Caring for your Football Boots

18th July 2006
in: Football Boot Care

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With your football boots becoming a more and more expensive investment, it’s important to understand the best ways to look after your football boots and prolong their life.

The football boot is a footballers most important piece of equipment. Ensuring your equipment is in good working order, can only help improve your game.

Over the course of the next few days, I will be giving you a series of guides to help you care for your football boots.

Series 1 – The Basics

1. After playing, always loosen your laces to allow you to remove your boots without using excessive force.

2. Remove loose soil by brushing the football boots with a stiff brush. Do not use a wire brush, instead try and use a brush with a natural material.

3. Wipe the football boots with a damp cloth to remove smaller particles of soil. Do not use a cleaning agent to clean your football boots.

4. If the football boots have been used in wet conditions, you can use an old toothbrush to remove soil that has been trapped in small grooves.

5. Stuff the football boots with newspaper to maintain shape.

6. Allow the football boots to dry in a natural heat.

Warning: Drying the boots with heat can cause the football boots to become stiff and the adhesives can deteriorate. Stiff boots are far more likely to rip and are weak. Deteriorated adhesives can make joints weak, such as the join between the upper and the sole plate. Additionally, heat drying your football boots can cause your soleplate to warp.

7. Once dry, grease the studs. This will prevent rusting if the boots are screw-in, it will also help prevent soil from sticking to the studs.

8. If the boots are leather, they can be polished to retain their colour.

9. After allowing the polish to work in, typically 24 hours, the boot should be protected by a Dubbin or natural leather oil. Dubbin or oil, helps keep the football boot waterproof and the leather supple.

Warning: When cleaning football boots with synthetic material, do not use a Dubbin or oil.

10. If changing or cleaning studs, add a slight lubricant to the stud thread to prevent any rusting if moisture gets in. Ensure the stud is tight, but not too tight to damage the thread. (Too much lubricant will reduce the friction and prevent the stud from properly tightening).

40 Comments

david
January 28, 2007
9:32 pm

Is it possible to use Vaseline when cleaning black leather football boots in place of dubbin, eg does it have same effect?

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boB
February 27, 2007
5:53 pm

has anyone used nikwax everyday products? for waterproofing/cleaning

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Michael
March 9, 2007
3:25 am

David,

I’m not sure about vaseline, but I personally use mink oil. It’s really easy to find, and it waterproofs the leather and also makes it more supple.

However, some websites say that mink oil can ruin the football boot by becoming rancid, but so far I haven’t had any problems. If you have a specialty soccer store close by, you could try Chelsea Leather Food instead, I’ve heard really good things about it.

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Rob
March 13, 2007
10:10 pm

Chelsea Leather Food (Dubin) is brilliant. I have used this on my football boots for over 15 years and nothing beats it!!

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bradin
June 24, 2007
2:06 pm

this has nothing to do with caring for boots but i really would mind some input – i was going to buy a pair of football boots for hardground – i didnt know whether it would be better to buy moulded blades or or moulded studs – is any one beter than the other or is it up to personal preference ! thanks

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george jones
August 9, 2007
8:51 pm

frienly tonight went well lost
3-1 plenty players about signed forteen so far need some money from knighty

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El Tray
September 7, 2007
1:56 pm

oh but cleaning them – give up!! The material is impossible to clean. Also the fact i’ve never washd mine may have improved the life span as they ahven been dunkde in water.

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CHRISTOPHER OTI
September 19, 2007
4:48 pm

THANKS

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CHRISTOPHER OTI
September 19, 2007
4:50 pm

I WEAT A BOOT.

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CHRISTOPHER OTI
September 19, 2007
4:51 pm

I WANT A BOOT.

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CHRISTOPHER OTI
September 19, 2007
4:53 pm

I WANT A BOOT. THANKS

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S Walker
October 9, 2007
8:07 am

Has anyone noticed a distinct smell of cat pee after cleaning the new synthetic boots. We only clean them with water and then allow them to dry out naturally and still the smell persists, so much so that they have to be relegated to the garage.

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Blake
October 19, 2007
4:08 pm

In response to S Walker's comment:

really need some help

bought some F50′s a while back – the black and yellow ones with synthetic upper – havent a clue what to clean them with articles say dont use oils, dubbin, nourishment, detergent or polish – what’s left????

Dont want them falling apart after a month

Any help or product would be appreciated?

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john
April 29, 2008
12:28 am

how do i keep the tongues clean on copa mundials and how do i keep the tongues down cheers

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markki
May 4, 2008
4:22 am

I have both sewn and glued 1/4″wide strips of black elastic underneath the tongues. After lacing, slip the elastic over toe and under sole.

