Boxing boots are an incredibly important piece of boxing equipment. They help to ensure that boxers have enough traction and enough ankle support to comfortably move around the ring and create the angles they need to get their shots off. Therefore taking correct care of them and ensuring that they are properly maintained is essential.
When constantly used during training sessions and fight nights, it is common for your boots to become slightly dirty or take on a slightly abnormal smell. However, this is your warning that maybe it is time to get out the cleaning supplies.
In this article, we will detail why you need to clean your boxing boots, what makes boxing boots smell so bad, as well as detailing some tips and tricks for cleaning your boots.
Why Do You Need To Clean Your Boxing Boots?
Boxing training is incredibly intense. Sessions are full of high-intensity workouts that prohibit a large amount of sweat. With sweat, comes moisture and with moisture comes foul smells. Therefore, boxing boots are no stranger to odours. Hence why regularly cleaning your boots or having preventative measures in place to stop such smells is vital.
In addition to this, regular cleaning must also be required to help maintain the condition, structure and performance of the boot. Poor hygiene and irregular cleaning can make materials break down much quicker. This can therefore shorten the overall lifespan of the boot meaning that they will have to be replaced more regularly.
What Makes Boxing Boots Smell So Bad?
The main reason behind the foul smells that can often come from boxing boots is moisture and dampness. When taking part in intense workouts feet can become incredibly hot and sweaty and can therefore cause a huge amount of moisture within the boot. If they are not allowed to properly air out and dry then a huge amount of bacteria will build up within the boot and thus cause the vile smells.
Tips & Tricks For Cleaning Boxing Boots
Cleaning your boxing equipment can seem like a very daunting and mundane task. However, its importance cannot be underestimated. Our experts have put together some tips and tricks to help simplify and improve the cleaning process of your boxing boots.
Never Wear Boxing Boots Outside
One common mistake that many boxers make that can lead to the quick deterioration of a pair of boxing boots is wearing them outdoors. Whether it is simply wearing them from the car to the gym door or training outdoors, wearing boxing-specific boots outside can cause significant deterioration.
The boots are crafted using lightweight materials and sole rubbers that are specially designed to be used on padded surfaces such as a training gym or a ring. Therefore using the boots on harder or outdoor surfaces can begin to wear down the materials and significantly reduce the support, comfort, and performance of the footwear.
Therefore, making sure that you have a spare pair of shoes to wear to the gym and then put on after your session can significantly lengthen the lifespan of the boots. This will then ensure that you are not having to buy new boots constantly.
Have A Regular Cleaning Routine
A consistent cleaning routine is one of the best ways to ensure your boxing boots are as clean and well-maintained as possible. While this may sound extremely time-consuming, it doesn't have to be. In fact, having a very simple and very quick cleaning routine that is done after each wear will help to avoid the need of a more time-consuming and in-depth clean.
This routine should include very simple tasks such as wiping down after use, brushing off any dirt or debris, leaving out to dry and other very simple surface cleans. These very simple tasks that should take as little as a few minutes can help to ensure that your boots are properly maintained and always clean.
Do Not Avoid Deep Cleans
If you avoid the regular smaller cleans then much more in-depth cleans are needed to properly maintain your boots. These in-depth cleans should be completed on a monthly basis to ensure that there are no unwanted smells or a build-up of bacteria. To perform a deep clean on your boxing boot you should follow these 5 simple steps.
Step 1 - Create a soapy solution and then pour it into a spray bottle
Step 2 - Spray the soapy solution onto a cloth and then gently scrub down the boot
Step 3 - Scrub the boot in small circular motions until the whole boot has been treated
Step 4 - With a dry cloth wipe off all of the excess soap
Step 5 - Leave out to dry away from direct sunlight
This simple 5 step deep cleaning process will help to ensure that your boots are completely clean and smell great. This not only allows them to always look brand new but also helps to ensure that they last the test of time and the constant wear and tear of boxing training.
Use Deodorizers To Help Control Odours
Another very simple, yet very practical, maintenance tip is to use deodorizers. Deodorizers are very effective pieces of equipment that are specially designed for both boxing gloves and boxing boots to help eradicate any foul odours and keep them smelling fresh.
Brands such as No Stink brought these incredible products to the market that can both remove moisture and kill bacteria caused by excess sweating from gloves and boots. Using them is incredibly simple. Simply slip the No Stink deodorizer into your boot and let it work its magic.
Leave Out To Dry Away From Direct Sunlight
While leaving your boxing boots out in direct sunlight after a sweaty session may seem like the right thing to do, consistently doing this can cause more harm than good. All boxing equipment should be left out to dry away from direct sunlight. In fact, the best time for you to air out the equipment would be overnight.
This is because the direct sunlight can over time start to damage the boxing boots. Prolonged exposure to UV can begin to both fade and discolour your boots giving the boots a much more worn and aged look. In addition to this, the direct sunlight's heat can also dry out the boot's material which can then cause it to become weak and brittle. This therefore has a significant impact on the quality and the comfortability of the boot.
High-Quality Boxing Boots & Cleaning Equipment From Geezers Boxing
Here at Geezers Boxing, we stock a huge range of the highest quality boxing boots & boot-cleaning equipment from the industry's leading brands such as Nike boxing, Adidas Boxing and No Stink. In addition to this, we also stock our very own range of high-quality Geezers Boxing boots that have been that incorporate style, performance and affordability.
