Finally, you’ve found the perfect new pair of Nike basketball shoes for your game. But confused about how to clean the shoes?
Or, you’re using Nike basketball shoes for a couple of months. But now they look old.
Relax!
We’re here to assist you.
It’s proven that mud and dirt trapped in the shoes impede your gaming achievement on the court. Muds also lose your traction during a game.
If you consider your personal appearance, can you imagine how much it affects?
You’re wearing a bright, attractive uniform, but all this brightness will lose its luster if your basketball shoes look messy.
Obviously, you’ve already realized the importance of wearing neat and clean basketball shoes on your court.
Keep reading our article to know how to clean your Nike basketball shoes. It will help you to look your best as well as injury-free when you’re shooting hoops.
When you’re cleaning your basketball shoes, it’s important to take care of with the appropriate method.
Things You Will Need:
- Soft-bristled brush
- Water
- Nylon Sponge
- Paper towels
- Mild soap
Things To Know
- The most necessary thing you’ll need while cleaning your shoes is water and mild soap.
- You may use cleansers that don’t contain any chemicals.
- Chemicals in soap may potentially damage your shoes. So, instead of mild soap, you may prefer Purpose soap or Jergens Mild Soap.
- Avoid using bleach or harsh cleaning solutions.
- Don’t use anything too tough or stiff.
- Nike recommends not to use a machine wash or dryer to clean and dry Nike basketball shoes.
- Don’t put your shoes near a heat source while air drying. It may cause the shoes to change their shape.
Follow The Steps To Clean Your Nike Basketball Shoes
Step 1: Remove The Excess Dirt And Mud
For this, you’ll need a soft-bristled brush. You may also use an old tooth or shoe brush. Using this brush remove the dried, loose dirt from your basketball shoe that is attached to it.
For this process, the boot brush works great. Rub the brush back and forth over the outsoles. Try to do this outside, otherwise, it will make a big mess indoors.
Try to clean the outsoles as soon as possible after your shoes are unguarded to dirt. It will prevent staining.
Step 2: Remove The Dirt Residue
For this, you’ll need a damp cloth. First, keep the shoes in a sink. Rub the soles with a damp cloth to take out any of the dirt residues.
Remove the accumulated dirt from the cloth by washing the cloth in between with clear water. Repeat the process of cleaning the outsoles with the cloth until there are any signs of dirt on the soles.
Step 3: Prepare Some Lather
Before going to the next step, you’ll need to prepare some lather. To prepare it, fill a sink with warm water and add a small amount of laundry detergent. Remember, you’ll need a mildly soapy liquid, so don’t add too much soap.
If your basketball shoes are Nike Flyknits, you should avoid warm water. Because warm water may damage the fabric. Use cold water instead.
Moreover, you should use a mild cleanser instead of laundry detergent. Because the chemicals of laundry detergent may affect the dye in the Flyknit fabric.
Step 4: Clean The Sides And Top Of The Shoes
At this step, you’ll need a damp cloth and scrubber sponge (nylon). To remove dirt from the sides and top of the shoes use a damp cloth.
Add a little dish soap to a damp scrubber sponge (nylon) to remove the extra stubborn stains or using lather by a sponge, washcloth, or microfiber cloth to scrub the outer side of the shoe.
Wash the sponge periodically to clean the dirt. Repeat the process until the dirt and stains go away completely.
Avoid using too much liquid.
Step 5: Remove Grease Spots From The Shoes
You’ll need a melamine foam sponge. Melamine Sponges are available in the cleaning aisle of the supermarket.
Lightly wipe the outer part of your basketball shoes with a damp melamine foam sponge. It will help you to remove the grease spots or tar or any other dirt from the shoes.
Step 6: Dry The Shoes
Keep the shoes out to air in a well-ventilated room. At room temperature, the shoes will dry.
You can use a blow dryer to speed up the drying process a bit. Be careful to keep the blower on the cold setting. You can also put the shoes in a sunny spot. But avoid using a dryer.
You can choke your shoes with paper towels to keep their shape as usual. But In this process, they will take a longer time to dry.
To dry the shoes faster, put a tumble dryer fabric sheet in each shoe.
If you’ve basketball sneakers, absorb the water with a soft cloth. Using the cloth, take off the water as possible.
Cleaning The Insoles:
Step 1: drench the insoles
Soak through the insoles with water. Do the process gently, otherwise, these will be damaged or peeled off.
Step 2: Brush the insoles
Spill a little laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid onto the insoles. Using a small brush or toothbrush, rub them gently.
Step 3: Cleanse the insoles
Using cold water clean the insoles. Gently pour water on them until all the soap gets out of the insoles.
Step 4: Dry the insoles
Place the insoles on the top of a towel. Fold the rest part of the towel over the insoles and press down. It will help the insole to dry. Keep the insole in a well-ventilated room or in front of a fan.
Keep Your Basketball Shoes Clean On The Go
If you like to keep your basketball shoes looking new for a long time, get the dirt off your shoes immediately after you get it on them. Baby wipes, pencil erasers, and inserts can help you to keep your shoes clean on the go.
Baby wipes:
Carry baby wipes with you while you are on the go. Baby wipes are very soft. Remove the filth from your shoes quickly and easily as soon as possible using baby wipes.
Pencil eraser:
A very convenient way of getting rid of scuffs and scratches on the rubber parts of your basketball shoes is using a pencil eraser. The process is very simple. Just rub the eraser on the scratch mark on your shoes.
Inserts:
Stiff paper and cardboard are very useful to put in your shoes when you’re not wearing them. It will help the shoes to maintain their shape while they’re off your feet.
Conclusion
Flyknits, Sneakers, or Running– whatever the Nike basketball shoes you’ve, only proper cleaning makes the shoes look newer. Following the perfect cleaning process will also prolong their life. When cleaning the shoes, be careful to follow the appropriate method.
