How to Clean Athletic Equipment

People sweat when they play a sport. They get dirty. They land in mud. They get wet. They get blood on their uniforms. They get grass stains on their knees. At some point, though, someone has to clean this stuff. Sometimes it is as easy throwing something in a washing machine. Sometimes it takes a little bit of creativity for things such as shin guards, golf clubs and helmets.

Things You'll Need

  • Cleaning agents
  • Wiping cloths
  • Scraping tools
Show More

Instructions

  1. Cleaning basic equipment

    • 1

      Assess the damage and time it will take to clean. If you are an equipment manager, cleaning the baseball team's helmets is different from cleaning their gloves. For example, some soapy water and a sponge will clean the helmets in minutes. However, oiling and working the gloves takes some time.

    • 2

      Try to subdivide what you can do in groups. For example, spraying football knee pads with disinfectant takes a lot less time than cleaning footballs, so do that first. Simply fill a tub full of soapy water and disinfectant and then dunk a mesh bag full of knee pads in there to clean. Let them dry in the sun, and you are good to go.

    • 3

      Use common household items to clean most equipment. Most over-the-counter multipurpose cleaners work just as well as any "specialty" items on the market. For example, a person can take some dish detergent and a rag to clean shin guards in the same way they wipe down a counter top. However, you do want to throw the shin guards in the drying machine on low heat to keep the padding from getting musty.

    • 4

      Remember that bleach is a friend and an enemy. Most athletic socks, padding and the like can be tossed in a washing machine and bleached back to health. However, the bleach does tend to erode fabrics over time so don't go overboard.

    • 5

      Know what can be cleaned and what shouldn't. That sounds simple, but there are people who will clean out mouthpieces with Lysol. Hot water and soap will do for that, but make sure to rinse it down. Another example is golf clubs. Shiny clubs look nice but avoid putting rubber polish (the stuff used on the inside of a car) on the handles. The club will fly out of your hands on the back swing.

    Cleaning expensive and complicated equipment

    • 6

      Use the proper tools. For example, one common piece of equipment that needs constant cleaning is golf club heads. Spray them down with a dirt-cutting solvent and then use a metal-hair brush to scrape of dirt and nicks. Then wipe clean. Add some polish to the heads to make them sparkle.

    • 7

      Follow proper care for things such as pitching machines; football launchers and basketball backboards. You don't want to put something on there that will later harm the equipment.

    • 8

      Remember to do the simple things first. For example, shake out shoes with removable spikes in them first before cleaning. That will get all the loose dirt out. Then unscrew all of the spikes before cleaning out the grooves in them. That will make your job easier.