Maintaining proper cleanliness and performance of your football cleats is crucial for optimising your game on the field. A well-maintained pair of cleats ensures superior traction, stability, and agility, while also reducing the risk of injury. However, knowing how to clean football cleats is something not everyone knows how to do... until they read this guide.
In this article, we'll walk you through the essential steps to clean your best football cleats effectively. From removing stubborn mud and grass stains to preserving the integrity of the materials, our expert tips and tricks will help extend their lifespan and keep them in top condition throughout the season.
So, follow these simple yet indispensable steps to ensure your cleats are always game-ready, allowing you to focus on what matters most – your and your team's performances on the pitch.
How to clean football cleats?
When it comes to maintaining football cleats, there is a lot of cross-over with cleaning soccer boots. That said, there are a few minor differences to take into account along the way. As a result, the following is what we believe to be the best method of cleaning football cleats made from synthetic materials.
What You'll Need:
- Bowl
- Soft-bristled brush or old toothbrush
- Shoe cleaner
- Wipes
- Microfibre cloth
- Old newspaper
Step 1: The cleaning process should start as soon as you leave the field. Remove your cleats before you walk on any hard surfaces and bang the soles together to remove loose chunks of dirt before they dry.
Step 2: To completely clean your cleats, remove the laces and soak them in a bowl of warm water mixed with mild soap as you continue with the rest of the steps.
Top Tip: To tackle the odor, you can remove the insoles and run them through a cold wash inside a pillow.
Step 3: With most of the excess dirt removed, dip a soft-bristled brush into another mix of warm water and shoe cleaner, like this Angelus Easy Cleaner, and begin working it over the uppers in a circular motion before tackling the sole plates.
Top Tip: An old toothbrush works well for cleaning around the studs and any hard-to-reach areas. If you have metal studs, we'd recommend removing them completely and cleaning them separately.
Step 4: Once the ingrained dirt has been removed, you can use a baby wipe to mop away any residue, and a microfibre cloth to dry off.
Step 5: Stuff the cleats with newspaper and leave them to dry naturally at room temperature next to the laces and insoles.
Step 6: When your cleats are bone dry, remove the newspaper, relace them, reinsert the insoles, and reattach the studs if applicable so they're ready to pack in your gym bag for game day.
Read More: Best shoe cleaning kits
What about other materials?
Most cleats are made from a synthetic material these days; however, there are some that utilise leather or knitted fabric in their construction. Don't worry though, we've got a few top tips for you if you do encounter an alternative material in the cleaning process.
Knitted
Material such as adidas' Primeknit or Nike's Flyknit are becoming increasingly more common among football cleats. However, they're still relatively easy to clean using the aforementioned method. The main difference is they may take a little longer to dry as the water soaks into the fabric.
Using slightly less water should help prevent increased water retention, and avoid using harsh soaps in the cleaning process as the chemicals might wear away any coating or finish applied to the uppers.
For more information on cleaning knitted material, check out our guide to cleaning mesh and running shoes, which are both typically made from knitted fabric.
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Leather
In many respects, genuine leather cleats are basically the same as cleats made from synthetic materials, although leather is typically slightly tougher, so you may be able to press a little harder to remove stubborn stains. The cleaning process, however, stays the same for the most part. Just make sure you avoid any hard or wired brushes during the process as either of these can scratch the surfaces of your cleats.
After cleaning, you may want to apply a polish or oil to your leather cleats for some extra shine, although this isn't essential.
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Things to avoid when cleaning football cleats
It's important to clean your football cleats carefully to prevent yourself from causing any irreversible damage.
Firstly, we'd suggest you avoid placing your cleats in a washing machine (except when cleaning the insoles) or a tumble dryer.
Unless the label says otherwise, most cleats aren't machine washable, so continually cleaning them this way will eventually cause them to become damaged.
We'd also recommend avoiding any abrasive household cleaners, particularly those containing bleach, as this can dry out the surfaces and even stain your cleats in some cases.
Furthermore, you shouldn't really use wire brushes for cleaning, particularly with leather cleats, as the harder bristles can cause you to scratch the surfaces as previously mentioned.
Finally, avoid drying your cleats in any form of direct heat because you can melt the glue and deform the shape of your cleats this way.