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It’s important to be comfortable in your cricket shoes in order to be at your best on the field and keeping your shoes in optimum condition can also prevent serious injury.
I’ve already produced a guide on how to choose cricket shoes and, in this round up, I’ll take a look at how you can maintain them. Firstly, you’ll need some equipment including a dry brush and a cleaning cloth. I keep these separate from any other general cleaning items in the house.
How to Clean and Wash Cricket Shoes?
For those of us who aren’t playing at a professional level and aren’t lucky enough to have sponsored equipment, it’s unlikely that we will be buying shoes every season. For that reason, the maintenance process is essential in order to extend their life.
I start with cleaning and washing: Note here that I have fabric shoes which are the most common and they can be the easiest to clean.
- Remove any excess mud with a dry brush.
- Clean the rest of the dirt with a solution of water and washing up liquid.
- Use a blotting action rather than soaking the shoes as they will take too long to dry.
If you have leather shoes:
- Use a solution of vinegar mixed with water.
- Once again, dab the dirt rather than soak.
Finally, in case of mesh shoes:
- The recommended solution is vinegar mixed with baking soda.
- In this situation, dab on to the dirty areas and leave for 20 minutes.
- Then scrub off with a dry brush.
How to Clean the Spikes on Cricket Shoes?
In any game of cricket, spikes can attract a build up of grass, mud and other natural debris. I’d recommend that you clean and maintain these after every game. Some of that debris can be removed by hand but some it will require some external equipment.
A toothbrush is a handy tool for getting rid of mud and grass. Obviously you’ll need a separate piece of equipment to your regular toothbrush. Anything that remains can be removed with a dry cloth. If the spike can be unscrewed, you can consider doing this for any mud or grass that remains stubborn and tough to remove.
Tips for Taking Care of Cricket Shoes
Cleaning the shoes and maintaining the spikes are the main processes that players need to take. However, there are other points to keep in mind and here are some more of my tips:
- Replace any missing studs immediately
- If the shoes are losing their grip, look to replace the set of studs or spikes
- Never use a washing machine
- Always air dry your shoes
- Carry out all of these tips as soon as possible following a game
The quicker that you act, the sooner your shoes will get back into peak performance condition. Delays can cause irreparable damage.
Closing Thoughts
Many players say that the bat is the most important piece of cricket equipment but, shoes would certainly come a close second. I can remember playing in ill-fitting shoes at school and having to suffer the consequences after a match.
When playing in adult cricket, I made sure that I purchased the best shoes that I could afford and that I maintained them properly. I’d urge you to do the same by following this guide.
