How to clean and dry football boots so they last longer

Caring for football boots (soccer cleats in the US) takes three steps: remove the worst of the dirt straight after the game, clean them at home with lukewarm water and a brush, then stuff them with paper and let them dry in a cool, airy place, never on the radiator. After that, treat the upper with a product that suits the material, following the brand's instructions. Washing machine and tumble dryer (dryer) are off limits.

Especially in autumn and winter, when pitches in the Eifel are wet and muddy, care decides whether a boot stays supple. These instructions apply to leather and synthetic; the differences are noted along the way.

What should you do straight after the game?

Remove the worst of the dirt straight away, while it is still damp. Specialist retailers' guides recommend exactly that: get mud and soil off as soon as possible after playing. Dried clay is much harder to shift.

• Knock the boots together and loosen soil from between the studs with a stick or an old brush.
• Undo the laces and take out the insole if it is removable.
• Do not stuff wet boots into the closed bag; put them in the boot compartment or a breathable bag.
• Shake out rubber crumb from artificial pitches before it ends up in your bag.

How do I clean football boots at home?

Clean football boots by hand with lukewarm water, a soft brush and, if needed, a little mild soap. For the Morelia II Pro, Mizuno's care instructions are: hand wash at 30 °C, do not bleach and do not tumble dry. You can use that as a guide for other brands too.

• Wipe the upper with a damp brush or cloth; do not soak leather.
• Brush the sole and studs under running water.
• Wipe off any soap residue with clean water.
• Wipe the insole separately and dry it on its own.
• Wash the laces by hand if needed, or replace them.

How do I dry wet football boots properly?

Dry wet football boots slowly: stuffed with newspaper or kitchen paper, in a cool, well-ventilated place, away from radiators and direct heat. That is also how specialist retailers describe it for leather boots. Change the paper as soon as it is soaked; after a game in the rain, often two or three times. Allow at least one night, longer if the boots are soaked through.

The radiator is tempting when there is training again the next day. But specialist retailers explicitly advise drying leather boots away from radiators and direct heat; Reusch also warns against radiators and direct sun for latex. If you play twice a week on a wet pitch, a second pair serves you better than a hairdryer.

Which care product for which material?

Which care product is right depends on the upper: natural leather, synthetic and knit each need something different. What counts is the brand's care instructions for the model. Apply any care product thinly; specialist retailers explicitly advise against overdoing it. A colourless shoe polish is only an option for smooth leather, and even then follow the instructions of both the boot and the polish manufacturer; try it on an inconspicuous spot first. When laces start to fray, replace them in good time, for example with flat laces or round laces.

For synthetic and knit uppers, a damp cloth is usually enough; use a care product only if the brand recommends one. Here too: dry slowly. What other differences there are between the materials is covered in leather or synthetic.

How do I stop football boots from smelling?

Odour mainly develops when boots stay damp. So the most effective remedy is the same as for drying: take the boots out of the bag after every session, pull out the insoles and let both air-dry separately. Fresh socks at every training session help too. If you play several times a week, alternate between two pairs so each pair can dry completely. Deodorising sprays only mask the smell; if a boot is permanently damp, no spray solves the problem.

How should I carry and store football boots?

Football boots belong in their own compartment, separate from your clothes, and out of the bag after training. The PUMA teamGOAL Teambag M has a zipped boot tunnel; the Jako Iconic sports bag has a bottom compartment and a deep wet compartment. At home, store the boots dry, in an airy place and out of strong sun. What else belongs in the bag is shown in the football bag checklist.

Does boot care pay off financially?

Neither brands nor we promise how long a pair will last. But you can still do the maths: cost per session = purchase price ÷ number of sessions. An example with round, freely chosen numbers:

• A boot for €100, two sessions a week, replaced after 60 sessions: about €1.67 per session.
• The same boot, used for 90 sessions thanks to good care: about €1.11 per session.
• The difference of a good 50 cents per session pays for care products and laces many times over.

The right soleplate matters too. A boot used on the wrong pitch is stressed in ways it was not designed for; Nike, for example, advises against wearing screw-in studs on artificial grass. Which sole belongs where is explained in artificial grass: studs or moulded studs?.

Checklist after every game

• Remove the worst of the dirt straight away, shake out the rubber crumb.
• At home: laces undone, insole out, clean by hand in lukewarm water.
• Stuff with paper, change the paper, dry somewhere cool and airy.
• No radiator, no hairdryer, no washing machine, no tumble dryer.
• Once dry, use a care product that suits the material, as the brand recommends.
• Do not leave boots in the closed bag.