Clean, Protect and Restore Leather Soccer Shoes.
Mar 19 '08
The Bottom Line Clean shoes of dirt, mud, grass, and especially salty sweat.
WaterProof the shoes with a spray or cream.
Restore the natural oils and colors with leather polish, cream or lotion.
Entries from other users have covered this topic well, so I'll just add a few specifics for leather uppers and screw-in soles.
Leather uppers need Cleaning, Protection and Restoration.
Cleaning - Dirt and Mud can destroy the leather itself, and cause problems with stitched seams, and glued parts. So we need to clean off dirt and mud with water, soap, towels, sticks, and/or brushes. But SALT (from sweat) can cause the same problems, so we should clean our leather boots with SOAP and water even if they don't look dirty. Any mild detergent like dishwashing liquid, baby shampoo, castille soap, etc., should work. Rinse well, then stuff with newspaper to dry. "Saddle Soap" is often sold for use on shoes, but it's probably too harsh and drying for the soft leathers on modern soccer shoes.
Protection - It's common to treat leather and suede coats with waterproofing chemicals, and soccer shoes should get the same.
Spray on a waterproofing agent from an aerosol can, or apply with a cloth if you find a liquid or cream waterproofing product. This prevents your salty sweat from penetrating the leather, and it helps keep the boots from becoming heavy and water soaked in the rain. It will also help them dry faster if they do get wet. Some shoes come with "waterproof leather," but that waterproofing doesn't last very long if you don't restore it with regular applications of product.
Restoration - This really has two goals: a) keeping the leather looking nice, and b) maintaining the natural oils, softness, strength and durability of the leather. You might find one product for both these needs, or you might need two.
Fixing the appearance requires a polish, dye or other colored product to cover scuffs and scrapes. Maintaining the leather's good qualities might require an oily or waxy cream, polish or lotion.
If your leather looks dry or cracked, then you definitely need to apply an oily cream or lotion right away. It's just like hand lotion when your hands are dry and cracked. Use the polishes, creams and lotions according to the directions on the package, and wipe away and excess so it doesn't attract dirt. Chelsea Leather Food is a popular product for soccer shoes, but there are plenty of good products out there from Sof-Sole, Kiwi, Griffin, etc.
If you care for your leather uppers, they should last for at least two years of regular play. Problems with leather uppers are usually avoidable, so your goal should be to have your leather uppers last until the outsole becomes worn out, or the sole starts to detach from the upper.
Additonal Tips for Screw-In soles...
Screw-In cleats should be properly tightened. Over-tightening will strip the threads, or extend the screw post up too far into the foot. Under-tightening will allow the screw to wiggle and damage the threads, then perhaps fall out. Water, sweat and dirt can also cause the post to seize inside the threads. A couple of chemicals can help with these requirements.
Some players apply grease to the threads before tightening. This helps the screw fully engage the threads, and prevents rust and corrosion. Other players use blue "Loc-Tite" or a similar thread adhesive. This stuff helps "glue" the screw to the threads, but we'll still be able to remove the screw with normal force. Both of these products help meet the same goal: keeping the screw-in cleats properly tightened for each use, while allowing disassembly when needed.
Try to check each screw-in cleat before and after each use. Always carry your cleat tool and extra cleats, if possible. Don't play in the shoes if there is a problem with any of the cleats, screw posts, or screw holes, because you could quickly ruin the shoes by deforming the screw hole.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
louis315
|
|
Reviews written: 2
Trusted by: 0 members
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.