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badminton shoes maintenance

How to Maintain and Take care of Badminton Shoes

Badminton shoes aren’t exactly cheap. Here’s the ultimate guide to caring for, cleaning & maintaining your badminton shoes to get the most value for your money.


  Your badminton shoes will serve you well if you maintain and take care of them properly. If you misuse and mistreat your shoes, they will not last long and will probably harm your feet and cause painful bruises.

As you might already know, badminton shoes can get worn out and lose traction over time. It's part of natural wear & tear that depends on the type of court you play in. However, the last thing you want is to throw away a good pair of shoes that you spent oodles of cash on just because their soles have lost grip.

Ideally, your badminton shoes should last anything between 6 months and two years before you replace them. How can you make sure that your shoes last longer than that? There’s no shortcut but to take great care of your favourite pair.

That’s why we put together this handy guide to expound on tips, hacks, and expert advice on how to maintain, clean and care for your badminton shoes so that you can get a bang for your top dollar.

Before we delve in, it is important to note that badminton is a largely indoor game, but there are a few folks who like to hit the birdie around in the great outdoors. They have to deal with heavy winds and tricky drafts, though. If you belong to this camp that likes to practice on grassy or turf outdoor grounds, you can train, exercise or play with your proper shoes.

For outdoor lovers, the only important factor to keep in mind is that your shoes should be designed to lower your CoG (centre of gravity) so you don’t have to exert too much and hurt yourself. Whether you plan to play indoors or outdoors, it is crucial to know the difficulties you might face and buy the right shoes to match the type of court you will most likely play in.


How to Keep your Badminton Shoes Looking like New

You paid your hard-earned money for your badminton shoes and select the best badminton shoes. So, it is only natural to want to keep them longer in that like-new condition. Here are tried-and-true tips on how to do that:

(1) Keep Tea Bags Inside Them to Maintain that Fresh Smell

The scent or smell of brand-new badminton shoes can be truly awesome. Sweat and other odours can make your shoes stink. To get rid of the stink issue, be sure to place a couple of tea bags in your shoes overnight and in between training sessions.

tea bags inside shoes


(2) Use Shoes Protector Spray

Right out of the box, you should spray your badminton shoes with water/stain repellent or a protector. It’ll be worth your investment. The protector will keep at bay an assortment of everyday dirt, rain, grime, and other elements. This is especially crucial if you bought white shoes.

Most shoe protectors will last for one to two months, depending on how much you wear and treat your shoes. The trick, however, is to apply two coatings and reapply after every wash (at least once a month).


  (3) Spot Clean Hard-to-Remove Stains

Badminton is a fairly clean game unless you prefer to play or practice outside. Even still, your shoes can develop stubborn stains with time. The best way to eliminate them and return your shoes to their like-new condition is to spot-clean the spots with mild sneaker shampoo using a soft bristle toothbrush.

Wipe off removed stains with a damp clean cloth or towel. Do this until the stubborn stain is no more. Make sure to rinse the damp cloth after every wipe.


  (4) Re-Stuff your Shoes when Not in Use

Toe creases, dents, and folds can ruin the fantastic shape of your badminton shoes. After every wear and when not in use, make sure to restuff your shoes before tucking them away in a dry, cool place. This is even better if you hold onto the stuffing that came with your shoes. If you don’t have them, you can use old newspapers, magazines or scrunched-up tissue papers.

restuff shoes


  (5) Never Machine Wash or Use a Dryer

There are two things that should never happen to your badminton shoes: 1) machine washing and 2) machine drying. These can gravely damage the canvas, gum or leather construction of your shoes. Besides, the stitching will most likely come off in the process.


  (6) Get Rid of Scratches with Nail Polish Remover

For this, you’ll need a soft applicator like q-tips and nail polish remover. To eliminate any eyesores or scratch marks on your shoes, damp your Q-tips lightly in nail polish remover. Press the wet q-tips gently on the marks to give your shoes its original lustre.


  (7) Insert Crumpled-Up Tissue Paper to Dry Properly

The last thing you want is to wear your badminton shoes before they are properly dry. If you are in a hurry, place some crumpled-up newspapers or tissue papers to wick away the excess moisture and quicken drying time.


  (8) Pack in a Shower Cap

Most badminton shoes get dirty and spotty when they are carried in gym bags or backpacks. They can easily get torn by your racket and other paraphernalia. To avoid this, pack your badminton shoes in hotel-style shower caps. This will ensure your shoes are clean and packed well.


shower cap

  How to Maintain the Soles of your Badminton Shoes

Badminton shoe soles can take a toll from elements, hard surfaces, and mostly friction. Soles can get worn out, crack or even lose traction if you don’t take great care of them.

Here are top hacks on how to maintain the soles and ensure they last longer and have a good grip:

(1) Clean your Soles Properly


Not cleaning your soles or the court can impact negatively the grip of your badminton shoes. There’s an easy and effective way you can clean them.
First, you need to get rid of the loose dirt on your soles with a dry, soft brush. Once the dirt is removed, wipe it off your sole with a wet piece of cloth or a damp towel.

There’s always hard-to-reach dirt that’ll remain. You can use a sharp object to get rid of them. Ultimately, you want the patterns on the soles to remain intact and free from dirt.

