Cleaning and caring for your leather rugby and football boots can make all the difference to the lifespan you get from them. Learn how to clean your boots with our handy guide.

Follow our simple guide to learn how to clean muddy football boots quickly and easily.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

A bucket of warm water

A soft cloth (or towel)

An old toothbrush

Bicarbonate or baking soda

Leather restorer/conditioner

1. After playing, loosen your laces and take your boots off. Even though it is tempting, don’t kick them off at the heel!
2. Remove loose dirt by (carefully) knocking your boots together outside.
3. Use an old toothbrush to remove any grass or dried mud from the sides and bottom of the boots.
4. Wipe the football boots with a damp cloth to remove smaller particles of dirt. Use warm rather than hot water to dampen the cloth, as hot water can stiffen leather boots, making them crack.
5. If your boots are wet, stuff the insides with newspaper to help keep the shape of the boot and to help extract any moisture. Leave them on a towel to dry. If the boots are very wet, you may need to replace the newspaper daily.
6. Once your boots are fully dry, treat them with a leather restorer or conditioner to extend the life of the leather.
7. 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.
8. Sprinkle a teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda into each shoe, shake well to ensure the powder penetrates down to the toe and all over the inside of the shoe, and leave overnight. Empty the powder before putting the boots back on.