How to look after your football boots

Neglect
It may well be that the first thing you want to do when you finish a game - win, lose or draw - is pull the football boots off your aching feet and forget about them until your next match.

Try not to do this. If you neglect your boots they wont last as long as you might expect. They might also let you down in the middle of a match. So instead, you need to look after them.

Undo the laces
Caring for your boots actually starts before you take them off. Undo your laces and create plenty of slack. You can then simply slip your feet out. If you wrench your boots off in a hurry, you risk loosening and possibly even tearing the stitching.

Synthetic boots
With synthetic football boots you can follow many of the same techniques as you would for leather (see below). There are some things you must definitely not do, however.

• Do not rub the boots with anything abrasive
• Do not use a detergent on the boots
• Do not try to nourish the boots with Dubbin or oil - they dont need it

Always check any cleaning advice that the manufacturer of your synthetic boots may give you.

Leather
Leather boots are waterproof but they dont like remaining wet for long periods. Therefore make sure you clean away all particles of dirt with a dry cloth. If youre struggling to remove dirt from any crevices, try carefully rubbing the boots with a toothbrush.

Once youve cleaned the dirt from your boots, put newspaper inside them. The newspaper will help your boots keep their shape while they dry.

Most importantly, dont try to speed up the drying process by putting your football boots by a source of heat such as a fire. If you do, your boots will become stiff, may crack, and will eventually fall apart. Put your boots to one side and let them dry naturally.

When your boots are dry, put grease on the studs and polish the leather upper. The grease will help keep dirt from the studs, and the polish will help you retain the boots colour.

Polish usually takes a day or so to seep into the leather. Once it has done so, nourish the boots still further with Dubbin or suitable oil. This way, your football boots will remain comfortable, water-resistant and in peak condition.