Xiaomi says the washer can also wash household cleaning items and pet accessories.

Xiaomi has not announced plans to sell the washer 3kg outside China.