How to Clean Football Boots

A step by step guide

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Putting on your football boots and working hard can often end with muddy results. What’s more, cleaning them can feel like a chore when you know that you’ll be lacing them back up in no time and getting back onto the pitch. 

When you are heavily into your football, cleaning your boots can be the last thing on your agenda. But, what if by cleaning your boots regularly, you’ll be able to prolong your boot life? While you might not think that cleaning your football boots has any benefits outside of aesthetic appearance, that isn’t strictly true. Leaving them caked in mud can have a detrimental impact on the quality and durability of your football boots. 

Want to restore yours to their former glory? Here at MFC, we’ve created a simple step-by-step guide for how to clean football boots so that they last for longer and help you play to your full potential. 

Why Clean Your Football Boots?

Yes, it can seem pointless cleaning your football boots. However, the more you clean your football boots, the better condition that they’ll be in and, in turn, the more durable they will become. If mud is left on the football boots and is allowed to in turn dry up, over a period of time their sole may crack, allowing water and mud to seep inside of your boots. Not only that, but the muddy and grassy residue can actually cause the stitching to deteriorate and ultimately cause your football boots to fall apart. 

In short, the better condition you keep your football boots in, the longer you’ll get wear out of them! 

So, how do you clean your football boots in an effective and efficient manner? We’ve picked our top method that won’t take long and doesn’t require access to a multitude of different products.

Step 1 – A Boot Claw

A boot claw is a great way to scrape the excess mud and dirt off your football boots without having to get your hands caked in mud. Of course, your boot claw alone won’t get your boots sparkling and you will have to use some water. If there are some pieces of mud that you can’t seem to get to, don’t be afraid to give your boots a bang together.

Step 2 – A Soft-Bristled Brush

Using a bristled brush is perfect for getting the excess mud off your boots, allowing you to navigate around and through the spikes on the soul of the boots. Use a bucket of water or an outdoor tap to rinse your brush and soul of the boot under. Your boots don’t need to look brand spanking new at this point; you simply need to have removed the large chunks of mud and dirt to prohibit further damage. If you don’t have one of these, an old toothbrush has been known to do the trick! 

Step 3 – A Soft Brush with Natural Hair 

Now, pour a small amount of washing detergent or cleaning solution of your choice onto your brush(ensuring you’ve tested on a small patch of your boot first). If you don’t have a brush with natural hair, don’t worry too much, as a soft brush will still do a good job. Make sure that you get your brush wet, then begin to rub the upper section of your football boots. Do both boots and be sure to rinse off the muddy water most likely to have been created. 

Step 4 – A Cloth

Make sure that you have a cloth to hand, it doesn’t have to be of elite-quality or expense (you could even use old t-shirts!). Use the cloth to wipe off the excess water from both the sole and the upper half of the boot. This cloth can also be used to polish up your boots. 

Step 5 – Drying Your Boots

For this step, you actually don’t need any equipment. Leaving your boots to dry naturally is the best way to keep your boots in the best possible condition. If you’re leaving them to dry inside, you may want to pop some newspaper under them to avoid the remaining water damaging your carpet or flooring. Alternatively, if the weather allows it, leave your boots outside to dry off. Whatever you do, do not use the tumble dryer. 

If you follow this step-by-step guide on how to clean your football boots, you should have no problem prolonging the lifespan of your boots. While it may seem like a lot of effort at first, you will be grateful that you took those few minutes out of your day in the long run.Here at MFC, we want you to enjoy football in the best equipment and kit possible and keeping your football boots clean will most definitely help this. Why not explore our home kit here at Middlesbrough Football Club? You can enjoy a new kit with your freshly washed football boots.