Basketball shoes, which were earlier designed exclusively for basketball, are now extensively used for other sporting activities such as running, tennis and jumping and we’ll be showing you how to clean your basketball shoes in this article.
In the beginning, basketball shoes were simple in their look with little or no designs on them, but now many styled and uniquely designed basketball shoes brands are available, making its cleaning a bit more delicate. Not merely restricted to sports activities, now people prefer to wear the latest branded basketball shoes for just about anything. The new age basketball shoes give ultimate comfort and are a symbol of latest fashion statement too.
Though meant for strenuous physical exercises, basketball shoes are delicate and are prone to daily wear and tear and frequent laundering. The worse thing is, once even a slight wear and tear happens; it cannot be repaired, unlike leather shoes.
How to Clean Your Basketball Shoes
Considering the cost of Basketball shoes, extensive care is required for them to last longer. This article talks about a few maintenance tips on how to take care of your basketball shoes.
Regular cleaning is a must:
Dirt can not only decrease the longevity of your basketball shoes, causing it also emit one of the worst smells in the world. Hence regular cleaning is mandatory. There are few tricks on how to clean your Basketball shoes. You can opt for a quick wash if the outside of your basketball shoes are dirty while the inside soles don’t smell bad.
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At first, brush off mud or any other loose dirt with the help of a brush. It is a daunting task to remove the scuff marks and other stubborn stains on the rubber soles. You can make a solution of a general household cleaner and tap water, scrub off the marks and dirt with the help of any old toothbrush after dipping it into the solution. Finally, rinse the soles with water.
If you would rather prefer a more specific cleaning solution, there are many types of shoe cleaners, washing liquid and liquid bleach available to clean any strong stain the upper part of basketball shoes. Use a soft toothbrush to apply the cleaners onto the basketball shoe surface and clean them well with tap water. Then wipe the basketball shoes well and dry them out in the direct sunlight. The sunlight helps deodorize the insoles and keep them smelling clean. It also helps to maintain the whiteness of your shoes.
Thorough wash in the washing machine:
It is a good idea to go for a thorough wash of Basketball shoes once in a while and washing machines are best for this purpose. A thorough wash will let go for all the horrible smell of your basketball shoes. However, there are a few points to remember while washing your favorite shoes in the washing machine. They are summarized as follows:
- Always wash Basketball shoes with warm water.
- Make sure to remove the laces and insoles of basketball shoes before washing so as to prevent them from tangling up in the agitator of the washing machine.
- To prevent the rubber soles of your Basketball shoes from making marks on the drum of your washer, you can opt for mesh bags. These mesh bag also prevent your shoes from rubbing each other.
- It is a good idea to use soft towels along with the basketball shoes before putting them onto the washing machine tumble. The towels provide them a sort of cushion support while tumbling.
Drying is equally important:
After cleaning, it is always recommended to dry the shoes with a clean and dry towel. Opt for white porous paper for next phase of drying but before drying, make sure to remove the shoe pad or sock-liner from your Basketball shoes. Sunlight is best for drying. Also, you can dry your Basketball shoes in a well-ventilated area at room temperature.
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Proper maintenance of your basketball shoes is very important and there are many different maintenance ways for different types of shoes. After cleaning your shoes, you only need to allow them to air dry. If there are shoelaces, you should remove them before cleaning and polishing. If you notice an odor from your shoes, you can sprinkle some baking soda inside the shoes. Leave the baking soda in your shoes for a night and shake them out the next morning. You may also place cedar blocks inside your shoes to eliminating the foul smelling odor.
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