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Rachael
May 27, 2008
5:28 pm

just wondering if anyone knows how to get rid of the smell of mould from my boots. I Played football washed them on the day after, but i forgot and left my boots in my bag for approximatly a week. Now my leather boots absolutly stink, i have cleaned them out again etc but they stink of mould. Anyone have any ideas for leather boots

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jamie
June 2, 2008
4:24 pm

i have just got a bear of nike vapors the new ones the red gold and black how can i clean them in case thay get markt

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Haydn
July 15, 2008
3:09 pm

In response to S Walker's comment:

Same here either put baking soda in them over night or freeze them for at least 12 hours

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wadzy
July 27, 2008
6:22 pm

In response to david's comment:

I use Kelme dubin its about Ã‚Â£5 a pot but you wont beat it ,It comes with a small sponge, My sons boots have lasted about games using kelme dubin after every game You wont beat it

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Andy W
August 23, 2008
9:17 pm

Please Help…. I’ve recently brought a new pair of vapours & trained in them day after, then i hit the ball akwardly & it left a black mark off the ball at the back of the boot….. Does anyone know how to get it of?…. I would really appriciate it if anyone knows how get it off… Thanks

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MrNilsen
September 21, 2008
10:00 pm

In response to S Walker's comment:

I have the same distinct smell of cat pee on my son’s Nike Vapor IV shoes. It happend after he played several games in heavy rain. We left the shoes to dry by themselves, but soon noticed the nasty smell.

Have you found a cure?

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neil maddison
September 26, 2008
7:42 pm

hi can any one help me ,got my son some screw in reeboks of ebay,
went to replace the studs witch were all different makes and sizes
2 stapped off,do you now were i can get some replacement threads.
thanks neil m

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Loz
November 24, 2008
10:02 pm

In response to neil maddison's comment:

you can get replacement studs from most sport shops eg. JJB

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jordan
December 29, 2008
3:00 pm

In response to MrNilsen's comment:

It’s nothing to do with you or how you clean them. It’s a defect present in Nike football boots. Send them back to Nike if you can and they will replace them. I remember seein this complaint of watchdog and it happened to ALOT of people.

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Wayne
April 27, 2009
10:50 pm

All i know is that clean them with a damp cloth and away from the radiator and all will fine. I polish them occasionally.

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rondal
May 10, 2009
3:30 pm

What do you use to polish?
Kiwi?
or what?

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dan
June 21, 2009
5:02 pm

I’m looking to buy the new nike Vapours V the black, white with the orange ticks. How would i keep them clean and looking brand new after every game? I have read all the comments, but what is the golden rule to keep that type and material of boots in excellent condition? Thanks

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Sam G
July 1, 2009
6:44 pm

My adipures leather has become a bit dry what is the best thing to do after games!!

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Rob D
August 13, 2009
3:53 pm

In response to Sam G's comment:

After every use get a hot damp cloth and wipe the boots all over, apart from underneath. If they are really muddy then id use a wet colth and rub gently till the mud comes off. Then for the bottom of the boots get a old tooth brush and soapy water and scrub away.. once they have dryed rub in some chelsea dubbin with a clean cloth all over the leather parts of the boots. Then youll be good.

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tom q
August 24, 2009
7:48 pm

I have recently brought the pink nike vapours and have got a few black marks on them. Any ideas on how to get rid of them? Want to get rid of them asap

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the boss
September 12, 2009
1:03 pm

a few days ago i bought some nike vapor IV’s in orange and ive used them once and they’ve already been scratched is there anyway to prevent or get rid of it ?

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robbie gaston
September 20, 2009
3:43 pm

In response to tom q's comment:

what size are the pink vapors? i might be interested- email me – robbiegaston@gmail.com

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janeyb
September 20, 2009
11:00 pm

How can i stop my sons footy boots from smelling of cat pee. The smell is hourendous, plz help. cheers

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adam
November 15, 2009
1:01 pm

Some tips to keeping you boots clean and extending their life.
1 knock most of the large lumps off after a game,
2 when you get home take them out of the bag,
3 clean the mud off using a nail brush and a old tooth brush,
4 Dry the water off using a kitchen towel,leave them to dry further
5, now apply some dubbing any type, into the whole upper of the boot
6, clean out your boot bag as most players for get to do this and end up putting their clean boots in a dirty boot bag.
For removing scuff from synthetic boots i put a small ammount of cif on the boots and leave it to stand for a few min the rub it off using a cloth.
hope this helps

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simon
November 19, 2009
8:59 pm

thanks adam those tips were very use full to see how other amater players care for their boots

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dave
December 23, 2009
12:18 pm

Thanks adam those tips were very top notch, bet your boots are in top condition lol

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Matthew CJ Wilcox
April 14, 2010
12:02 am

I have Adi Nova (same boots as Xavi Alonso in 09/10 season) and i use dubben on my boots, after 24 hrs i wipe off the excess and stuff them with news paper, i then put them in my cubord, so dust dosnt stick to the dubben …

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i want boot
July 24, 2010
10:07 am

I WANT BOOT ALSO

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Bob
August 31, 2010
11:26 am

Scratches? You want to get rid of scratches on football boots? Easy, don’t play! Boots are supposed to get scratched, that’s the idea. They save your foot from being scratched to hell. If you’ve got no scratch marks it means you’re not playing competitively enough and need to “get in” more. Think of them as old war wounds… You want to show them off, not cover them up!

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andrew
September 2, 2010
12:17 pm

i have got some new puma boots in gold . iv only played in them about 5 times but the gold on the leather at the front of the boot is fading. any ideas why? and how to stop it? can gold dubbing?

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