Unless you don’t use your soccer cleats often, there will always come that time when they start to stink so bad that your self-esteem may become threatened. It is not a question of being carefree or not maintaining your cleats properly.
Well, those may play a role in how fast your cleats will start to smell. However, even if you take good care of your cleats, like cleaning them after every use, you will still get to the point where they will begin to smell.
I have been there and know exactly what it feels like to show up to training with soccer cleats that stink. A smelly cleat can affect your performance and relationship with your teammates.
Some teammates will pretend they don’t perceive the smell out of courtesy but others will not be so nice. My best bet is that you will be the object of jokes for that day.
The privileged few will simply discard the cleats and get a new one. However, we all know that not everyone has the financial muscle to pull that off.
Since you can’t afford to throw your cleats into the trash can, I want to assume that you have tried one or two different tricks to get rid of the smell. Well, if you are reading this, it is obvious that your trick did not work.
Today, I will tell you why your efforts did not yield a positive result as well as give you a detailed guide on the different steps you can take to get rid of that smell.
Quick Navigation
How to make soccer cleats smell better?
The reason why your effort seemed like a total waste of time is that you are focused on getting the smell out rather than dealing with the microorganisms causing the smell.
The rigorous activities of soccer make the players sweat a lot. As you may already know, sweating is the body’s way of getting rid of waste and regulating body temperature.
The body’s sweat usually contains oil that smell-causing organisms metabolize. The combination of these two is usually responsible for the stink.
Any technique used to make soccer cleats smell better should try to remove the oils and smell-causing organisms. Soccer cleats are either made of leather or synthetic material and the techniques you will use to get rid of the smell will differ slightly depending on the material.
Leather soccer cleats
Manufacturers are constantly experimenting with the use of different types of leather for making soccer cleats. Today, leather soccer cleats are grouped into those made with calf leather, goat leather, and kangaroo leather.
Leather soccer cleats will likely get smelly quicker compared to synthetic soccer cleats. Also, it will take more effort to get rid of the smell from leather soccer cleats than it will take to get rid of the smell from synthetic soccer cleats.
Just before you toss your leather soccer cleat into the trash can because of the stink, try the steps we have highlighted below.
1. Clean properly
Ideally, you should clean your soccer cleats after every game and wash and dry them properly after every three or four games. While cleaning may not be much of a problem, soccer cleats will start to smell when they are not properly dried after cleaning.
A thorough clean is the first aid of a smelly soccer cleat. When cleaning your leather cleats, make sure that they are not overly submerged in water.
You want to limit the amount of water that is absorbed by the leather as this will also make the drying faster.
Use a damp towel to wipe off any dirt that may be in the upper or inside the soccer cleat. Pay more attention to the inside of the boots, particularly the hard-to-reach toe area.
If your hand cannot reach the toe area, use a stick to push the damp towel into that area and wipe rigorously. Odor-causing organisms usually hide in those hard-to-reach areas and will continue to grow and cause odor unless you get rid of them.
Don’t just dust off the mud on the outsoles and the stain on the upper and beat your chest that you have properly cleaned your soccer cleat. Follow the standard step-by-step guide to properly clean your cleats without damaging the leather.
2. Let it dry properly
Leather cleats easily soak up moisture and if not dried properly, they can create the right environment for mold and odor-causing bacteria to thrive. If the foul smell returns a day or two after carefully washing your leather cleat, it is likely because you did not dry them properly.
There are over half-a-dozen ways of drying soccer cleats. However, you have to make sure that none of them involve putting soccer cleats close to heat from an open flame or drying them directly under the sun.
Some of the popular ways of drying leather soccer cleats that we strongly recommend include;
- Drying in a shade under natural air
- Hanging the soccer cleats in front of a fan
- Stuffing the inside of the soccer cleat with absorbent napkins
- Using the heat from an incandescent bulb
- Using boot dryer
- The hand or blow dryer method
Regardless of the drying method that you choose, allow the cleats to dry for at least 24 hours before using them again. Some drying techniques will take longer than others.
