Football boots are prone to getting pretty dirty. Removing dried mud and other dirt will help prolong the boots’ lifespan and remove odours, so knowing how to clean them is a must.
Of course, this begs the question, can you put football boots in the washing machine? Let’s take a look.
Can You Put Football Boots in the Washing Machine?
You can put football boots in the washing machine if they don’t have any leather components.
Synthetic materials should be fine to be machine washed, provided it’s on a delicate cycle.
Make sure you check your boots’ specific cleaning instructions before trying to machine wash them.
As you might already know, leather items can’t be put in the washing machine. This is because they get stiff and brittle, and over time the leather will crack.
Luckily, football boots are mostly made from synthetic materials now, as they’re cheaper to produce and generally perform better.
Is It Safe to Put Football Boots in the Washing Machine?
If your football boots are synthetic, you should be fine to put them in the washing machine.
However, be aware of the studs, as they can damage your machine if the boots are put on too high a spin cycle. If you can remove them, do so before washing your football boots.
To wash your football boots in the washing machine, follow this general guide:
- Remove loose dirt and debris with a stiff brush.
- Put the boots in a mesh bag or pillowcase – one for each boot. This will help reduce potential damage to your washing machine.
- Add a small amount of mild laundry detergent.
- Wash the boots on a cold and quick cycle. A delicates cycle at 30 degrees Celsius should be fine, but if you can manually adjust the spin speed, turn it down fairly low.
- After taking them out of the machine, stuff them with newspaper or similar to help the boots retain their shape.
Spot-Cleaning Football Boots
To clean leather boots, use something like Cadillac Leather Cleaner. It’ll help lift stains while conditioning the leather. You should then use some Crep Protect spray to waterproof them.
If you just need to spot-clean synthetic football boots, use warm water with a couple of drops of dish soap. Applied with either a sponge or a small brush, you should be able to remove minor stains and marks.
Regardless of whether you’ve machine washed or spot-cleaned your football boots, they need to be completely dry before you store them.
Don’t tumble dry or use a hair dryer, as these could damage the boots. Ideally, put them in a warm breezy spot away from direct sunlight, and they should dry fairly quickly.
Final Thoughts
Football boots can go in the washing machine if they’re not leather. However, the best way to tell is to check the specific cleaning instructions on your boots. If you can’t find any, just clean them by hand to reduce the risk of damage to the material.
Jacob is a writer based in Wales, where he lives with his partner and two dogs. All his work is fuelled by extensive research and buckets of coffee.
