It can be devastating when you buy brand-new football boots and they get covered in mud within the first week.

But unless you’re going to keep your football boots in the box they came in 24/7 (which we think would be a travesty, by the way), then you’re going to want to learn how to clean them.

Cleaning your football boots is an easy task to learn, and if you’re a parent reading this, it’s something you can teach your kids how to do too. After all, you know that soccer boots won’t stay clean for long if they’re on your kids’ feet while they run around on a muddy football pitch! And it’s good for them to have the responsibility of keeping them clean. 

We all know that it’s much better for the environment and your pocket to regularly clean football boots, rather than buying a new pair more often. But why do so many people resist? Well, mainly because it’s a bit of a hassle, and there’s not an easy way to do it. Plus, the last thing you want to do is damage them by giving them a good scrub!

That’s why we’ve put together this useful blog post, which tells you, step-by-step, how to clean your football boots quickly and simply without causing any damage.

Firstly, we’ll give you our easy-to-follow four-step process, and then we’ll go through some tips and tricks for getting your football boots clean depending on the material. Let’s get stuck in.

So your football boots have taken a bit of a beating. You pull them out of your football bag and they’re caked in dirt - the first place you head to is the washing machine, right?

Errr...no.

It’s much safer for your football boots – and your washing machine – if you hand wash them. Whether you have leather boots or synthetic boots, putting them in the washing machine could damage the glue in them, eventually causing them to fall apart (which would be a bit embarrassing the next time you're playing).

We get it. Washing machines were invented to save us time and hassle, and even if you use a mesh laundry bag to protect them a little, some mild laundry detergent and a cool wash programme, it's still not a good idea to wash football boots in the machine.

Hand-cleaning your football boots properly only takes 15 minutes, and spending some of that time now will keep your boots lasting longer.

Plus, the price of electricity right now is enough to put anyone off running their washing machine unnecessarily!

So if the washing machine is a no-go, how do you clean your football boots? Simple. Just follow our step-by-step process below…

To get into every nook and cranny to clean your boots, you’ll need to remove the shoelaces. Simply soak the shoe laces in warm water with a cleaning solution or even washing liquid.

You’ll want to remove any insoles too to give them a clean while you’re at it. You can clean your insoles in the same way we recommend you clean your football boots below.

You’ll want to use a soft-bristled brush to remove any excess mud and loose dirt. Ideally, you’d use a shoe brush for this, but any dry brush will do, and you can also use an old toothbrush (it might just take a bit longer!).

You’ll need a damp cloth, warm water, and a shoe-cleaning solution. If you don’t have a shoe-cleaning solution, you can use water mixed with a small amount of baking soda, washing powder or a mild detergent.

Next, you’ll want to gently rub the football boots in a circular motion to remove any stains or dirt. Do this carefully throughout.

Step back from the dryer!

Don’t use a tumble dryer or even a radiator to dry your football boots. This can cause them damage. Try to dry them naturally outside (yes, if you live in the UK, this might not be possible!), otherwise leave them to air dry naturally inside. Use a towel to pat them dry too.

We’re sure your feet smell sweet, but understandably our football boots need a little freshening up every now and then.

You can use something like our deodoriser sacks. Just place them in your football boots to prevent bad smells, mould, and bacteria! (And, yes, they will even work on your teens’ smelly boots!)

You do need to be mindful of what sort of material your boots are made of and how to clean them. Depending on the fabric, you may need to do slightly different things to make your football boots clean and prevent damaging them in the process.

Football boots attract dirt like a magnet, but once you know what you're doing, they can be pretty easy to clean. But don’t worry because, below, we’ll walk you through exactly how to do this.

The move towards sustainability, as well as trying to keep the cost of boots down, has meant that more and more boots are made from synthetic materials. These can be a little easier to clean and look after than the traditional leather soccer boots.

As above, make sure you clean all the loose dirt and mud from the boot and remove the laces to wash them separately. Then, using a good cleaning solution and a brush, clean the uppers and outsoles thoroughly. The good thing about synthetic materials is that they tend to be waterproof, which means you can use plenty of water and your boots should be easier to clean.

Dry the boots off with a towel, and after a short time to air dry, they should be good to go again. If any water did get inside, you can always stuff them with newspaper to make sure they are completely dry.

Cleaning your leather boots uses a similar approach to cleaning synthetic boots, it's just that leather boots need a little bit more love and care.

Once you've scraped all the loose grass and mud off, removed the laces to wash, and used a good cleaning solution and a brush to remove the remaining dirt, the key thing is to let the leather dry naturally.

You can use a towel or cloth to pat them dry, but resist the temptation to stick them on the radiator, or even worse, in the dryer. This can damage the leather and cause it to crack, shortening the life of your boots.

If you need to dry them quicker, you can always try stuffing some old newspaper in them to absorb the moisture.

Once completely dry, to protect them and make them easier to clean in the future, you can look at the various leather-protecting products, from sprays to wax or dubbing, to help your boots last longer.

Whatever material your boots are made of, if you want to do the best job of keeping them clean, you could try using a professional brush like Boot Buddy, which comes with three detachable brush heads, one of which is perfect for cleaning football boots.

You should have most of what you need to make your own boot-cleaning solution at home, but what if you don’t fancy the DIY approach? (We don’t blame you. It takes us 30 minutes just to find the bicarbonate.) Obviously, the next thing to do then would be to buy a boot-cleaning kit, wouldn’t it?

And you’d be right. A boot cleaning kit does the job of, well, cleaning boots!

We would recommend you look for foam cleaners. Foam cleaners work well because they prevent your football boots (or shoes) from getting too wet. Getting your football boots too wet changes their shape and can cause damage.

A foam shoe cleaner works better because it doesn’t make your football boots too damp, and they’re much easier to dry too!

If you’re playing away or taking your football boots on tour, you might also want to take some kind of cleaner with you. After all, you don’t want your football boots looking dirty before your game even starts!

It’s a good idea to look for travel shoe cleaning kits, like Boot Buddy, which are easy to carry.

Not to brag or anything, but we’re pretty proud of the fact that not one, not two, but three dragons from Dragons’ Den said yes to Boot Buddy. We absolutely love keeping your football boots clean and long-lasting and helping the environment in the process, so if yu do too, click the button below to find out more about Boot Buddy.