What is the best way to keep my golf shoes clean? The last thing I want to do after a long round of golf is clean my shoes.
But before enjoying an ice-cold beer at the clubhouse there is some essential golf shoe maintenance you can do.
It is helpful to read the care label on the inside of the shoe. This will provide much-needed insight into the type of care your golf shoes needs.
Sometimes there are special cleaning instructions on the care label. The cleaning requirements will differ depending on the type of golf shoe you wear.
What You Will Need
- Shoe cleaner, depending on the materials your golf shoes are made out of
- Shoe polish
- Cloth and brush
- Soap
- Water
How To Effectively Clean Your Golf Shoes
- Remove The Shoelaces
There is often built-up dirt around the holes where your shoelaces are threaded through.
It is easy enough to wash your shoelaces separately in a basin. To whiten them up, you can add some baking soda to the water.
When washing your laces, check to see how worn out they are. It is a good idea to replace them before they become a breaking hazard.
- Wipe Your Golf Shoes Down Before Washing Them
If your golf shoes are dusty, you just make a muddy mess by washing them straight away.
You can use a cloth or brush to dust off any excess dirt. A wet wipe also works well to remove debris.
You can concentrate on the creases and shoelace holes.
- Scrubbing With Soap And A Cloth
Once the first two steps are complete, you can start with the real cleaning.
Add soap to lukewarm water. Wet your cloth and wipe your shoe. Do not fully submerge your shoe into the water.
Always use a brush with soft bristles to avoid scratching your golf shoes.
Concentrate on the creases and shoelace holes. You can use the brush to scrub the sole of your golf shoes.
Once the shoe is clean, dry it off with a fresh towel. Make sure you remove all the soap and residue.
- Drying Your Golf Shoes
Never dry your golf shoes in direct sunlight. A shady spot outside is the best option.
You can stuff the inside of your golf shoe with newspaper. If your shoe does get wet it will help to dry them out quickly.
- Now For The Shoe Polish
Once your golf shoes are clean and dry, check them for scuff marks.
Using shoe polish on your golf shoes will help to cover up any unwanted marks. It also aids in protecting the material of your golf shoes in the long run.
- Cleaning Leather Golf Shoes
- Wipe them down after every round of golf
- Put shoe trees inside your golf shoes. This helps to maintain the suppleness of the leather
- Soap will damage the leather, only use a leather conditioner
- Using a magic eraser will help to remove marks
- The magic eraser is used in conjunction with water. Once wet, easily wipe the dirt away
- Always polish your leather golf shoes after cleaning them
- Cleaning Mesh Golf Shoes
Mesh shoes are more flexible when it comes to cleaning methods.
Hand Washing
- As we spoke about above, using the soap water and cloth method
- Remember to remove your shoelaces
- Mesh golf shoes can be fully submerged in water
- Note that completely wet shoes will take much longer to dry
- Use newspaper to dry your mesh golf shoes initially
- Remove the damp newspaper and replace it with your shoe trees
- This helps to maintain the shape and integrity of your mesh golf shoes
Machine Washing
- Check the care label to see if they are allowed to be machine washed
- Remove the shoelaces and inner sole
- Wipe down the mesh with a damp soapy cloth
- Use an old toothbrush or soft-bristled brush to rub on laundry detergent
- Concentrate on the heavy stains
- Always put your golf shoes into a washing bag
- Wash on the delicate cycle
- Air-dry shoes in a shaded spot
- Cleaning Canvas Golf Shoes
- Remove shoelaces
- Wipe down with soapy water and a cloth
- Use a soft-bristled brush
- Carefully dip your canvas golf shoe into the water for a couple of seconds
- And then rinse with small amounts of water
- Use a towel to gently squeeze water out of the canvas
- Use the towel to gently dry the golf shoes as much as possible
- Air-dry the canvas gold shoes in a shaded spot
- Clean your shoelaces with a brush and hang them out to dry
Golf Shoe Maintenance Tips
- Rotating between two pairs of golf shoes will help extend the lifespan
- Having two or more pairs of shoes also assists you when your golf shoes are wet. You always have a dry pair to wear.
- The use of a shoehorn will protect the heel when putting your golf shoes on
- If the golf shoe heel is damaged, it can become uncomfortable and cause blisters
- Always check that your cleats are properly tightened. DO NOT overtighten your cleats
- Ask for assistance in the golf shop for proper cleat tightening and care
- Leaving your golf shoes in the trunk of your car or in the sun will damage the shoe materials and decrease the lifespan
- Placing shoe trees inside of them after every use will help you to maintain the integrity of the golf shoes
- Untie your shoelaces after every round ofo golf
- Golf shoes are part of your golf equipment and must be treated as such
Conclusion
Keeping your golf shoes clean is easy. But you need to make it part of your golf day routine.
By cleaning your golf shoes, you protect your feet from bacteria. Golf shoes are worn for extended periods of time.
By cleaning and caring for your golf shoes you are also extending their life span.
If you look after your shoes, they will look after your feet.