However, it is important to mention here that quick-dry techniques may not be good for the health of your soccer cleat. One or a combination of the drying methods above should do the trick. Leather soccer cleats should smell better if they are properly dried.
3. Get the smell out of your socks
Soccer socks serve as the barrier between the feet of the soccer player and the cleats. Therefore, they usually absorb the sweat from the soccer player’s feet and transfer it to the soccer cleats.
So, if the socks start to smell, it will transfer that smell to your soccer cleats. Some soccer players have the habit of folding their socks and stuffing them into their cleats as soon as they leave the pitch.
This is bad because the wet socks create a good environment for odor-causing bacteria to breed. If for any reason you cannot or don’t want to change your socks, there are a series of steps you can take to get the smell out of soccer socks.
Also, instead of wearing your regular soccer socks, you should opt for moisture-wicking socks. These socks are designed to absorb moisture and let it evaporate.
They also dry faster compared to your regular soccer socks. However, they will only work if your leather soccer cleats are breathable.
4. Consider changing the insoles
Insoles are designed to cushion the impact of the stud whenever the soccer player takes a step. The majority of them are made with special types of foam.
When they become worn, sweat-carrying odor-causing bacteria get trapped inside the insoles—and it is harder to get rid of organisms trapped in the insoles.
Also, when the insoles are worn out, they trap water and sweat and are harder to dry. This creates a good breeding ground for the foul smell.
Once you notice that your insoles are broken, I highly recommend that you discard them and get new ones. Instead of the regular insoles, replace your old insoles with odor protection insoles.
Odor protection insoles are made with activated charcoal and vents which deal with the odor and improve the smell of your cleats.
- Designed for people who suffer from foot odor and experience discomfort in their feet during the day
- Built with Odor-X Technology, to help keep feet cool, comfortable and odor free
- Aircool Vents - Honeycomb design and breathable wicking top cloth promotes airflow to help your feet...
Last update on 2023-11-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
5. Use deodorizer balls or sprays
If you are looking for a quick way to make your cleats smell better, a deodorizer spray or ball would be your best bet. When used, they immediately fill your soccer cleat with the fragrance of the ball or spray.
Deodorizer spray or ball is easy to use. They come in different fragrances, allowing you to choose exactly how you want your soccer cleats to smell.
Some deodorizer sprays contain anti-bacterial properties, meaning they can kill off the odor-causing bacteria in your soccer cleats. Even more interesting is the fact that you can use it just before heading to the pitch.
All you have to do is get your favorite cleat deodorant spray. Remove the cap and face the nozzle inside of the cleat and press down on the spray head.
The deodorant ball produces the same result but the mode of operation is slightly different. In the case of the deodorant ball, you will have to twist it to open the vents.
Next, insert it into your soccer socks and place the socks containing the ball into your soccer cleat. Allow it to stay there for one hour. Your soccer cleat should have soaked up the smell of the ball and will smell just like you want it.
Last update on 2023-11-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Some deodorizers are quite different from the spray or the ball. These are non-scented and come in the form of a pouch.
All you have to do is toss them into your soccer cleats and let them stay there overnight. They work by destroying odor compounds at the molecular level.
Although they will not give your soccer cleats any fancy smell, they will make sure that the foul odor will no longer be there. Your soccer cleat will either have a leather smell or nothing at all.
- SUPERIOR ODOR ELIMINATION: Eliminate stubborn odors from your footwear, including shoes, sneakers,...
- FRAGRANCE-FREE FRESHNESS: Bid farewell to synthetic fragrances and welcome authentic freshness....
- SAFE & NON-TOXIC: NonScents Shoe Deodorizer bags are meticulously manufactured without any harmful...
Last update on 2023-11-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
6. Use natural odor neutralizers
Perhaps you don’t already know that coffee grounds, baking soda, white vinegar, and tea bags work great as odor neutralizers. If you happen to love coffee as much as I do and keep a good quantity at home, then you can use it to make your soccer cleat smell better.
If you are using coffee grounds, baking soda, or white vinegar, pour two or three tablespoons into your socks. Knot the open end of the socks and toss it into your soccer cleat and allow it to stay there overnight.
