Your snowboard boots don’t need to be cleaned very often, but you might want to wash your liners or outer layers every once in a while if they get dirty or stinky. You also want to know how to do this properly to keep your boots in good shape.
I’ve been snowboarding for nearly my entire life, and I’ve learned how to take great care of all my equipment. I know through first-hand experience how to clean snowboard boots.
This post will show you how to clean snowboard boots. I’ll provide you with some tips and tricks and help you do this the right way. I’ll also give you some instructions to follow to wash up your boots when you want or need to.
Let’s get to it.
Contents
Can Boots be Washed in a Washing Machine?
You don’t want to wash your snowboard boots in a washing machine. While it might be tempting to throw them in with some other items and let the washer do its job, there is far too much potential for damage to consider this.
Boots should be hand washed instead because the washer can rip, tear, or pull apart pieces of your boots. They are relatively easy to wash by hand, and this is the best way to clean them up if you want them to last for a long time.
Can I Machine Wash Snowboard Boot Liners?
Like with the outer parts of your snowboard boots, you don’t want to throw the liners in the washing machine. Liners are an important component of your boots, and you don’t want to ruin them by running them through the washer.
Machine washing is more damaging than doing things by hand. I know some people who have washed their liners in the machine, but I also know people who have ruined their liners by doing this.
How to Clean Snowboard Boots
Here are the steps to follow to clean your snowboard boots effectively. These are hand washing instructions, which I think is the only real way to wash your boots without damaging them.
What you’ll need:
- Bucket
- Cleaning Detergent (laundry detergent, Oxiclean, dish soap)
- Sponge/Rag
- Toothbrush
- Drying cloth
Step 1: Remove the Liners
Before you start cleaning your boots, you need to remove the liners from the shell. Simply pull the liners out with your hand. You might need to wiggle things around a bit, but the shells should slip right out.
Step 2: Fill a Bucket With Soap and Water
Now it’s time to prepare your cleaning solution. You should fill up a large bucket or tub with cool water and some sort of soap. I like to use a combination of dish soap and Oxiclean, but you can also use laundry soap or just one of those too.
It doesn’t really matter what type of soap you use, as long as it’s effective. I like to use cool water to prevent any damage from hot water, but some people like to use warm water.
Step 3: Soak Shells/Liners in Bucket
Once the liners are out, you can soak them in a bucket of water and soap. If they are really smelly, you might want to leave them in for a while before scrubbing them clean. Put the shells in the bucket as well, if there’s room. Or you can take turns soaking them.
Step 4: Scrub Everything
After the liners and shells have soaked for a while, you can start scrubbing them clean. Use a rag to wipe the outer parts, and then use a toothbrush to scrub the harder-to-reach areas that your hand can reach.
Step 5: Rinse
After scrubbing the boots, rinse them with fresh water to get rid of the soap and residue. You can either fill a bucket with clean water or spray them off with a hose or in the sink. Rinse a few times if needed.
Step 6: Dry
The last step to cleaning your boots is to make sure they dry out properly. You can set them in an area that gets a lot of airflow, place a fan next to them to speed up the process or use a boot dryer if you have one.
You do not want to put them in the dryer!
FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to some of the most commonly asked questions relating to how to clean snowboard boots.
How do you clean smelly snowboard boots?
The best way to clean smelly snowboard boots is to wash them by hand. You can use a cleaning detergent with fragrance to help get rid of the bacteria built up in the boots and freshen things up. You might need to wash them several times if they are really smelly.
The video below has a good tip for fixing smelly boots if cleaning didn’t do the trick.
How do you dry snowboard boot liners?
Air-drying boot liners is the best way to dry them. If you have a boot dryer machine, this is another option. But you don’t want to put them in the dryer as it can damage them. Hanging them up on a line with a fan blowing on them is another way to do it.
How to clean inside of snowboard boots?
You can use your hands and a rag or sponge to clean the inside of snowboard boots. It’s always best to pull the liners out of the shell before washing them. This will give you access to all the parts of the boot that are hard to reach and is effective for cleaning correctly.
Final Thoughts
Cleaning your snowboard boots isn’t that difficult, but it does take a little elbow grease. If you follow all of the steps here, you’ll have a clean set of boots in no time. Just remember to hand wash them and not put them in the dryer!
About Lorraine