• Understand fit. Shoes, especially leather ones, mold to the foot, allowing for an optimum feel for the ball.
• Start when shoes are right out of the box. Put them on, tie them, and wear them as much as possible before using them in game.
• Hand-wash only. Never put cleats in the washing machine. This breaks down the materials.
• Tap shoes together or against a hard surface to remove mud stuck to the bottoms after use.
• Clean shoes immediately after use. Wipe soiled cleats with a damp cloth.
• Take more drastic measures for very dirty cleats. Soak them in lukewarm, soapy water. Some players even take them into the shower while bathing.
• Apply leather protector, followed by shoe polish, after each cleaning.
• Buff cleats after the polish dries.
• Dry naturally or in front of a dehumidifier. Try stuffing them with newspaper. Never machine-dry.