For tea bags, just get one to three tea bags and toss them into each of the soccer cleats. Allow them to stay there overnight. The next morning, you will notice that your socks no longer have that foul smell.
Instead of the foul smell, you will notice that your soccer cleat has taken up the coffee smell or the smell of any other natural odor neutralizer you used. Airing the cleats afterward will help to reduce the newly acquired smell if it turns out too strong for you.
Cloves are also good natural odor neutralizers. However, unlike the other natural odor neutralizers that we mentioned, cloves have antibacterial properties.
Thus, in addition to neutralizing the odor, they will also kill off the odor-causing bacteria. Simply place the cloves in a thin cloth and toss them into your soccer cleats and let them stay overnight.
Lemon peels also work magic in eliminating the bad smell from your soccer cleat. Peel off the outer layer of the lemon and place it inside your soccer cleat. Allow it to stay overnight.
7. Give boot tree a try
Boot trees are designed to be used for stretching leather boots as well as keeping the shape of leather boots from collapsing during storage. In addition to this, they also absorb moisture from boots.
These properties can come in handy with your soccer cleats, especially if the smell from your soccer cleat is due to improper drying. Interestingly, the majority of boot trees are carved from the cedar tree.
This tree has a pleasant fragrance. So, when you leave the boot tree in your soccer cleat overnight, they will leave their pleasant smell in the cleats. This should be able to fight the foul odor and make your soccer cleats smell better.
- TOP RATED - American Red Cedar Wood
- GROWN IN THE USA. - All our cedar wood is exclusively from American farmers.
- TOP QUALITY. Providing only the highest level of shoe care, the Stratton Cedar Shoe Tree is expertly...
Last update on 2023-11-10 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Synthetic soccer cleats
Unlike leather cleats, synthetic cleats are usually made of artificial materials that are not sourced from animals. Those who are against animal cruelty will easily pick synthetic soccer cleats over leather.
However, manufacturers of synthetic soccer cleats are also innovating. Thus, newer synthetics don’t have some of the problems faced by earlier versions.
Nevertheless, one problem that synthetic soccer cleats don’t face as much as the leather cleat is dryness. Synthetics don’t soak up moisture like leather. Therefore, when they smell bad, it is usually not from wetness.
All the techniques we mentioned to make leather soccer cleats smell better will work for synthetic soccer cleats too. However, there are two other ways to make soccer cleats smell better which we think are more suitable for synthetics and not leather.
1. Freezing
If your soccer cleat still gives off an awful smell after washing, it simply means that whatever washing technique you used may not have killed the odor-causing bacteria. Freezing may just be the right technique to fix that.
The principle behind freezing is that the organisms that cause your cleats to stink will not survive in cold temperatures. This technique may not be suitable for leather cleats because of the possibility of moisture build-up.
Also, too low temperatures may cause the leather to shrink and crack. With synthetics, those problems will likely not happen.
You can also wrap the cleats in a Ziploc bag before putting them in your freezer to further prevent moisture buildup. When you remove the cleats after 12 to 24 hours, you should get a fresh smell.
2. Use powder
Baby powder can also be used in your synthetic soccer cleat. Although you can also use it in your leather soccer cleat, getting rid of the powder, in the end, may be more challenging with leather cleats than synthetics.
For powder, remove the insoles and sprinkle a generous quantity on them. Replace the insoles and allow the powder to stay there for 12 to 24 hours.
It should soak up any moisture in the cleats and fill your cleats with a baby powder fragrance.
Conclusion
As you can see, it is possible for your soccer cleats to still smell bad even after a thorough wash by hand or using a washing machine. That doesn’t mean you did not do a good job. Rather, it simply means that you have not identified the cause of the stink.
Using one or a combination of the techniques we highlighted should make your soccer cleats smell better. However, if in the end they all fail, the problem may be from your foot rather than from the soccer cleat.
We will suggest that you contact your podiatrist immediately for proper diagnosis and onward treatment.
Hi there, I’m Jay.
Soccer is everything in my life! My friends and I have created this blog with all our enthusiasm, passion, and understanding after years of playing pro soccer. Hope you will enjoy it!