Soccer or football is considered to be the most popular sport in the world and encompasses many loyal fans who live and breathe the sport. Although many fans love to watch the game, they may not actually play it themselves.
Those that do play will know how expensive cleats can be; to extend the life of your favorite pair of cleats you need to look after them properly.
When you were younger, your mom or coach may have helped you out with this but it’s important that every player knows how to look after their cleats themselves.
In this article, learn how to clean soccer cleats (see also: How To Break In Soccer Cleats)and keep them fresh with these simple steps.
Why It’s Important To Clean Your Soccer Cleats
As mentioned above, keeping your soccer cleats clean is important to make them last longer and get the most use out of them as possible. If you keep your cleats in good condition they will also serve you better on the pitch.
Not to mention that cleats covered in mud and moisture can produce an awful smell as well as covering everything in dried mud and dirt.
What You’ll Need
Here is a list of things you’ll need to make your soccer cleats nice and clean:
A bowl
An old rag or cloth
Stiff scrubbing brush
Screwdriver or popsicle stick
Mild laundry detergent
An old towel (optional)
An old pillowcase
How To Clean Your Soccer Cleats
Here is our step-by-step guide on how to clean soccer cleats after each use.
Step 1: Remove The Debris
It’s best to remove as much debris such as mud and grass as soon as you’ve stepped off the pitch. This can be done by stamping on the ground, knocking the cleats together, or knocking them against a hard surface.
Use a screwdriver or popsicle stick to loosen and remove any dirt and debris that is ground in and more difficult to get off with a simple tap. Anything can be used here to scrape the dirt off as long as it doesn’t damage the spikes.
Do this step outside to avoid making an unnecessary mess in the house.
Step 2: Remove Laces And Soles
Removing the laces and soles is important to do when you get the opportunity as it allows for a more thorough clean. Place these into an old pillowcase and put them on a cold wash with mild laundry detergent.
Putting them in a pillow case protects them whilst they’re being washed, alternatively, you can wash them by hand and use a scrubbing brush to get them as good as new.
Please note that shoelaces shouldn’t be put in the dryer as this can damage the plastic tips or cause the laces to shrink.
Step 3: Clean With Mild Detergent
Next, you’ll need to clean the uppers of the cleats with a bowl full of warm water and some mild laundry detergent. Soak an old rag or washcloth in the detergent mixture and gently squeeze the excess back into the bowl. Remove any dirt from the uppers using small circular motions.
Take the stiff scrubbing brush and turn the cleats upside down to clean the soles and make them shine. Only use a brush that is compatible with the material of the cleats to avoid scratching them permanently.
Step 4: Rinse With Warm Water
Once you’ve finished cleaning the cleats, rinse them off with clean warm water.
This can be done by hand or using a rag. It’s important to avoid letting water get inside the shoe, so bring the shoe up to the tap and let the water run off the sides of the uppers or use the rag, don’t submerge the shoe under water.
Step 5: Dry Them Off
When the shoes are free of suds and mud, it’s time to dry them off. It is recommended that you air-dry soccer cleats indoors. Lay them flat in a warm area of the house, this could be a linen closet or just on the floor of your bedroom.
To avoid any moisture soaking into your carpet or flooring you can lay down an old towel to rest them on.
Avoid placing the cleats in direct sunlight to help extend the life of the shoes. Another tip to remember is that you shouldn’t use direct heat on the cleats such as a hair dryer or in a machine.
The soles and laces of the cleats should also be air-dried, they can all be placed on the same towel for convenience.
Step 6: Storing Clean Cleats
Finally, your cleats should be looking great, completely dry, and smelling fresh. After this whole process you don’t want to ruin things by improperly storing the cleats, so make sure you store them in a boot bag or soccer bag until you need them.
Ensuring your cleats are completely dry is important as damp cleats can facilitate the growth of bacteria and unpleasant odors when put away too soon. No one wants smelly cleats or mold growing in them.
How To Avoid Damage
Some of these tips you may already know, but it’s worth going over them again. It’s important that you don’t wear your soccer (see also: How To Wear Soccer Shin Guards)cleats on hard ground such as the sidewalk as this can damage the spikes and cause them to break.
If you don’t have time to wash your cleats after using them, ensure that you can at least air dry them somewhere safe and away from sunlight. They can always be cleaned at a later date, but the dampness and moisture that build up in the cleats can be irreversible.
It may be worthwhile to invest in some protector spray too, similar to scotch guard. These can be found at sporting retail stores.
The Bottom Line
Not only are soccer cleats (see also: What Is The Difference Between Soccer And Football Cleats?)expensive, but they are also important to allow you to play the game. Keeping your cleats in good condition is important to make them last longer and help you play better too.
We hope this information helps you and keeps your shoes in tip-top condition!
Soccer is the most popular sport played and watched in the world, yet it is one rarely talked about in the United States. Why is this?
Hi, my name is Adrian Turner and I am a self-proclaimed soccer head.
Since I was young, I have always been fascinated by soccer, and any of the games I could find on the TV channels. There weren’t many games broadcast, so thankfully I could find more on the internet as I grew up.
I turned all of my friends onto soccer and we’d play into the evenings after school.
