Soccer Shoe Care – How to Take Care of Your Cleats

Take care of your soccer shoes and they will take care of you. Yes, if you clean your shoes after playing that will last a lot longer.

When you first get a pair of soccer shoes make sure you polish them. This is to soften the leather so you’ll get better touch and feel on the ball, and to make them water resistant. 

Is it a good idea to soak new soccer shoes in water when you first get them? 

If the shoes are really stiff, then the first time you wear them, it’s ok to get them a little wet, but make sure you place newspapers inside the shoes after you wear them and polish them when they’re dry.  If you soak the shoes they could become over stretched, so it depends upon how tight the shoes are and the type of leather.  Don’t place the shoes in direct sunlight or they could crack as they become over dried.

Here’s a quick run down of some of the key soccer shoe care tips.  If you’re a serious soccer player then you’ve got to have a good pair of shoes, so it starts with buying a quality pair of shoes and not a heavy or inflexible shoe. 

Shoe Care Tips

• Clean your shoes after practice so the dirt doesn’t damage the leather and the shoes will last longer.  Dirt can bring moisture out of the leather and ruin them – make them over dry and begin to crack.
• If really wet, say after a rain storm when the field is soaked, place newspaper inside the shoe to soak up the water so the shoes aren’t over stretched and lose shape.
• Polish your shoes after they dry out – this will preserve the leather and make them last.  If your shoe is too dry it could stiffen and crack.
• Store shoes in a breathable bag – nothing sealed but one with holes.
• A shoe care product like leather food or mink oil will also help soften and condition the leather of the shoe.

Shoe Care Don’ts

• Don’t put shoes in front of heater or in the dryer – may crack the leather if they get too try.
• Don’t wear your shoes on the cement or a hard surface.  This will wear down the cleats and is also dangerous.  You could slip and fall.
• Don’t use sealing type products like wax or silicone based products to polish shoes.
• Don’t use soaps or cleaning products. Water and a wash cloth should do the trick.
• Don’t seal them in a plastic bag where the shoes can’t dry out.  Even when the field isn’t wet your shoes will soak up your own sweat.  After playing they need to be aired out – don’t just leave them trapped in your bag until the next training session.

Learn more about purchasing soccer shoes in our Soccer Gear section.

Benefits of Kangaroo Leather

• Light weight
• Molds to your foot
• Better feel and touch

Negatives of Kangaroo Leather:

• Less durable and won’t last as long

A good pair of soccer shoes nowadays can cost over a hundred dollars, that’s why it’s even more important to take care of them.  If you do take care of them they can last for a number of years, if you don’t, you’ll have to discard what might become a favoriate pair of shoes earlier than you wanted.

EXTRA:  Kangaroo leather has been in the spotlight recently for the way hunters are killing kangaroos. At times, the hunters are killing other species of kangaroos that are endangered or killing other animals indiscriminately.  It’s good that this has been brought to the attention of the industry and steps are being taken to ensure that animals are treated fairly.

Related Articles:

• Dress Like the Pros
• Kangaroo Leather Controversy