(2) Apply Glue to Maintain Traction


This should be simple, but even a small mistake can ruin your shoe soles. Take some quality glue (there are several brands dedicated to this type of project) and blend well with clean water. The final step is to apply the glue-water mixture on the soles of your shoes, which will eventually improve the grip.

(3) Avoid Wearing your Badminton Shoes Outside


Dirt and dust stuck in your soles can affect the grip and traction of your shoes. That probably happens when you wear your shoes while walking, playing or skidding outside. As such, you should remove your shoes as soon as you step outside the court if you are serious about maintaining the soles.

(4) Use a Sticky Mat to Restore Traction


If your shoe soles are losing serious traction, you might consider using sticky mats. These are meant to remove dirt under the soles and help increase the grip. Oftentimes that means you should have your mat by the courtside so you can step on it every time you feel that you’re losing traction.


caring

  Tips for Caring and Cleaning Badminton Shoes

Want to keep your badminton shoes looking attractive and exquisite and lengthen their life? Keep on reading.


  Tip #1: How to Properly Clean Badminton Shoes

The secret to long-lasting badminton shoes lies in regular cleaning. You should use the right type of brush, soap, and technique to prevent damage and ensure immaculate results. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Step 1. Gather Everything You Need
For best results, you will need soap or regular detergent, a wash rag/sponge/towel, shampoo, a brush, and a wash basin. Of course, you can use your regular sink.

Step 2. Removing Large Pieces of Dirt

Your badminton shoes can have grime, mud, gum and other large pieces of dirt. You should use a brush that’s dry to get rid of excess dirt. Alternatively, you can use a dry scrub brush, basic toothbrush or anything at your disposal that can do the job.

Step 3. Preparing Wash Mixture

Fill your basin or sink to 3/4 full with lukewarm water. Note that it should not be too hot or too cold. Mix your detergent or soap into water. This will create nice, warm and soapy water.

Step 4. Prep your Shoes

You’ll not wash your badminton shoes as is. First, you’ll need to undo the laces and remove the insoles. Put them aside because these are going to be cleaned separately.

Step 5. The Cleaning Begins!

Soak your wash rag/cloth/towel/sponge in warm, soapy water. Clean the dirt, sports, and grime directly. Care should be taken to avoid wetting parts of the shoes made from foam or leather (not many badminton shoes do). Take advantage of the detergent solution to scrub out and get rid of tough stains.
A few things to keep in mind …

  1. A quality toothbrush can come in especially useful when you need to scrub out difficult-to-reach spots, stubborn stains and clean around the shoe's tongue.
  2. You can also use wet wipes and a magic eraser to target problematic spots
  3. Shampoo can help you get rid of oily spots, grime, and grease that might have ended on your shoes.

Step 6. Wiping Clean
Rinse the washcloth/towel/sponge with clean water then use it to wipe your shoes. This will remove excess soap alongside washing away dirt.

Step 7. Cleaning the Laces

The laces could be dirty too. You should clean them properly. Prepare a bowl containing a little bleach and hot water. You can throw in your dirty shoelaces for around six minutes, and it should work like a charm. Put the lace back into the shoes, and you will notice that their like-new appearance has been restored.

Step 8. Air Drying your Badminton Shoes

Again, you should never ever use a clothes dryer to dry your shoes, no matter the type. For your badminton shoes, the best way is to air dry them for around one full day (24hrs). That’s not to say that you should dry your shoes in direct sunlight -- that’ll cause your shoes to wrinkle or develop discolouration.


  Tip #2: How to Maintain Freshness

If you leave your shoes in a damp place after use, they’ll develop a certain smell or even mould if left for a long while. The best way to make sure your badminton shoes are clean and fresh inside boils down to what you do with them at home. When you arrive home after practice, gym or matchday, be sure to sprinkle a little baking soda inside on the insoles of your shoes.

As you might already know, home remedies like baking soda are quite effective at removing bad odours and scents. If there’s still some visible when you’re ready to wear, be sure to shake and turn upside down to get rid of the remaining baking soda prior to putting the shoes on.

Also, you should air out your badminton shoes after every wear to minimize the chances of developing a bad smell or odour. It should be aired out in a sheltered place away from too much humidity, though.

baking soda inside shoes

Tip #3: Taking Your Badminton Shoes Off the Proper Way


Some badminton players have a habit of taking their badminton shoes off before untying the laces. That’s a big no-no. That goes for putting on your shoes, too. First, you should loosen the laces a bit to create plenty of room before you shove your feet into the shoes. That will help maintain the shape of the shoes and prevent tearing.

There you have it
- how to maintain and care for your badminton shoes.

Just a recap, we covered tips and hacks on how to clean the shoes, how to maintain the traction of the soles, and how to keep your badminton shoes always new... either purchased badminton shoes online or offline.

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Comments: 2
BRYAN 20-12-2022 19:17
Great article! I appreciate your effort to write such worthy content. Thank you for the tips.
Mia Evans 28-12-2022 16:20
I totally agree when you said that the soles of the shoes have to be cleaned well, because it can affect the grip of it on the court's surface. I think my sister needs shoe repair services, since she almost slipped earlier. We have been playing tennis as a hobby for a year, and it seems like she already needs a repair after all the activity we have been having using them. 
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