Can you wash football boots in the washing machine?

The sports sneakers you just bought look perfect. However, after a couple of games at the stadium, the boots get dirty and stains from dirt and grass appear on them. The most annoying thing is that it is quite difficult to remove dirt from shoes, and if you act illiterately, you can damage an expensive item.

Before you start cleaning your shoes, you should understand how to do it correctly. Let's figure out whether it is allowed to wash football boots in a washing machine and how best to remove stains so as not to spoil the sports equipment.

Preliminary stage

Manufacturers do not recommend machine washing football boots. Firstly, intense rotation in the washing machine can damage the pair of shoes themselves. Secondly, there is a possibility of damage to the drum, especially if the sole of the cross is “studded” with steel spikes.

Poor quality boots will most likely fall apart after the first machine treatment. Even good shoes made from first-class materials can lose their shape. However, despite warnings from manufacturers about possible troubles, many people prefer washing their football sneakers in a machine.

When you decide to throw your boots in the washing machine, it is advisable to purchase a mesh bag for washing shoes.

The bag is sold in regular hypermarkets or hardware stores. The mesh will secure a pair of shoes and relieve the pressure of the sneakers on the drum of the washing machine. You can put football boots in a pillowcase, the effect will be the same. If you neglect this rule, the crosses will “fly” inside the machine, constantly hitting the metal walls.

Before throwing your boots into the washing machine, be sure to:

• wipe their surface with a damp cloth to “brush off” dust;
• clean the sole from dirt;
• remove the laces and insoles.

The sole accumulates a lot of debris, so it is so important to clean it separately before washing. First, tap one shoe against the other to shake off any stuck soil. You should not rub your boots against each other forcefully - metal inserts on the spikes can damage the shoes.

Afterwards, it is better to take a soft brush and carefully remove the stuck dirt. If small pebbles are stuck in the tread, you can clean them out with a match. It is forbidden to “pick” the sole with sharp devices - they can “injure” the rubber.

When a pair of shoes is prepared, you can start machine washing. Let's figure out which mode is best to clean football boots.

Is it worth using the technique?

If the boots are made by a reliable manufacturer that uses the right quality materials, you can try machine washing the pair. It is important to use special liquid gels for washing sports shoes. You should discard regular powder; its granules do not completely dissolve in cold water; some of them remain in the fibers of the material, which is why streaks appear.

By following all the rules and recommendations, you can mitigate the risks of damage to shoes and washing equipment. The automatic washing algorithm should be like this:

• clean the soles of your sneakers from adhering dirt;
• remove the insoles, take out the laces. They are washed separately;
• place the boots in a laundry bag. When there is no mesh, take an old pillowcase;
• Throw your shoes in the washing machine. Place old kitchen towels or T-shirts inside along with the sneakers.The things will act as a counterweight and weaken the impact of the boots on the walls of the drum;
• pour washing liquid into the cuvette;
• select a program. The “Sports Shoes” mode is suitable. If it is absent, it is allowed to start manual or delicate cleaning;
• make sure that the water heating temperature at a given mode does not exceed 40°C;
• turn off the spin or set the speed to four hundred revolutions per minute.

After the cycle is completed, all that remains is to remove the boots from the drum and dry them naturally. If you follow all the rules and recommendations, the risks of unpleasant consequences of machine washing will be minimized.

Not wanting to risk expensive sports shoes and even more valuable household appliances, it is better to clean your sneakers by hand. We'll tell you how to do it correctly.

Traditional cleaning

The most gentle and “caring” way is to clean shoes by hand. Hand washing will remove dirt and other stains while maintaining the shape, appearance and quality of the football boots. The sequence of actions will be as follows:

• make a soap solution - dilute shoe washing gel, shampoo, dish soap or good powder in cool water;
• Remove the laces and soak them separately from the sneakers. Yellowed ribbons can be treated with oxygen bleach or a mixture of water and soda;
• take a soft brush, soak it in the soap solution you made earlier;
• Gently remove dirt from the surface with wet bristles, moving from the holes for the laces to the bottom. This treatment will help to avoid the accumulation of liquid in the material, which will prevent the appearance of streaks;
• if there are individual stains on the surface, treat them with a toothbrush moistened with soapy water;
• Clean the tongue at the very end. It is convenient to wipe off dirt from this part with a dish sponge;
• Rinse your sneakers until the soap suds are completely gone.

The surface of football boots should be wiped carefully, without “injuring” the material. Try not to let water get inside your shoes. After finishing washing, wipe the sneakers with a dry, clean towel.

Cleaning without water

In case of surface contamination, it is advisable to dry clean the products so as not to wet the boots again. Using this method, you can get rid of dust, pieces of adhering grass, dirt and other light contaminants. You will need a shoe brush and an ordinary toothbrush. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• hit your sneakers together to shake off dirt from the soles;
• clean out any remaining debris stuck in the tread;
• put your hand in the shoe and use a dry brush to “walk” along the outside of the shoe;
  
• If there are old stains, carefully treat them with a toothbrush and wipe the problem area with a damp sponge. After drying, repeat the procedure again.

Don't forget to unlace the sneakers before dry cleaning, and then insert the strings back.

If your sneakers are made of water-repellent fabric, you can wipe them with a cloth soaked in water and detergent. Foamy residues are simply wiped off with a dry cloth at the end. In this case, wet processing will not harm the boots.

How to get rid of moisture?

Drying is an equally important step when cleaning football boots. After washing, be sure to wipe wet sports shoes with a dry cloth or towel. Next, the sneakers are placed in a basin or bathtub to drain off excess water.

When the water stops “running” from the boots, you can fill them with clean white paper.It will quickly absorb moisture, significantly speeding up drying. During the first hour, you need to change the parchment as it gets wet. You cannot stuff sheets of newspapers or magazines inside. Printing ink will instantly leave a mark on the material, ruining the appearance of the pair.

It is important that when drying the crosses, bright sunlight does not fall on them. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is destructive, leading to fading of the fabric and thinning of the adhesive layer. It is forbidden to place sports shoes on radiators or near heaters - high temperatures may cause the boots to become deformed.

To dry sports boots, you can use a special electric shoe dryer.

If, after drying the sneakers, you notice that there are stains on the material, you can use a special cleaning foam. The composition should be sprayed on the problem area, wait 3-5 minutes and wipe with a dry cloth. There will be no trace left of the whitish spots.

When the football pair dries, all that remains is to put the insoles back in place and thread the laces. By following the recommendations for washing and drying boots, you can preserve the appearance and properties of the shoes for a long time, even with regular wear.

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